At first, Sophie (Brittany Snow) worries that she won’t be able to connect with the women she meets in Texas after she and her husband relocate from Boston so that he can work for a wealthy man named Jed (Dermot Mulroney). Then, at a party, she meets Margo (Malin Kerman), Jed’s wife, who, within seconds of their first encounter, finds an excuse to undress.
The Hunting Wives, an erotic thriller murder mystery series that was originally scheduled to premiere on Starz but instead debuted on Netflix in July, has a suitable start. About 15 minutes into the first episode, you’ll know if this is a show for you. It’s high drama, vulgar, and silly. However, if it appeals to you, it could be a rather well-done summertime diversion.
It tracks Sophie’s increasing (and at times literal) entwinement with Margo. She meets Callie, Margo’s possessive best friend, as well as the other members of her inner circle, such as the wife of the town preacher (Katie Lowes). A body is discovered in the woods shortly after Sophie and her husband go out, and Sophie becomes desperate to find out what actually happened.
The sexual intrigue and the fish out of water may feel eerily familiar to viewers of the many murder series that are out there. However, a few twists on the theme make this production, which is (loosely) based on a book by May Cobb, a bit more oomph.
For starters, it’s obvious that everyone is having a blast. Kerman devotes himself entirely to Margo, a lady whose sensuous charm is so extravagant that it’s amazing no one follows her about all the time—friends, strangers, salespeople, construction workers, etc. Since Sophie is immediately enticed into Margo’s web, it is reasonable to assume that Margo is a very skilled web-spinner. Mulroney portrays Jed as a haughty tyrant whose influence and power engulf the neighborhood and frighten… well, everyone.
And there’s the sex. This show has a lot of sex and is perhaps the most explicit one that Netflix has released. Is the purpose of it to be titillating? Yes, of course. No one who broadcasts this many nude persons does so just for artistic or educational reasons. Even while none of the characters in this program would explicitly identify as bisexual, for example, there are occasionally some intriguing stories about women whose relationships with males are less powerful than their relationships with other women. Even with women they are having sex with, many women simply don’t feel like they will talk about sexuality. And like the distinction between keeping your sexual life private and turning it into a secret you’re terrified of, it’s not always clear if that makes individuals more free-thinking or more constrained.
The writers, including creator Rebecca Cutter, know how to pace a murder mystery. The Hunting Wives begins with a dramatic scene—a lady is shot in the woods—and then flashes back in time to discover what happened, who the woman is, and who shot her. This is the basic format that we have all seen many times. However, if a show uses that format and leaves all of the answers for the very end, the middle episodes may become incredibly slow, giving the impression that you’re measuring time because you actually are.
Here, essential details are revealed gradually, and the plot chronologically catches up to and then moves past that first terrifying moment of the shooting in a few episodes, so you’re not waiting around to get to where you already know you’re going. At the end, the show is able to address the main issues it raised while also undoubtedly paving the way for a potential second season.
NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter also included this article.Subscribe to the newsletters to receive weekly suggestions on what’s bringing us joy and to ensure you don’t miss the next one.
Check out Pop Culture Happy Hour on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Copyright 2025 NPR
