Netflix has a new hit on its hands with “The Hunting Wives.” This show, which dropped this summer, is based on May Cobb’s novel and has quickly gained attention for its mix of small-town scandal, mystery, and over-the-top drama. It is only eight episodes long, but it makes the most of its run with plenty of twists that keep you watching.
The story follows Sophie O’Neil, played by Brittany Snow, who moves with her husband and son from Massachusetts to East Texas. She hopes for a fresh start and a quieter life, but what she gets is the exact opposite. Sophie meets Margo Banks, a wealthy and glamorous woman played by Malin Åkerman, and her life takes a sharp turn.
Margo is the leader of a group of women who call themselves the Hunting Wives. On the surface, they look like well-connected socialites who get together for fun nights out, target practice, and gossip. But as Sophie becomes more involved, she learns the group thrives on secrets, affairs, and risky behavior. Things take a darker turn when a teenage girl is found dead near one of their meeting spots, leaving Sophie caught between her new friends and the growing suspicion around town.
The cast is stacked with familiar faces. Along with Snow and Åkerman, Dermot Mulroney plays Margo’s husband, Jed, a man with political ambitions who is weighing a run for governor. Chrissy Metz plays Starr, a single mother with her own complicated ties to the clique, while Jaime Ray Newman and Katie Lowes play two of the wives in the group, each adding more drama and tension.
The show was created by Rebecca Cutter, who also worked on Hightown. Cutter leans into the messiness of the story, giving it the feel of a soap opera mixed with a true-crime thriller. It is flashy, raunchy, and dramatic, but it is also the kind of show that keeps you saying, “Just one more episode.”
Since its release in July, “The Hunting Wives” has been climbing Netflix’s top 10 list and gaining plenty of online buzz. Critics have called it “outrageous but fun,” while fans seem to love the wild mix of scandal and suspense. It has even sparked talk of a second season, though Netflix has not made anything official yet. Cutter has hinted she already has ideas for where the story could go if given the chance.
At just eight episodes, the first season is an easy binge. Whether you watch it for the mystery, the drama, or simply the guilty pleasure entertainment, “The Hunting Wives” is one of those shows that is hard to look away from once you start.