In Manhattan, twin gynecologists Beverly and Elliot Mantle, dubbed the Mantle twins, frequently commit malpractice at the hospital where they work, while harboring a plan to establish their own independent birthing center. During one of their hospital sessions, Beverly meets Genevieve, a famous actress. Elliot successfully seduces Genevieve while posing as Beverly, which effectively brings Beverly and Genevieve into a relationship, with Genevieve having slight doubts. The twins manage to convince Rebecca Parker, a venture philanthropist, to fund their birthing center scheme, despite earlier failed delivery at the hospital. Beverly is revealed to be schizophrenic while experiencing bleeding in her vulva; Elliot expresses sociopathic behaviors and instigates several sexual encounters with strangers. Elliot has a mental breakdown when Beverly tells her that her relationship with Genevieve is serious.
Principal photography began by August 2021 in New York City.[11][12]
Release
The series had its world premiere at the 2023 Canneseries on April 15, competing for Long Form competition.[13] All six episodes of the series were released on April 21, 2023.[2]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 87 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "If Dead Ringers doesn't wield as cutting a blade as David Cronenberg's original chiller, it's not a pale imitation either, thanks to Rachel Weisz putting on a clinic in doppelgänger duplicity."[14]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 79 out of 100 based on 24 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[15]
The series was included in several mid-year lists of the best TV shows of 2023, such as The Guardian, Time and Variety.[16][17][18] Alison Herman of Variety wrote, "Rachel Weisz has the dual role of a lifetime as the Mantle twins. [ . . . ] Gender-swapped reboots too often carry a whiff of sanctimony, but [the series] is as perverse and profane as any great Cronenberg homage. [ . . . ] Dead Ringers is more than a gimmick; it’s a cerebral spin on a nightmare."[18]
