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Part 1 – What/If

Play trailer 2:15 Poster for Part 1 – What/If May 2019 Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
44% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 52% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
In this neo-noir social thriller, Oscar winner Renée Zelwegger stars as Anne Montgomery, a woman of extreme wealth who makes young scientist Lisa a steamy proposal. Lisa is on the verge of a breakthrough that would save the lives of millions of kids, but she needs funding to go through with the trials and eventually bring her technique to the market. Other venture capitalists have turned Lisa down, but Anne makes her an unexpected offer -- one that comes with a twist. In order to give Lisa the money, Anne wants to spend a night alone with Lisa's husband, Sean, a former professional athlete. If the couple agree to the terms, Lisa will get the funding but can never ask her husband what happened during his time with Anne, who believes that human attachment is a weakness and Lisa will only succeed if she focuses all of her attention on her work.
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What/If — Part 1

What/If — Part 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A deliriously delicious performance from Renée Zellweger can't save What/If from its own mediocrity, but boy is she fun to watch.

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Critics Reviews

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Scott Bryan BBC.com Jul 15, 2020
Sometimes it felt a bit jarring. There were a lot of 'state of the world' speeches by characters, a lot of lectures, which I just don't think you get in real life. Go to Full Review
John Doyle Globe and Mail Apr 10, 2020
A masterful hybrid of old-school soaper and neo-tawdry mystery, it's cheesy but please-y in its rabid insistence on outrageous melodrama. Go to Full Review
Karl Quinn The Age (Australia) Oct 25, 2019
With its air of glamour, thirtysomething friends, sub-plots involving lawyers and doctors, the whole thing feels like a flashback to the '90s, or at any rate a particular televisual version thereof. Seriously, what's not to love? Go to Full Review
Dustin Rowles Pajiba Jun 17, 2019
It's like really cheap store-bought nacho cheese: Once you start, you can't finish, but there's never a moment of joy in the experience of eating it, and afterward all you're left with is a bigger gut and a deep sense of shame and revulsion. Go to Full Review
Alberto Carlos Espinof Jun 12, 2019
2/5
An intense performance from Zellweger in a soap opera that doesn't go big. [Full Review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Cathrine A @CanadianCat Aug 8, 2026 I’m still watching the show. I’m only on the third episode and actually I was quite enjoying it but my God do we need three gay dudes wasting most of the time in this film??? what’s their purpose? How do they fit in in this show? They don’t that’s just it. Once again, we have to watch every movie and every TV show with girls swapping spit or dudes, banging each other from behind why don’t you just take all that shit and put it on some kind of porn hub because a lot of of us are getting really tired of this stick to the movie or go make gay porn where you’ll be happier!!! I don’t know if I can watch the rest of this show because now there’s some third gay dude brought into the picture again seems like a separate movie compared to what I’m watching. It’s fucking enough already. See more
Eric I @EricIndiana Apr 4, 2026 This is the worst TV show I have ever sat through. I deserve a metal for making it through til the end. The writing awful. The plot is a string of movie and TV clichés. The dialogue is atrocious. I watched it because it is starring my favorite actress, Renee Zellweger, along with Jane Levy, who was so much fun to watch in Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. I don't know what's wrong with Zellweger; did she not glance at the script before agreeing to act in this thing? See more
Pam T @RT04676070 Sep 22, 2025 I was actually a bit surprised, this series turned out to be pretty decent! See more
Christina B @FuddieDudie24 May 28, 2025 Yeah… this show is so disappointing. The premise is okay, I guess… we have seen it before… but it is executed so poorly. There are so many cringe worthy moments in certain scenes. Story is all over the place. I wanted so much to like it, but it fell way short, unfortunately. See more
Mauritz Z @RT88302720 Feb 8, 2025 Starts out with a reasonably interesting premise, but the entire series is so incredibly weird. From the completely different, not really interwoven or mutually relevant sub-storylines that never converge and don't add much value to the overall plot, to the very inconsistent quality of acting, to the many outright awkward dialogues... Who wrote this? Who greenlit this? The title of episode 9 sums it up pretty well: WTF See more
Namy E @RT21915690 Dec 21, 2024 It started interesting… But then quickly turned into a cheap 90’s soap opera for an audience of retirees… See more
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What/If — Part 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Mike Kelley

Executive Producer

Melissa Loy

Executive Producer

Alex Gartner

Executive Producer

Charles Roven

Executive Producer

Robert Zemeckis

Executive Producer

Jack Rapke

Executive Producer

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired May 24, 2019 Pilot Putting trust on the line, a couple contemplates a proposal from a notorious investor: a night with Sean in exchange for funding Lisa's startup. Details Episode 2 Aired May 24, 2019 What Now Life speeds up and threatens to spin out of control as Emigen's big news leaks, Sean faces the past and Lisa confronts Anne, who dares her to waver. Details Episode 3 Aired May 24, 2019 What Happened Secrets and lies threaten the ties that bind a shattered Lisa and anguished Sean; Angela and Marcos are torn by desire; Anne revisits old haunts. Details Episode 4 Aired May 24, 2019 What Drama Trying to pick up the pieces, Sean steps up and Angela looks for answers; Anne sets the stage for ruin as couples assemble for real estate drama. Details Episode 5 Aired May 24, 2019 What Next A month later, Lisa makes key discoveries and Sean gets big news; the past catches up to confident Anne, cornered Angels and guilt-ridden Marcos. Details Episode 6 Aired May 24, 2019 What History Lisa leverages the limelight and helps Cassidy delve into Anne's history; secrets come to light for Sean and Marcos as Ian goes to new extremes. Details Episode 7 Aired May 24, 2019 What Ghosts A dark and stormy flight brings Lisa and Anne together; the walls close in on Sean at his reunion; Todd reconnects with a past nemesis. Details Episode 8 Aired May 24, 2019 What Secrets The shadows threaten to swallow up all certainty as Sean shuts out Lisa; Marcos tells the truth; Angela and Todd dig into Ian's murky origins. Details Episode 9 Aired May 24, 2019 WTF In a gambit for control, Lisa tries to turn the tables on her tormentors; cracks appear in Anne's cynical facade; Ian plays a sick game of house. Details Episode 10 Aired May 24, 2019 What Remains The truth will come out; Lisa makes big moves against major players; Sean heads to court; Angela deals with a life-and-death decision. Details

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What/If — Part 1

What/If: Season 1 Trailer What/If: Season 1 Trailer 2:15 Now Playing What/If: Season 1 Teaser What/If: Season 1 Teaser 0:57 Now Playing View more videos
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What/If — Part 1

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Season Info

Executive Producer
Mike Kelley, Melissa Loy, Alex Gartner, Charles Roven, Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
May 24, 2019
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