Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Season 1 – Scarpetta

Play trailer 1:55 Poster for Season 1 – Scarpetta Mar 2026 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
57% Tomatometer 67 Reviews 43% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta returns to Virginia and resumes her former position with complex relationships and plenty of grudges and secrets to uncover.
Watch on Prime Video Stream Now

Where to Watch

Scarpetta — Season 1

Scarpetta — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A little messy and occasionally all over the place, Scarpetta still makes for a fun watch thanks to its stacked cast and a mystery that's just compelling enough to keep viewers digging for more.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya Autostraddle Mar 18
The strengths of the series are numerous, especially when it comes to the parts that feel like a gothic family drama. Go to Full Review Linda Holmes Pop Culture Happy Hour (NPR Podcast) Mar 18
When you get into the third episode, and you realize that you've seen 10 minutes of eight different stories I didn't feel like I had time to get invested in anything. Go to Full Review Graeme Blundell The Australian Mar 16
I’m sure many will binge the series, happy to ride out the contradictions, the unbalanced timelines, and the sometimes lazy acting, and delight in Kidman’s aura but Scarpetta fans will be a little disappointed. Go to Full Review Nina Starner Looper.com Apr 30
2/10
Scarpetta doesn't trust its audience, and that drags the whole show down. Go to Full Review Kristian M. Lin Fort Worth Weekly Apr 9
Kay Scarpetta herself would be outraged at how thoroughly this job has been botched. Go to Full Review Andrew Murray The Upcoming Apr 8
2/5
Between its dual timelines and oversaturation of subplots, Scarpetta often feels like it’s made of multiple scripts that have been stitched together. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Jarred T @JarredJT May 8 For people who enjoy a cast of complicated characters and a mystery that is enticing enough to keep you hooked. Didn't really like some unexplained things like how did the assistant know about Scarpetta's secret for instance. But all in all, riveting. And the ending. Cliffhanger! See more Kim K @KKenn May 5 Casting set high expectations - but having read ALL 29 Scarpetta books, this was NOT an accurate depiction of the characters! I was beyond disappointed, and somewhat offended at the character deconstructions. See more HannahandEmily K @LOCKEDIN. May 5 Scarpetta on Prime Video is based on the Kay Scarpetta novels by Patricia Cornwell, who has written 29 books to date a highly successful crime series that has captivated readers for years with its gripping plots. It’s worth noting that we haven’t read the novels. The series is set in Virginia and South Carolina and uses a dual-timeline structure, moving between the 1990s and the present day. It follows Dr. Kay Scarpetta, played by Nicole Kidman, as she investigates a series of brutal serial killings while revisiting a haunting, career-defining case from 28 years ago. The casting is fantastic, with talented actors delivering impressive performances across the board. Everyone feels perfectly cast. I’m already looking forward to Season 2 what an ending! This series is definitely suited for mature audiences. See more Devin F. @Katosepe Apr 30 The acting is mostly superb. I liked the sets and some of the camera work felt inspired. Everything about the writing, from the dialogue to the plot to the pacing, was inconceivably bad. If you like watching a bunch of unlikable people fight, maybe the family drama will be fun for you. As for the mystery in this crime drama, I am not being hyperbolic when I say it is the worst written mystery I have ever seen. See more John W @Bambam67890 Apr 28 Awful. Couldn’t follow it at all. Nothing like the novels. Jamie Leigh Curtis is shockingly overacting. Don’t waste your time watching this. See more Lorraine M. @lovemovies Apr 27 Even viewing it with close captioning made it still difficult to understand what was going on during some parts of the series. The acting is great. It definitely brings you back for more but there’s just so many unanswered questions in each episode. See more Read all reviews
Scarpetta — Season 1

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Nicole Kidman

Kay Scarpetta

Jamie Lee Curtis

Dorothy Farinelli

Bobby Cannavale

Pete Marino

Simon Baker

Benton Wesley

Ariana DeBose

Lucy Farinelli-Watson

Rosy McEwen

Past Kay Scarpetta

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Mar 11, 2026 Bridge of Time After returning to her former position as Virginia's Chief Medical Examiner, renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta investigates a mysterious murder that resembles her first big case from 28 years prior. Details Episode 2 Aired Mar 11, 2026 Kay Following a shocking potential link between the past and present murder investigations, Scarpetta and Marino dive deeper into the present victim's life and the circumstances surrounding her death; Benton's new position with the FBI creates tension when he learns classified information about the victim, forcing him to withhold crucial details from Scarpetta; Lucy, still grieving the passing of her late wife, Janet, uses her technological expertise to help Marino track down the prime suspect. Details Episode 3 Aired Mar 11, 2026 Dot Scarpetta and Marino visit Matt Petersen at his compound; Lucy and officer Blaise Fruge team up to search for the murder victim's boyfriend; the past investigation takes a turn when Scarpetta is called into the Health Commissioner's office. Details Episode 4 Aired Mar 11, 2026 Pete In the past, Scarpetta suspects that someone from within her own office is attempting to sabotage her, which leads to a big discovery in the case; Kay and Marino uncover troubling similarities between the murder victim and the accidental death of a jogger six months earlier; the parallel investigations intensify when Lucy discovers surveillance photos linking Matt Petersen to the current murder victim; relationships are strained as Dorothy attempts to connect with Marino. Details Episode 5 Aired Mar 11, 2026 Hello From Space, My Dear Scarpetta and Benton's marriage is put to the test when Kay is called in by the FBI to perform autopsies on two dead astronauts found at a crash site; in the past, it's Friday night and the killer could strike at any moment. Details Episode 6 Aired Mar 11, 2026 Benton Scarpetta and Benton devise a risky plan to bait the serial killer out of hiding; Scarpetta orders the exhumation of the dead jogger's body, convinced that there's a connection between the jogger's death and the murder victim. Details Episode 7 Aired Mar 11, 2026 L + J After confirming a connection between the two deaths, Scarpetta faces mounting professional and personal crises; Scarpetta makes a breakthrough in the case. Details Episode 8 Aired Mar 11, 2026 Bridge of Time Past and present collide, revealing the full truth about Scarpetta, Marino and the lie that bonds them forever; the timeline leads to a link between the murder victims; as Scarpetta's life fractures, she forms an unlikely alliance with a former adversary; at her absolute lowest, Scarpetta finds herself alone and vulnerable while a killer is still on the loose. Details
View All

Scarpetta — Season 1

Scarpetta: Season 1 Trailer Scarpetta: Season 1 Trailer 1:55 View more videos
View All

Scarpetta — Season 1

Scarpetta View more photos

Season Info

Director
David Gordon Green
Executive Producer
Nicole Kidman, Per Saari, Jamie Lee Curtis, Elizabeth Sarnoff, Patricia Cornwell, Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, Chris Dickie, Chris McCumber, David Gordon Green, Amy Sayres
Screenwriter
Patricia Cornwell, Elizabeth Sarnoff, Matthew Zucker
Network
Prime Video
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Mar 11, 2026