Variety's Alison Herman reviews "The Five-Star Weekend", a new Peacock limited series starring Jennifer Garner, praising it as a refreshing departure from the recent wave of prestige dramas about wealthy people in scenic locations that inevitably hinge on a suspicious death. Adapted by Bekah Brunstetter ("This Is Us") from Elin Hilderbrand's novel, the show forgoes murder-mystery hooks in favour of an emotionally grounded story about grief and midlife female friendship, which the critic argues gives it room to explore genuine character dynamics.

Garner plays food influencer Hollis Shaw, who, six months after losing her husband in a mundane car accident, invites one friend from each phase of her life to her childhood home on Nantucket for a 72-hour bonding weekend. The ensemble includes Chloë Sevigny as childhood friend Tatum, Regina Hall as sports agent Dru-Ann, D'Arcy Carden as insecure "mom friend" Brooke, and Gemma Chan as online follower and pilot Gigi, each carrying their own troubles from a health scare to workplace scandals. The review credits Garner's casting and the group's authentic, long-friendship conflicts, while singling out Chan's Gigi as the least plausible character, with each episode named after a stage of Hollis's rigidly planned itinerary.