Peacock is betting big on quirky, high-concept comedy with its latest original series The Miniature Wife, a 10-episode dramedy that premiered April 9, 2025. Starring Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen, the show delivers a fresh, bittersweet twist on the classic “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” premise — but instead of children, it’s one half of a married couple who suddenly becomes very, very small.
Adapted from Manuel Gonzales’s acclaimed short story of the same name (first published in his 2015 collection The Miniature Wife and Other Stories), the series follows Hannah (Banks) and David (Macfadyen), a long-married couple whose relationship has settled into comfortable but quietly strained routine. Hannah is a driven marketing executive; David is a thoughtful but slightly passive high-school history teacher. One evening, during an argument about their stagnant life, Hannah accidentally triggers a prototype shrink-ray device David has been secretly tinkering with in his garage (a gift from a former student who now works in experimental tech). In an instant, Hannah is reduced to roughly four inches tall.
What follows is a sharp, funny, and surprisingly tender exploration of power dynamics, intimacy, and partnership when one spouse literally cannot reach the kitchen counter — let alone the emotional distance that has grown between them. The show leans into both the absurdity and the heartbreak: Hannah struggles to be taken seriously in meetings (now conducted via Zoom from a dollhouse), while David must navigate everyday tasks — cooking, cleaning, parenting their teenage daughter — while simultaneously protecting his tiny wife from household hazards (a curious cat, a vacuum cleaner, a spilled glass of wine that becomes a tidal wave).
Elizabeth Banks is radiant and hilarious as Hannah — furious at her predicament, determined to stay in control, yet slowly learning to ask for help and rediscover vulnerability. Matthew Macfadyen brings warmth and quiet depth to David, a man who has spent years quietly supporting his wife’s career only to realize how much he’s lost himself in the process. Their chemistry crackles with both love and long-buried resentment, making every argument and every tender moment feel authentic.
The supporting cast is strong: Kathryn Newton plays their sharp-tongued 16-year-old daughter who becomes Hannah’s reluctant protector and confidante, while John Early steals scenes as David’s eccentric best friend and fellow tinkerer who built the shrink ray. Guest stars — including a hilarious turn by Jane Krakowski as Hannah’s cut-throat boss — add extra sparkle.
Visually, the series is a treat. Directors use forced perspective, clever miniatures, and seamless CGI to make the tiny Hannah feel both vulnerable and powerful. Everyday objects become towering obstacles: a kitchen island is a mountain, a house cat is a lion, a single raindrop is a monsoon. The production design lovingly recreates suburban life at both scales — a dollhouse-sized version of the family home sits beside the real one, creating surreal, beautiful shots.
Critics have embraced the show’s unique tone. Variety called it “a smart, funny, and surprisingly moving dramedy that turns a sci-fi gimmick into a profound look at marriage.” The Hollywood Reporter praised Banks and Macfadyen for “chemistry that feels lived-in and real,” while The New York Times noted the series’ “perfect balance of absurdity and heart.” With a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score, audiences have echoed the love: “I laughed, I cried, I rooted for these tiny people like they were my own family.”
At its core, The Miniature Wife is about what happens when the balance of power in a marriage shifts dramatically — and how love, patience, and humor can help rebuild it. Hannah’s tiny size forces both partners to see each other anew: David learns to step up, Hannah learns to let go of control, and both rediscover why they fell in love in the first place.
All 10 episodes are now streaming on Peacock (available to Comcast subscribers and via standalone subscription). If you’re looking for something fresh, funny, and unexpectedly touching — a show that makes you laugh while quietly breaking your heart — The Miniature Wife is the binge you’ve been waiting for.
