How Nine Perfect Strangers relates to Doctored

Nine Perfect Strangers is a series on Amazon Prime starring the ever-enigmatic Nicole Kidman. SPOILER WARNING: I’m about to dissect some major plot points. First things first: this is a fictional story about Masha Dmitrichenko, the emotionally manipulative guru of Tranquillum House, a luxury wellness spa strategically carved into the hills near Silicon Valley.

The languid yet driven Russian expat runs a cult-like retreat that recruits “nine perfect strangers” based on vague psychological profiles to conduct a “clinical trial.”

Participants arrive with unsolved trauma, mental health vulnerabilities, or substance abuse histories, and somehow, they are all eligible for psychedelic dosing. The retreat staff is kind-hearted, sure. Competent? Their credentials are solely based on the guru’s interest.

It occurred to me how tempting it would be to be invited to this luxury spa to soothe my deepest existential blues, bond with other broken souls, and undergo an unconventional treatment. Count on me. But then, there is Masha, the seductive Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who forgives her homicidal attackers (twice!) and cures potential psychopaths solely through forgiveness, love, and warm hugs, has my respect. I mean, who writes this stuff? Seriously?

And it gets better.

In season two, she offers a Jeff Bezos-like billionaire a dose of humanity. He promptly quits the war industry to… make love. So sweet. I guess this is why superhero movies are so trendy. Think, people, think.

I watched the second season, hoping for a twist. Maybe someone would die tragically. Maybe federal prosecutors would get involved. But nope. On the contrary, things have escalated. Now reconciled with the ghost of her late daughter, Masha gets a new haircut, rides a grug-fueled new wave, and takes over an Alpine Austrian spa. Apparently, this saga won’t stop. But hey, it’s fiction.

In contrast,

Doctored, a compelling nonfiction book by Charles Piller, exposes how fraudulent science underpins real-life negligent clinical trials, and how the industry often looks the other way. It reveals the herculean path a scientist must take to uncover manipulated data and retracted publications. Piller’s investigation shows that Masha’s inflated ego isn’t far from reality: science and healthcare have their own share of charismatic narcissists who rise to prominence by faking results and doctoring articles. The consequences are devastating. Patients and families affected by severe, debilitating conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, are routinely misled by promises of miracle cures built on fabricated evidence.

So I’m here to state the obvious:

Clinical trials must be subject to strict regulation and comply with all forms of control to protect participants. Entertainment is entertainment, but it requires a degree of lucidity.

And here’s the not-so-obvious:

The science behind clinical trials requires robust evidence and new forms of scrutiny today, especially in the age of AI.

And just for fun! Check the guide to perform a bad clinical trial here.