Netflix’s latest hit, The Hunting Wives, has surged to the top of the streaming platform’s US charts, combining small-town murder, political culture clashes and unapologetically steamy storytelling.
Based on May Cobb’s 2021 novel, the series stars Brittany Snow, Malin Akerman, Dermot Mulroney, Chrissy Metz and Katie Lowes. Originally planned for release on Starz, the project was dropped by the network just weeks before its premiere. Lionsgate then moved it to Netflix, exposing the drama to a much larger audience. Creator and showrunner Rebecca Cutter credits its success to embracing pulp fiction elements without restraint.
The plot follows Sophie O’Neil, played by Snow, a coastal career woman from Cambridge who relocates to the fictional Texan town of Maple Brook. There she becomes entangled with a clique of wealthy, gun-carrying women who call themselves ‘wives’ rather than workers. The show layers mystery and murder over a backdrop of right-versus-left culture wars, making it both provocative and binge-worthy.
Online chatter has centred heavily on the show’s intimate moments, which include sapphic encounters, threesomes and secluded cabin scenes. Cutter admitted she initially questioned whether the sheer number of these moments would help or harm the show but ultimately leaned into it. Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Reddit have been flooded with fan reactions, many joking about questioning their sexuality after watching.
The show’s popularity has also driven a huge spike in book sales, with The Hunting Wives jumping 5,000 percent on Amazon and landing in its top 10. Fans are particularly praising Akerman’s portrayal of Margo Banks, the ringleader of the wives, and the contrast between the characters’ exploration of desire and the conservative setting of the Texan community.
Brittany Snow recently joked on Late Night With Seth Meyers that her mother’s friends had to fast-forward through most episodes due to the number of intimate scenes. With its mix of drama, intrigue and unapologetic storytelling, The Hunting Wives shows no signs of losing momentum.
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