The title of the new Peacock thriller All Her Fault does a lot of work. At first, it seems to point a clear finger of blame. But as the story unfolds over its eight tense episodes, viewers discover the title is deeply, deliberately ironic. It becomes a puzzle that changes meaning, questioning who society blames in a crisis and why.
The series, which premiered all episodes on November 6, 2025, quickly became a major hit. It stars Sarah Snook as Marissa Irvine, a mother whose young son vanishes after a playdate. She is joined by Dakota Fanning, Jake Lacy, and Michael Peña. In its first three weeks, the show was watched for 46 million hours, making it the biggest original series launch in Peacock’s history.
The Premise: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare
The story begins with a simple, terrifying moment. Marissa Irvine arrives to pick up her five-year-old son, Milo, from his first playdate at a classmate’s house. The woman who answers the door has never heard of Marissa or her son. The phone number used to arrange the meet-up is disconnected. In minutes, a routine errand spirals into every parent’s worst fear.
Marissa and her husband Peter, played by Jake Lacy, begin a desperate search. Their only ally is another mother from the school, Jenny Kaminski (Dakota Fanning), whose own life becomes tangled in the mystery. Detective Alcaras (Michael Peña) leads the investigation, uncovering a complex web of lies that stretches across both families.
Why The Title “All Her Fault” Is Ironic
The brilliance of the title lies in its shifting meaning. At the start, “her fault” seems to directly refer to Marissa. The show explores the intense scrutiny and judgment placed on working mothers. Marissa, a successful wealth manager, battles internal and external voices questioning her choices. Could her career focus have led to this?
Then, suspicion turns to Jenny. She hired the nanny, Carrie Finch, who becomes the prime suspect in Milo’s disappearance. Is it Jenny’s fault for not vetting her employee thoroughly? The story sits with Jenny’s crushing guilt for bringing this person into her home.
The nanny, Carrie, is another “her.” Played by Sophia Lillis, Carrie is revealed to be Josephine “Josie” Murphy, a woman with a traumatic past. As a teenager, she lost her baby son in a car accident shortly after leaving the hospital. Her own abusive family told her the tragedy was all her fault.
The Final Twist That Changes Everything
The series saves its most shocking reveal for the finale, redefining the title’s irony. Through flashbacks, viewers learn the full truth about the car crash six years prior. Peter Irvine, in a moment of panicked grief, made a devastating choice. He switched the infants at the crash site. The child who died was his and Marissa’s biological son. The baby they raised as Milo is actually Carrie’s biological child.
This single, secret act by Peter is the catalyst for the entire tragedy. Carrie’s kidnapping is, in a twisted way, an attempt to reclaim the son she never knew survived. The title All Her Fault now asks a profound question: After this revelation, which “her” is truly to blame? Is it Carrie, for taking the child? Marissa, for being part of a life built on a lie? Or Jenny, for her role in the chain of events? The series suggests the easy answer is to blame a mother, but the complicated truth points elsewhere.
The series producer, Megan Gallagher, has created a title that serves as a Rorschach test in itself, uncovering more about our prejudice regarding gender, motherhood, and blame than about any single character’s culpability.
Standout Performances and Critical Reception
The show’s power is driven by its cast. Sarah Snook, fresh from her Emmy-winning role in Succession, delivers a raw and vulnerable performance as a mother unraveling under pressure. Critics note her ability to make Marissa’s fear feel immediate and real.
Dakota Fanning provides strong support as Jenny, with the chemistry between the two actresses forming the emotional core of the story. Michael Peña also earns praise for his role as the detective, a father whose personal struggles add depth to the investigation.
The series has been well-received, earning nominations at major awards. It holds a generally positive critical rating and sparked significant conversation among viewers about its themes and twists. Many fans took to social media and review platforms calling it a “binge-worthy” and addictive watch, though some felt the story could have been tighter.
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A Story About Blame, Not Just a Thriller
While the search for Milo provides a gripping mystery, All Her Fault is equally focused on a social puzzle. It examines the automatic instinct to find a woman to hold responsible, especially when children are involved. The title sets up an expectation that the story will dissect a mother’s failure. Instead, it dissects our culture’s readiness to make that judgment.
The show presents a world where mothers are criticized for working too much or being too protective, for trusting too easily or not being vigilant enough. By the end, the ironic title asks the audience to look beyond the easy target. It challenges viewers to question who they first thought of when they heard the words “all her fault,” and why.
The entire first season of All Her Fault, consisting of eight episodes, is available to stream globally on Peacock.
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