Annie Murphy and Murray Bartlett on why we love watching dysfunctional families

From The Sopranos to Succession, dysfunctional families have long captivated television audiences. There's a strange comfort in witnessing the messy realities of others. It evokes a collective sigh of relief that says, "Oh, thank goodness, it's not just my circus." 

This sentiment is shared by both Annie Murphy and Murray Bartlett, who star in the second season of Nine Perfect Strangers on Prime Video. This emotionally charged season hinges on dysfunctional families, including an uptight daughter (Murphy) looking for approval from her emotionally elusive mother (Christine Baranski) and a father-son duo (Henry Golding and Mark Strong) whose strained relationship is equally tested. 

Both Murphy and Bartlett, veterans of acclaimed ensemble casts (Schitt's Creek and The White Lotus, respectively), delve into the dynamics that make the mind-bending retreat drama so compelling in a joint interview with CBC Arts. 

For Murphy, the allure lies in the relatability of such issues. "You see that it's kind of a universal dysfunctionality [and] it makes you feel comforted and safe," she says.

Bartlett suggests every family harbours its own unique brand of chaos. "I think even very functional families have dysfunction," he says. "When there's honesty about what goes on with family dynamics ... there's some sort of relief and just sort of identification with it in a way that can be quite healing in itself."

This season, Nicole Kidman returns as Russian wellness guru Masha, bringing together a new group of strangers in the Bavarian Alps. The series also stars King Princess, Dolly de Leon, Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Aras Aydin. 

From the get-go, the friendship between Murphy and Bartlett is palpable. There's one particular scene involving a feisty kitchen fight between the two that sends them into laughter as they recall filming it. 

"This man is one of my very favourite acting partners I've ever had in my life," Murphy says, while hanging onto her co-star's arm. "We were lucky to click right away and to become good friends — and so that enabled us to be able to be really awful to each other in this scene." 

Bartlett echoes the sentiment, describing their kitchen kerfuffle as a career highlight. "When you have the opportunity to do such an amazing scene like that with someone who you love and respect, it doesn't really get better than that." 

Murphy, the Ottawa-born actress who lives in Toronto, delivers another memorable moment when her character, Imogen, channels an increasingly deranged Heidi (the Swiss orphan girl of Johanna Spyri's famous children's book) on a psychedelic drug trip. "That unhinged and over-the-top and chaotic [energy] is kind of where I find my sweet spot," Murphy says gleefully. She credits her playful dynamic with co-star Henry Golding for the scene's unsettling yet darkly comedic tone. 

"I love being able to just kind of go for it and be weird and so silly. And getting motorboated by Henry Golding — there could be worse things," she laughs. "We had such a fun time trying to one up each other in that scene. It was such a blast."

For Bartlett, Nine Perfect Strangers offered the unique opportunity to explore the unusual relationship between his character, Brian, and Brian's puppet companion. "I've never had a chance to play a character that has a very close, kind of platonically intimate relationship with a puppet," he says. He found the challenge of projecting an aspect of his character onto a physical object, then developing a complex relationship with it "really amazing and fun." He also appreciates the depth and nuance afforded to Brian, describing his character's journey from brokenness to a form of healing as a "real privilege."

"That's what you signed up for with this show. These characters are dealing with deep stuff. It's comedy, but it also has depth. And they're taking psychedelics, so it's going to get crazy. It's a great playing field for all of us," he adds. 

Reflecting on their experiences in successful ensemble shows, both actors offer insights into the "secret sauce" of creating compelling group narratives. Murphy humorously suggests "luck," before explaining that it's actually "good writing."

She also credits the sense of connection she developed with the Nine Perfect Strangers cast during their extended filming period in Munich. "It became very apparent very quickly that the whole cast is just a bunch of real dorky theatre kids. So we just all bonded so quickly, and it's the kind of kindred-spiritness and friendship that really allows for a lot of chemistry."

Bartlett brings up the importance of casting, highlighting the need for an "interesting group of characters" and actors whose dynamics will create compelling interactions. He emphasizes the value of diverse personalities coming together — as seen in the series' wide range of characters — to spark something truly great.

Ultimately, the magic of Nine Perfect Strangers, much like other successful dysfunctional family dramas, lies in its ability to hold a mirror to our own imperfect lives. Through the compelling performances of actors like Murphy and Bartlett, the show reminds us that within the chaos and complexities of human relationships, we find  comfort in the shared experience. 

Nine Perfect Strangers streams weekly on Prime Video starting May 22.