Created by Molly Smith Metzler, Netflix’s Sirens (TV Mini Series 2025) is a electrifying dark comedy that persists in its ability to surprise you throughout its five episodes. Especially when you think that you have figured the characters out. The series’ heart is the trifecta of its leading ladies. And Meghann Fahy, Milly Alcock, and Julianne Moore absolutely knocks it out of the park. Just like Moore’s Michaela, there is an inexplicable allure of the show that, despite all the tonal shifts, just works.
Sirens (TV Mini Series 2025) ‘Netflix’ Recap:
“Sirens” starts with Devon (Meghann Fahy) making a long and arduous journey to a millionaire’s island to find her young sister, Simone (Milly Alcock). The two sisters’ lives are in stark contrast to each other. Devon is an indelicate waitress in a fast-food shop, living with and taking care of their dementia-addled father, Bruce (Bill Camp). Simultaneously, Simone is the assistant to billionaire philanthropist, Michaela Kell (Julianne Moore). ‘Assistant’ is an understatement here. Michaela’s dependency on Simone can only be complemented by Simone’s dewy-eyed adulation of Michaela.
When Devon comes to the Kells’ luxurious ‘Cliff House,’ things escalate. Devon is surprised to see Simone becoming this fangirl-assistant of a billionaire housewife. She sacrificed a lot to get Simone into Yale. It was her understanding that Simone was going to be a lawyer. Meanwhile, Michaela is astonished to find that Simone has a sister. It does not take much for the two women, both of whom are carrying a maternal love for Simone, to come at loggerheads over Simone. Simone, for her part, just wants to continue her posh lifestyle with her boss and boyfriend, Ethan (Glenn Howerton), who has to be two decades older than her.
So, at Simone’s insistence, Devon is luxuriously ‘thrown out’ of the house, with a ten-thousand-dollar check signed by Michaela. Although all Devon wanted was for Simone to come with her, she realizes that her best option at that moment is to leave Simone to her new life. However, the night before her departure, she hooks up with Morgan, who is the captain of Ethan’s luxurious yacht. While spending the night with Morgan on the yacht, Devon plays with the telescope. To her shock, she notices Michaela at the cliff house, standing still while holding a dead bird.
Convinced that Michaela is a cult leader performing some ritual, Devon swims to the island to rescue Simone. However, the bird, a falcon, was from Michaela’s aviary. Michaela tried to rehabilitate the bird, but it backfired. After finding Devon’s latest attempt to take Simone away, Michaela has her security head, Jose (Felix Solis), take Devon away. Eventually, she is thrown into the local jail. While in the slammer, she befriends the local drunkard. From her, she learns about the supposedly dark history of the Kells.
Peter Kell (Kevin Bacon) comes from old money. He inherited the ‘Cliff House’ and the ‘Kell Securities,’ a hedge fund corporation. Peter has made the company even more profitable. Now, Peter was married when he had the affair with Michaela. Peter’s children from his first wife, Jocelyn, blame Michaela for their family getting torn apart. Mysteriously, nobody has seen Jocelyn ever since the split. The rumors on the island suggest Michaela has bumped Jocelyn off.
Sirens (TV Mini Series 2025) ‘Netflix’ Ending Explained:
Did Simone Push Ethan?
Devon realizes that if she is to help Simone, she has to gain entry to the cliff house. So, she pretends to be someone who is in dire need of guidance and help. Someone who will love to be taken under the wings by Michaela. So, Michaela obliges. Meanwhile, the Kells find out about Simone and Ethan’s fling. Ethan is an old friend of Peter. With the age gap between the two, and the fact that Ethan is a known playboy, Michaela chastizes Ethan. However, Ethan is well and truly smitten by Simone. So, he pulls the big move. He brings Bruce to the island and proposes to Simone.
Now, Simone has not seen Bruce in a long time. Neither does she want to. Simone had a traumatic childhood. Her mother committed suicide while attempting to kill Simone as well. Devon saved her, but their mother could not be saved. Bruce, who already had a fractured relationship with his wife, became alcoholic and unresponsive. There were days Simone was not fed. Eventually child care service took her to a foster home. It’s only when Devon dropped out of her college to provide for her sister and father, did Simone’s life turn for the better. Simone has always blamed Bruce for her trauma. She also blamed him for Devon’s unfulfilled potential, even though Devon did not.
So, when Ethan brought her father in her life, without asking her, she snapped. She consults with Michaela, and Michaela asks her whether Simone sees her life as a Mrs to someone. Michaela also promises her a New-York based corporate leadership job. Simone, understandably, rejects Ethan’s marriage proposal. Ethan, angry and dejected, gets heavily drunk. He gets into a fight with Simone, while stumbling towards the cliff. Inevitably, he falls from the cliff.
Simone calls everyone in the house and they take Ethan to the hospital. When he wakes up, legs and ribs broken, he accuses Simone of pushing him. Now, to be precise, we did not see exactly how he slipped. There remains a possibility that Simone might have ‘snapped.’ However, Ethan’s accusation is followed by rambling of Simone sprouting wings and flying away. So, everyone assumes him to be delirious, and vengeful as Simone broke his heart.
Why Did Simone Betray Michaela?
Early in the series, it is revealed that Michaela is quite suspicious of her husband, Peter. Perhap’s Peter history forces Michaela to think like that. So, Michaela asks Simone to follow Peter. Simone does a bad job and Peter spots her almost immediately. Simone confesses to following Michaela’s instruction to follow him. Peter tells her that he has been spending with his children. He attended his grandson’s christening when he claimed to be in Japan. He is not having an affair. Eventually, Simone and Peter spends a nice afternoon catching clams. Peter misreads the friendly encounter and tries to kiss Simone.
Simone rebuffs that attempt and Peter immediately apologizes. As Peter continues to apologize profusely Simone agrees not to tell Michaela. However, one of Michaela’s photographer catches the act through his camera. So, Michaela gets to know it anyway. Heartbroken and angry, Michaela lashes out at Simone. She sacks her.
Michaela has been an idol for Simone. This life with her, was the escape for Simone. She dreamt of the job Michaela offered. When that dream got shattered, due to no fault of her own, it is understandable that she goes towards a panic attack. To add insult to injury, she realizes that this could mean a life with her father, back in Buffalo. That is the last straw. She sees no other option but to betray Michaela. She informs Peter about Michaela having the photograph of their kiss.
What Happens to Michaela?
Now, as per the pre-nuptial agreement, Michael will get nothing from Peter in case of divorce. Unless, Peter proves to be unfaithful. That is why Michaela kept that photograph in her safe. When Peter learns about that, she has Jose nick it. Without the photograph, Michael gets nothing. Peter asks for a divorce citing he is no longer happy. As Michaela leaves, she sees Simone taking her position as the new Mrs. Kell. Michaela leaves the house. Later, Devon will see her on the ferry, leaving the island.
What Is Next for Devon?
After realizing what Simone has done, Devon realizes that she can no longer protect Simone. Devon has raised Simone like a daughter. She has sacrificed a lot for that. But, she learns to be at peace for that. She is not out looking for someone to take the blame anymore. Despite still loving her, Devon can no longer sway Simone from her path. At the end, she declines Morgan’s offer to sail away for a month. Sail away to freedom. But, she cannot leave Bruce alone. She decides to buy a place of her own, for the betterment of her and her dad. In her final conversation with Michaela, Michaela tells her to cash that ten-thousand-dollar check before her account gets frozen by Peter’s team.
Was Michaela A Monster?
“Sirens” is an exploration women and how they are often perceived to be a ‘Monster.’ When in reality, all of them are struggling to become the better version of themselves. Trying to escape the trauma. “Sirens” also shows how it is easy for a man to go through the same challenges without risking getting branded as the ‘Monster.’ When Jocelyn goes under the radar, everyone assumed Michaela to be the monster who killed her. No one thought that maybe Peter could have done the same. When Devon accuses Michaela of being cult leader and a murderer, Michaela finally reveals the truth.
After the divorce, Jocelyn became depressed and attempted multiple plastic surgeries. One of those surgeries went south, ruining Jocelyn’s face. So, she lives her live as a recluse in an island. Peter and his family knows that. Out of respect for Jocelyn’s privacy, nobody speaks anything about her. As a result, Michaela takes all the blame. During their final conversation, Devon confesses that Michaela is not a monster. To that, Michaela replies that neither is Simone. All of these women are simply seeking a better life. Simone too. It is highly likely that Peter will move another young girl when Simone stops being the source of happiness for him. If there is a monster in the story, it is the callous irresponsibility of its male characters.
