Updated

Updated · Vogue · Jul 9

Author Publishes 40 Takeaways on Peacock's 2023 Novel Adaptation The Five-Star Weekend

Updated

Updated · Vogue · Jul 9

Author Publishes 40 Takeaways on Peacock's 2023 Novel Adaptation The Five-Star Weekend

Q: Is this star-studded Nantucket drama the key to Peacock finally dominating the summer streaming wars?

Probably not on its own. Peacock’s *The Five-Star Weekend* has many ingredients of a summer breakout: a recognizable Elin Hilderbrand property, an upscale Nantucket setting, and a cast led by Jennifer Garner, D’Arcy Carden, Chloë Sevigny, Regina Hall, and Gemma Chan. Early reactions suggest it is highly watchable, with Carden widely praised and the show drawing *Big Little Lies* comparisons for its glossy ensemble drama and slow-burn intrigue. Nantucket itself is being treated as a major selling point, and all eight episodes dropped at once on July 9, giving Peacock a binge-friendly summer release. But the available evidence does not show that this series is the decisive factor in Peacock “dominating” the summer streaming race. Reviews describe it more as a strong escapist melodrama than a major event series likely to reshape the market. There is no reported breakout viewership yet, and no indication that it has matched the platform-level impact of Peacock’s bigger current driver, *Love Island USA*, which has been cited as the service’s top summer performer. More broadly, Peacock remains competitive because of a mix of originals, reality hits, and live sports, not because of one prestige-adjacent drama alone. *The Five-Star Weekend* may help Peacock strengthen its summer lineup and appeal to viewers looking for female-led, glossy comfort viewing. But based on what is known now, it looks more like a valuable addition than the singular key to winning the streaming wars.

3 articles · Updated · Vogue · Jul 9

A reaction piece published July 9 walks through 40 live thoughts on Peacock’s new adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s 2023 bestseller, ending with the writer saying they will likely watch episode two.
Jennifer Garner’s widow character, a Nantucket girls-trip setup and hints of mystery drive the commentary, with the author flagging an early death, deposition intrigue and a Big Little Lies-like tone.
D’Arcy Carden, Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny, Judy Greer, Gemma Chan and Timothy Olyphant are singled out as major draws, alongside a Jenna Bush Hager cameo.
The piece frames the series as a beach-wealth ensemble drama built around friendship, grief and reunion, while mixing plot observations with jokes about fashion, food-influencer culture and Nantucket status.