‘The Five-Star Weekend’ Review: A Grief Vacation That Lacks Real Drama

Peacock’s new limited series debuts this week, presenting a glossy summer confection that revolves around beautiful individuals navigating pain in stunning locales. ‘The Five-Star Weekend’ is based on Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling novel and centers on Hollis Shaw, a picture-perfect baking influencer portrayed by Jennifer Garner, who invites four friends from different phases of her life for a weekend on her childhood island.

Set six months after Hollis loses her husband, the show quickly establishes the contrast between her public image and her private struggles. Each friend she invites carries their own burdens, from career-threatening scandals to health issues and legal troubles, and the series aims for these intertwined crises to ignite across its eight episodes.

As the story unfolds, I found myself appreciating the surface-level craftsmanship more than connecting with the underlying emotions. Garner is the standout reason to watch this show. She portrays Hollis as a woman whose competence has morphed into a coping mechanism, preferring to curate a flawless charcuterie board rather than confront her own sadness, and she skillfully reveals that mask in subtle, believable ways.

The supporting cast generally matches her performance. Regina Hall injects sharp, defensive energy into her role as a character striving to protect her career, while D’Arcy Carden quietly steals scenes as the anxious, overly chatty friend who often goes unrecognized until she’s needed. Chloe Sevigny faces the toughest challenge, playing a character who can be genuinely unlikable at times, and she embraces that discomfort rather than softening it for easy sympathy.

However, the show falters in its reluctance to let any of the tension truly explode. Each conflict is set up with promise—a betrayal here, a secret there—but resolves so gently and swiftly that it barely registers as drama. It feels less like a narrative about women facing harsh truths and more like one about women agreeing to be kind to each other before the credits roll.

This pattern becomes the show’s central flaw. Grief, professional setbacks, and past romantic wounds are introduced with weight, only to be smoothed over with the efficiency of a vacation itinerary, which is fitting given how meticulously Hollis plans every moment of the trip. The outcome is a series that appears poised to deliver emotional impact but instead opts for a warm, low-stakes hangout, focusing more on sunset dinners and fashion than on genuinely confronting anyone’s pain.

While this doesn’t render it a bad watch, it is certainly a frustrating one, as the assembled talent is clearly capable of more than the scripts demand. There are standout moments, particularly those involving Hollis and her college-aged daughter, where the show briefly captures the rawness it seems to seek before retreating back into safety. It left me wishing the entire series had enough faith in its cast and premise to remain uncomfortable a bit longer.

By the time the secrets are revealed, the show has conditioned viewers not to expect significant fallout, and that expectation largely holds true. It is beautifully shot, well-cast, and easy to leave on in the background, but ‘easy’ is also the ceiling it never surpasses. I walked away entertained in the moment but largely unmoved a day later, which speaks volumes about a show so intent on pleasing its audience.

If you’re looking for a breezy, sun-drenched hangout with a fantastic ensemble and don’t require your melodrama to pack a punch, ‘The Five-Star Weekend’ delivers that experience and little more. I’m giving it a score of 6.5 out of 10, a show elevated by its cast beyond what its safe, conflict-averse writing truly deserves.

Have you streamed ‘The Five-Star Weekend’ yet? Did Hollis and her friends resonate with you, or did you find yourself craving more drama? Share your thoughts in the comments below.