SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains major spoilers from “The Bridge,” the finale of Apple TV’s “ Imperfect Women .”

Were Mary (Elisabeth Moss), Eleanor (Kerry Washington) and Nancy (Kate Mara) — the trio at the heart of “Imperfect Women” — ever truly best friends, despite the many lies that they told each other?

“I think they were friends, but that friendship was mortally wounded,” says creator and showrunner Annie Weisman . “That’s why I think it’s painful. If you just revealed that [their friendship] was never really standing on firm ground, it wouldn’t be as painful a loss. I think they really did see each other and love each other. But once shame entered the chat, it got toxic and they broke.…