Scarpetta on Prime Video: Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis Lead the Most Divisive New Show of 2026 — All 8 Episodes Streaming Now

Scarpetta arrived on Prime Video on March 11, 2026 — and it has immediately become the most talked-about and debated new series of the month. Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis star in this long-awaited adaptation of Patricia Cornwell's bestselling novels, now streaming in all 240 countries where Prime Video operates. Critics and audiences are sharply split. Here is everything you need to know.

What Is Scarpetta? Plot, Timeline, and Story

Scarpetta is a chilling crime thriller that unfolds across two timelines, exploring Kay Scarpetta's journey from her beginnings as a Chief Medical Examiner in the late 1990s to her present-day return to her hometown, where she resumes her former position while investigating a grisly murder. As Scarpetta pursues justice, she must navigate complicated relationships including the fraught dynamic with her sister Dorothy Farinelli, confront long-held professional and personal grudges, and face secrets that threaten to unravel everything she has built.

The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Blumhouse Television, developed and written by Emmy-nominated showrunner Liz Sarnoff, who previously worked on Barry and Lost.

Scarpetta Full Cast: Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Ariana DeBose

Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman stars as Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis stars as her sister Dorothy Farinelli. Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale plays Detective Pete Marino. Emmy nominee Simon Baker plays FBI profiler Benton Wesley. Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose plays Kay's tech-savvy niece Lucy Farinelli Watson.

The dual timeline structure is completed by Rosy McEwen as the younger Kay Scarpetta, Jake Cannavale as the younger Pete Marino, and Hunter Parrish as the younger Benton Wesley. Bobby Cannavale and Jake Cannavale — real-life father and son — bring authentic resemblance to the same character across two time periods.

Scarpetta Reviews: Critics vs Audiences — Sharply Divided

Prime Video's new eight-part crime thriller based on the bestsellers is dividing critics and audiences sharply on Rotten Tomatoes since launch.

Critics have called the writing surprisingly thin, the direction lacking confidence, and the editing working against the drama. The relentless handheld camerawork was cited as an obstacle, drawing attention away from the story. The repeated friction between Kidman and Curtis was described as tiresome rather than layered.

Audience reaction has been similarly mixed, with some viewers praising the performances while others found the tonal choices jarring. The real-life father-son casting of Bobby and Jake Cannavale was widely praised as an inspired choice that adds authenticity to the Pete Marino character across both timelines.

Patricia Cornwell on Scarpetta: "Worth Waiting For"

Cornwell, whose Kay Scarpetta novels have sold more than 120 million copies worldwide since 1990, said having Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis wanting to do this is humbling and simply awesome, and that working with showrunner Liz Sarnoff is amazing. She described the collaboration as something she feels was worth waiting for.

Nicole Kidman said she had been pursuing Scarpetta for nearly 20 years going back to when it was intended to be a feature, and that uniting with Jamie Lee Curtis, Prime Video, Jason Blum, and director David Gordon Green on Liz Sarnoff's series version felt like it was meant to be.

Season 2 Already Ordered — How to Watch Scarpetta Right Now

A two-season order was in place before production began. Season 1 consists of eight episodes, all available now to binge in one sitting.

All eight episodes of Scarpetta are streaming now on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. A Prime Video subscription starts at $8.99 per month in the US. The series is rated TV-MA with episodes running approximately 50 minutes each.