Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 6 recap: Victoria's hidden illness, Matteo's tragic past and the shocking truth about Helena

"Nine Perfect Strangers" Season 2, Episode 6, titled "The Other Side," was released on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, on Hulu. With just two weeks until the finale, the stakes at Masha's retreat have never been higher. The guests at the secluded Alpine resort are ready to dive into Masha's hallucinogenic treatment; however, this time, it unravels some shocking truths.

Spoilers ahead!

Previously, in Season 2 Episode 5, David, influenced by a potent hallucinogenic drug, learned about Masha and his daughter Tatiana, and how she was killed in a hit-and-run case. Episode 6 marks a turning point in Season 2. It opens with Masha talking to Helen about her doubts regarding trusting David, as she still believes he's responsible for their daughter's death. However, Helena encourages Masha to forgive him. Meanwhile, Peter leaves his psychedelic session midway to find his father, David. He rushes near the dining table and warns the others to leave the resort, believing that Masha had manipulated David into thinking that Tatiana was their daughter.

When Masha enters the room, she explains that Peter is experiencing the aftereffects of the second stage of hallucinogenic treatment. When she asks,

"Who would like to go next?

Imogen willingly volunteers, and Masha picks Matteo for the treatment. After a brief argument with her mother, Imogen, Victoria also joins them. While the medications transport Matteo to a makeshift hospital that resembles a war-torn zone, they plunge Imogen into her childhood memories. Imogen also sees her father, heartbroken at the sight of the drones he created being used in the war strikes, which caused mass casualties. Imogen finally confronts her traumatic past when she learns that her father died by suicide out of guilt.

Elsewhere, when Peter finds his father David near the spa, or what Masha calls The Other Side, he warns his father about the experiment because he doesn’t want her to take advantage of him. However, David tells Peter that Masha's discovery might be quite revolutionary, and he would like to capitalize on it.

Continue reading to know more.

Also read: Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episodes 1 and 2 recap: Where is Masha Dmitrichenko headed next?

Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 6 recap: What happened to Victoria?

For much of the season, Victoria (Christine Baranski) has shown strength as the witty, sharp-tongued matriarch handling the retreat's madness with ease. However, this Nine Perfect Strangers episode reveals the truth. After a night of heavy medication, Victoria collapses, and Matteo discloses that she is diagnosed with ALS, a neuro disease that weakens physical function.

Her medical emergency uncovers two truths: first, Matteo is not just her charming boyfriend but also her caregiver; second, she has hidden her degenerative condition from her family.

At the end, a helicopter arrives with medics for Victoria. The doctor informed Imogen that she had a seizure, prompting Matteo to reveal Victoria's deteriorating health. Imogen was shocked to learn Victoria wanted to keep this a secret.

Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 6 recap: Matteo's traumatic past and the truth about Helena

Matteo (Riz Ahmed) emerges as the emotional center of the episode. When the sound of passing planes triggers a wave of panic, viewers come to understand his trauma. Matteo lost both his parents, who were teachers in a war zone, in a drone strike, which is why he feels intense fear of the buzzing sounds of airplanes. We also learn that the drones created by Imogen's father were used in the strikes that killed Matteo's parents.

However, he chooses a different path; in one of the season's most gripping and emotional scenes, he explains to Masha that he wants to live with his loss and sorrow instead of erasing it like others. He utters,

"Because my pain is mine. These people think that they want to run away from their sadness, to bury it in a grave, or to wear it like a badge. My family, I miss them so much. I don't want not to miss them. To forget that they are gone. There's pain but there's no fear. There's only one thing that they were wonderful"

Masha appeared quite proud of him and paused the treatment, honoring his decision. Matteo's refusal to erase the trauma starkly contrasts with the program's objectives, but it also emphasizes that sometimes true healing arises from acceptance.

At the conclusion of this episode of Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 6, we also discover that Helena is not real—she's a figment of Masha's imagination—an alter ego that represents her inner conflict and self-doubt.

Catch all the episodes of Nine Perfect Strangers on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.

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Also read: Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 Episode 5 recap: Is Tatiana David and Masha's daughter?

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