Miniseries · Netflix
WHAT / IF
Fate is a lie. There is only choice.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Renée Zellweger
Anne Montgomery
10 eps
Jane Levy
Lisa Ruiz-Donovan
10 eps
Blake Jenner
Sean Donovan
10 eps
Keith Powers
Todd Archer
10 eps
Samantha Marie Ware
Angela Archer
10 eps
Juan Castano
Marcos Ruiz
10 eps
Louis Herthum
Foster
3 eps
John Clarence Stewart
Lionel
7 eps
Bonnie Bedelia
Margaret
1 eps
Simon Hunt
Sergeant Miller
1 eps
Ludwig Manukian
Gabriel
1 eps
Jessica Sarah Flaum
Teenage Anne
1 eps
Jonathan Ohye
Dr. Rye
1 eps
David Barrera
Lisa's father
2 eps
Michael Dempsey
Barry
1 eps
Martin Kildare
Clive
1 eps
Julian Sands
Liam Strom
2 eps
Gabriel Mann
Gage Scott
2 eps
Monique Kim
Miles
1 eps
Brenda Bakke
Older Laura
1 eps
Harry Zinn
Judge Randol Sassen
1 eps
Jan Jeffcoat
Financial Reporter
1 eps
TJ Linnard
Doug Hamm
2 eps
Kim Rhodes
Diane Foy
1 eps
Margarita Franco
Lisa's mother
2 eps
Celeste Den
Dr. June Smith
1 eps
Nana Ghana
Sophie
1 eps
Gus Cooper
Cuban man
1 eps
Jay Jackson
Local anchor
1 eps
Dave Annable
Dr. Ian Harris
3 eps
Daniella Pineda
Cassidy
3 eps
Josh Kelly
2 eps
Saamer Usmani
Avery
3 eps
Keegan Allen
Billy
1 eps
Bobby Hosea
Todd's father
1 eps
Derek Smith
Kevin
2 eps
Allie MacDonald
Maddie Carter
1 eps
Kristen Hager
Laura
2 eps
Hunter Doohan
Tyler
1 eps
Ashley Fink
Lori Parker
1 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How WHAT / IF actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
WHAT / IF reads strongest on Character Depth, Serialized and Bingeability.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
A pair of cash-strapped newlyweds accept a lucrative but morally dubious offer from a mysterious female benefactor.
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E08
What Secrets
The shadows threaten to swallow up all certainty as Sean shuts out Lisa, and Marcos tells the truth. Angela and Todd dig into Ian’s murky origins.
- Directed by Maggie Kiley
- Written by Mike Kelley, Blair Singer
S01E09
WTF
In a gambit for control, Lisa tries to turn the tables on her tormentors. Cracks appear in Anne's cynical facade, and Ian plays a sick game of house.
- Directed by J. Miller Tobin
- Written by Robin Wasserman, David Graziano
S01E07
What Ghosts
A dark and stormy flight brings Lisa and Anne together. The walls close in on Sean at his reunion, and Todd reconnects with an old nemesis.
- Directed by David Rodriguez
- Written by Elizabeth Benjamin
S01E04
What Drama
Trying to pick up the pieces, Sean steps up and Angela looks for answers. Anne sets the stage for ruin while couples assemble for real estate drama.
- Directed by Jessika Borsiczky
- Written by Robin Wasserman
S01E01
Pilot
Putting their trust on the line, a couple considers a proposal from a notorious investor: a night with Sean in exchange for funding Lisa’s startup.
- Directed by Phillip Noyce
- Written by Mike Kelley
S01E06
What History
Lisa leverages the limelight and helps Cassidy delve into Anne’s history. Secrets come to light for Sean and Marcos while Ian goes to new extremes.
- Directed by Joanna Kerns
- Written by Brenna Kouf
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S01E03
What Happened
- Directed by Russell Lee Fine
- Written by David Graziano
S01E04
What Drama
- Directed by Jessika Borsiczky
- Written by Robin Wasserman
S01E05
What Next
- Directed by Fernando Coimbra, Jill Maxcy
- Written by Blair Singer
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
Mike Kelley
Showrunner
Phillip Noyce
Executive producer
Alex Gartner
Executive producer
Robert Zemeckis
Executive producer
Jack Rapke
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
David Graziano
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Melissa Loy
Executive producer
Charles Roven
Executive producer
Elizabeth Benjamin
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Brenna Kouf
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Robin Wasserman
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Blair Singer
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Phillip NoyceExecutive Producer
- Alex GartnerExecutive Producer
- Mike KelleyExecutive Producer
- Stephen SassenProducer
- Robert ZemeckisExecutive Producer
- Jack RapkeExecutive Producer
Writing
- Mike KelleyWriter
- Elizabeth BenjaminWriter
- Brenna KoufWriter
- Robin WassermanWriter
- Blair SingerWriter
- David GrazianoWriter
Direction
- David RodriguezDirector
- Phillip NoyceDirector
- Fernando CoimbraDirector
- Joanna KernsDirector
- J. Miller TobinDirector
- Jessika BorsiczkyDirector
Cinematography
- Jeffrey C. MygattDirector of Photography
Music
- Fil EislerOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- NetflixStreaming
- Netflix Standard with AdsStreaming
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Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
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Keep the scale up — another series that spends its budget on screen.
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Never stop watching
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