Grosse Pointe Garden Society has quickly become one of ITVX’s most binge-watched imports, with viewers across the UK admitting they’re completely “hooked” on the glossy suburban thriller.
ITVX released the series as a full box set in mid-January, and it wasted no time climbing the streaming charts. NBC originally aired the drama in February 2025 before it made its UK debut on ITVX, where word of mouth clearly fuelled its success.
Creators Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs – the duo behind Murder by the Book – have yet to bring the show to ITV2 in the UK. For many fans, though, that hardly matters, as they’ve already raced through all 13 episodes.
So what exactly is Grosse Pointe Garden Society about, who stars in it, and why are viewers still furious that it won’t return for a second series?
What’s the plot of Grosse Pointe Garden Society on ITVX?
ITVX describes Grosse Pointe Garden Society as a “suburban thriller from acclaimed creators Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs”. The whodunit unfolds inside a “pristine, tightly managed world of an affluent suburban garden club”, making it a perfect fit for fans of Big Little Lies and Desperate Housewives.
The story follows four members of a wealthy garden club whose lives become “intertwined by scandal, mischief and a murder no one wants to talk about”. As they struggle to maintain appearances, long-buried secrets push their carefully cultivated lives towards collapse.
The official synopsis explains: “In a wealthy suburb, everything appears perfect on the surface – until four members of the local garden club become entangled in a scandalous murder. Teacher and aspiring writer Alice, real estate agent Catherine, father-of-two Brett and socialite Birdie come together on the night of the garden club’s annual gala to bury the body in their own garden and destroy the evidence.
“But as mysteries, drama and deceit grow like weeds in their personal lives, the secret may not remain buried for long.”
Blending emotional tension with layered mystery, the series explores “the cost of perfectionism, the pressures of suburban performance and the corrosive power of secrets”. Stylish and psychologically charged, the irresistibly twisty drama brings a sharp new edge to the suburban-thriller genre.
How many episodes is it?
The show runs for 13 episodes – unlucky for some, or at least for the person discovered dead in the compost bin.
Each episode lasts around 40 minutes, making the series an easy but addictive binge.
Who is in the cast?
AnnaSophia Robb leads the mostly US cast as teacher and aspiring writer Alice Morris. The 32-year-old first gained fame as spoilt brat Violet Beauregarde in the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She later played Carrie Bradshaw in The Carrie Diaries, Alice Green in Mercy Street, and Emma in The Expecting.
Melissa Fumero, 43, stars as glamorous socialite Birdie Bradley. Fans best know her for playing Amy Santiago in Brooklyn Nine-Nine from 2013 to 2021, as well as Adriana Cramer in One Life to Live.
Aja Naomi King, 41, appears as real estate agent Catherine. She rose to fame as Michaela Pratt in How to Get Away with Murder between 2014 and 2020 and later starred in Emily Owens MD, Black Box, Blackout and Lessons in Chemistry.
Ben Rappaport plays Brett Navson. The 39-year-old first made his mark as Todd Dempsey in Outsourced before appearing in The Good Wife, For the People, Mr Robot and Younger.
The production filmed the first season at Assembly Studios in Doraville, Georgia, and rounded out the cast with:
- Alexander Hodge (Insecure) as Doug
- Nancy Travis (Last Man Standing) as Patty
- Felix Avitia (Breakwater) as Ford
- Matthew Davis (The Vampire Diaries) as Joel
Why did NBC axe Grosse Pointe Garden Society?
Fans hoping for more need to brace themselves. NBC confirmed in June 2025 that it had cancelled the drama after just one season.
Low ratings drove the decision. The series ranked among the network’s least-watched scripted shows of the 2024–25 season, averaging fewer than two million viewers and finishing as NBC’s lowest-rated regular drama.
The cancellation frustrated viewers even more after the show later attracted a growing audience on Peacock. Many fans blamed NBC’s scheduling decision, particularly the move from Sundays to a Friday night slot.
Angry viewers quickly launched a petition calling for a revival, but no network has announced a comeback so far.
Reviews for Grosse Pointe Garden Society
The series holds an 85% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while critics award it 75%.
The Hollywood Reporter praised the performances, writing: “King delivers a finely calibrated performance as Catherine. And Birdie easily steals the show.”
AV Club called it a “fun, frothy mystery”, adding: “Grosse Pointe Garden Society has all the ingredients it needs to bloom into the next Desperate Housewives.”
Variety offered a more measured take, noting: “Despite a handful of missteps, the NBC show remains engrossing, confounding and off to a promising start.”
‘I am completely hooked’
ITVX viewers haven’t held back when sharing their obsession with the 13-part drama.
One wrote: “This is going to be one to watch. I’ve only seen the first episode and I’m completely hooked.”
Another said: “We’re watching Grosse Pointe Garden Society and loving it. A fun murder mystery — and in the era of short seasons, we were thrilled to get 13 episodes!”
A third added: “Y’all wrong as hell for cancelling Grosse Pointe Garden Society! Season one was so good!”
Others labelled it “that cancelled TV show you’ll never stop thinking about” and even “my favourite show”.
“How did you cancel Grosse Pointe Garden Society?” one frustrated viewer wrote. “I just binge-watched it and it’s amazing. I’m so disappointed.”