Prime Video’s New 8-Part Crime Thriller Based On Best-Selling Series Becomes An Instant Worldwide Streaming Sensation

Prime Video has a new worldwide streaming hit on its hands with Scarpetta.

Nicole Kidman plays the titular character, medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta, in the show's present-day timeline, while Rosy McEwen plays her in the story set in the 1990s. The character originates from Patricia Cornwell's best-selling books about Scarpetta, of which there are 29 since the first was published in 1990. The eight episodes, all of which were released on March 11, follow Scarpetta as she uses her medical expertise to find a killer in both narrative timelines.

On Prime Video, Scarpetta has instantly become the number one show in the world. It is also at the top of the streaming charts in the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, and Spain. Globally and in the U.S., Scarpetta is outperforming Young Sherlock, which is only in its second week on the platform, along with 56 Days, Cross, Fallout, and Beast Games.

While Scarpetta season 2 was already confirmed ahead of season 1's streaming debut, the immediate streaming success bodes well for the show's future. The vast number of Cornwell's books gives showrunner Liz Sarnoff numerous seasons to adapt as long as Prime Video keeps the series going, which it likely will beyond season 3 if the high viewership can be sustained.

With season 2 filming already starting this month, Prime Video has the opportunity to further capitalize on the streaming success with a quick turnaround. It could possibly come back in early 2027, committing to an annual release schedule as HBO Max's The Pitt and Hulu's Paradise are doing and to avoid long hiatuses between streaming television seasons. That being said, Scarpetta season 2's release window has not been officially announced yet.

As for the overall reception to season 1, critics and audiences are divided on Rotten Tomatoes. The Tomatometer score is a "Certified Fresh" 70% score, but the Popcornmeter score is a "Rotten" 49%. In ScreenRant's Scarpetta review, Graeme Guttmann gives the show six out of 10 stars, and writes that compared to Kidman's other series, this "finds itself somewhere in the middle, dabbling in sheer absurdity while working largely within the confines of what seems, at first, like a typical crime story."

Kidman is the face of the show, and McEwen's performance has been praised by Guttmann and many other critics, but they are only part of Scarpetta's star-studded cast. Other key characters are Dorothy Scarpetta (Jamie Lee Curtis), Lucy Farinelli-Watson (Ariana DeBose), Pete Marino (Bobby Cannavale), Benton Wesley (Simon Baker), and Blaise Fruge (Tiya Sircar). For the timeline set in the 1990s, Jake Cannavale plays a young Pete and Hunter Parrish plays a young Benton.

Release Date March 11, 2026

Network Prime Video

Showrunner Elizabeth Sarnoff

Directors David Gordon Green, Charlotte Brändström

Cast

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