What happens when concern turns into obsession, loyalty is questioned, and luxury masks something far more sinister? Netflix’s limited series SIRENS, created by Molly Smith Metzler, delivers an intense, character-driven story set over one explosive weekend that unearths deep family wounds, psychological control, and secrets that refuse to stay buried.
Across five compelling episodes, the series follows Devon (Meghann Fahy), who rushes to an isolated estate to rescue her sister Simone (Milly Alcock) from the manipulative grasp of her wealthy employer Michaela (Julianne Moore). What begins as a worried sister’s intervention transforms into something far more disturbing.
EPISODE 1 – “BUFFALO GIRLS”
After spending the night in jail, Devon heads to the Hamptons in search of her younger sister Simone, who has become inseparably tied to her enigmatic and powerful boss Michaela. Their father, Bruce, has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, and Devon hopes Simone will return to Buffalo to help.
But when she arrives at Michaela’s palatial, camera-filled estate, she finds Simone has disappeared into an entirely new identity. Working as Michaela’s assistant, Simone has become absorbed in an artificial world built on money, image, and secrecy. She hides her foster care background, avoids any mention of Devon, and secretly dates Michaela’s eccentric neighbor, Ethan (Glenn Howerton). Devon is disturbed by the house’s intense control—NDAs, surveillance, and unwritten rules—making it feel more like a cult than a workplace.
Simone refuses to leave with Devon, and Michaela attempts to bribe Devon with $10,000 to disappear. Devon lashes out, confides in Jose, a worker on the estate, about her own struggles with hypersexuality, and ends up spending the night with Morgan, Ethan’s yacht captain.
EPISODE 2 – “TALONS”
Determined to reach her sister, Devon breaks onto the estate again, prompting another confrontation. Simone lashes out, revealing Devon’s messy past and affair with her former boss Raymond. Michaela steps in and orders Jose to remove Devon. Soon after, Devon is arrested for trespassing—thanks to Michaela’s manipulation behind the scenes.
In jail, Devon hears rumors swirling about the estate: Is it a cult? Did Michaela murder her husband’s ex-wife, Jocelyn, by pushing her off a cliff?
Michaela bails Devon out—under one condition: she must stay the weekend and behave. Devon agrees, but secretly plans to get Simone out. As she observes the family during preparations for a Vanity Fair photo shoot and a bird funeral, things get weirder. Simone has a panic attack when Michaela learns about her nighttime escapes to see Ethan. Devon, discovering Simone has stopped taking her medication, finds her in hiding and comforts her.
EPISODE 3 – “MONSTER”
Simone wakes up on edge. Another argument brews between the sisters, and Devon reveals her own spiral—alcoholism and multiple DUIs since Simone left home.
Meanwhile, Michaela becomes suspicious of her husband Peter (Kevin Bacon), after realizing the chocolate he gifted her wasn’t from Tokyo, as he claimed. She sends Simone to spy, but Peter catches her and confesses: he traveled to secretly meet his grandson. Michaela has been estranged from Peter’s children, so he chose secrecy.
Then something unexpected happens—Peter kisses Simone. She pulls away, but the damage is done. As she tries to contact Ethan, she discovers he’s missing. Devon suspects Michaela is involved.
But Ethan walks in later, revealing he went to Buffalo and brought back Bruce and Raymond. In front of everyone, he shocks Simone by proposing to her.
EPISODE 4 – “PERSEPHONE”
Simone is overwhelmed by Ethan’s sudden proposal and runs away in tears. Michaela finds her and gently talks her down, advising against the engagement and offering her a prestigious job in New York.
Meanwhile, Michaela and Peter resolve their differences—briefly. That night, a formal dinner at Michaela’s estate brings everyone together: Bruce, Raymond, Ethan, Devon, and others. Peter invites everyone to a bird sanctuary gala the next day.
Tensions rise again between Devon and Simone. Simone unloads years of pain: she blames their father for their mother’s suicide and accuses Devon of not being there for her. Devon, heartbroken, storms out and ends her toxic relationship with Raymond.
Simone ends things with Ethan too. Emotionally shattered, Ethan confronts her and during the argument, falls off a cliff. The screen cuts to black, leaving viewers unsure if he survived.
Meanwhile, the Vanity Fair photographer reveals a secret photo of Simone kissing Peter. Michaela sees it—and explodes in rage.
EPISODE 5 – “SIREN SONG”
The finale opens with Ethan’s fate: he survived the fall, bruised but alive. But things take a surreal turn—he accuses Simone of pushing him and even claims she had wings. His accusations blur the line between hallucination and myth, hinting at the show’s title—Sirens—and its metaphorical weight.
Michaela doesn’t hold back. Fueled by jealousy and betrayal, she packs Simone’s belongings and fires her. Simone breaks down and goes nonverbal, entering a fugue state.
Devon finds out and confronts Michaela publicly during the bird sanctuary gala. In front of guests, Devon accuses Michaela of running a cult and killing Jocelyn. Michaela clears the air: Jocelyn isn’t dead—she lives on a remote island after a bad plastic surgery post-divorce. Michaela didn’t kill her.
But the revelations don’t stop. Peter, long perceived as the calmer one, is revealed to be the true manipulator. Coldly, he discards Michaela and sets his eyes on Simone as her replacement. The symbolic siren was never Michaela—it was Simone, luring and replacing.
This shocking twist breaks Devon’s illusions. She realizes she’s the one who’s always stayed when others left. Her loyalty, while messy, is genuine. She chooses to return to Buffalo and care for their father alone.
In a quiet moment during their ferry ride back, Devon and Michaela exchange a strange but human conversation. Despite everything, they recognize how surreal their weekend has been—a world of money, manipulation, and myth collapsing into truth.
ENDING EXPLAINED: THE SIREN UNMASKED
The title Sirens plays on dual meanings—mythological seduction and literal danger. In the end, it isn’t Michaela who’s the ultimate manipulator, but Peter, who hides his ambition and uses both women to serve his needs. Michaela, who appeared controlling and cult-like, is exposed as a broken woman clinging to order.
Simone, meanwhile, undergoes a brutal transformation—from a woman seeking identity to someone used as a pawn. Her kiss with Peter, her dismissal by Michaela, and her near-marriage to Ethan reflect a dangerous cycle of being controlled.
Devon, initially seen as reckless, emerges with clarity. While flawed, she chooses responsibility over chaos, and her final decision to stay by her father reclaims her agency.
The show ends not with justice or revenge, but with quiet choices. The façade cracks. The sirens are silenced. And real life—with all its imperfections—resumes.
Visit tvacute.com for more SIRENS updates, breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes coverage as we dive into the secrets that shook the coast.
