The Apple TV+ murder mystery Imperfect Women finale has just arrived. The final episode, “The Bridge,” started streaming on April 29, 2026. It confirms that Howard (Corey Stoll) killed Nancy (Kate Mara). Howard is the husband of Mary (Elisabeth Moss). But the finale focuses less on the killer’s identity. It shows the painful results for the women left behind.
The truth comes out through an unlikely witness. Scott Reed (Wilson Bethel), Nancy’s abusive stepfather, was at the murder spot that night. Nancy had called him for help. She wanted him to scare Howard so the affair would stop. Scott says he arrived too late. He only saw Howard standing over Nancy’s body. Even with this information, the police refuse to reopen the case. They want to blame Scott instead.
Court Gives Custody to Neither Parent
While the murder mystery drives the show, the real tension for Mary is her fight to keep her children. After the police look away from Howard, he uses the legal system to try and take the kids to Ohio. Mary brings Howard’s ex-wife Jenny to court. Jenny delivers a harsh truth about Howard’s past abuse. She calls him an “angry child scared to death of his own mediocrity.”
The court does not give Howard what he wants. But it also does not give the kids back to Mary. The judge rules that neither parent is safe. The children are placed into the temporary care of the Department of Children and Family Services. This ruling pushes Howard over the edge. He sees that he is losing control of everything.
Howard Dies at the Bridge in Final Fight
After losing in court, Howard kidnaps Mary from her hotel room. He drives her to the same bridge where Nancy was killed. His plan is to kill Mary and make it look like a suicide. He believes people will think a drug-addicted mother killed herself after losing her kids. Howard holds a knife to Mary and admits he killed Nancy because she wanted to end their affair.
Mary fights back. She uses dirt to blind Howard and runs. But he catches her and stabs her. As Howard strangles Mary, Eleanor (Kerry Washington) arrives. She had heard the struggle over a phone call. Eleanor runs her car into Howard, but he still does not die. He gets up and attacks Eleanor. In the final moments, Mary takes the knife and stabs Howard several times. He dies. When the police arrive, Howard is dead.
Where Mary and Eleanor Stand at the Imperfect Women Finale
The finale jumps forward in time. Eleanor is on a boat named after Nancy. She has chosen to focus on her own family and a new relationship. She is not at Juniper’s birthday party. But she sends a gift, showing she still cares.
Also Read:
Mary is back on her feet. Creator Annie Weisman confirmed that Mary has her kids back. She has stopped relying on pills. The most talked about moment is the final look between Mary and Robert (Joel Kinnaman), Nancy’s widower. Robert brings out the birthday cake. The two share a long, secretive smile.
“What is going on there? It’s exactly what we were asking,” Moss tells TV Insider. “We very purposefully talked a lot about what we were going to do with it and how far we were going to go and what not to do. We really wanted to raise the question, ‘What is going on there?’ But not answer it.”
Kerry Washington adds that the look is meant to stay open to interpretation. She says the show wants viewers to live with uncertainty, just like the characters must learn to do. Whether Mary and Robert are starting a romance or just sharing a moment of understanding is left for the audience to decide.
Also Read: FBI Season 8 Episode 20 Release Date, Time, Streaming Guide & ‘Roleplay’ Case Details
For more recaps and streaming updates on the latest Apple TV+ shows, keep checking VvipTimes for breaking entertainment news.
