Hollywood is increasingly using the informal label “white wine thriller” for polished, female-led mystery dramas that are dark but not excessively violent, often set among affluent characters and designed for an easy, escapist viewing experience. The term matters because it gives executives and creators a shorthand for a commercially proven type of programme, particularly one aimed at women and frequently adapted from novels.

Peacock executive Lisa Katz says the phrase emerged in discussions after the success of All Her Fault, associating the genre with something light, refreshing and undemanding despite its suspenseful plots. Examples cited include The Perfect Couple, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Undoing and Big Little Lies, while All Her Fault — starring Sarah Snook as a mother whose son disappears — became a major Peacock hit and received seven Emmy nominations.