'Mormon Wives' struggles to move past Taylor Frankie Paul controversy

'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' faces criticism after Taylor Frankie Paul’s scandal and focus on her relationship

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is facing renewed criticism following the controversy surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul and the cancellation of her planned season of The Bachelorette.

Season 5 of the Hulu reality series returned with five episodes, most of which were filmed before production was paused in March amid renewed attention on footage of a 2023 altercation involving Paul and her former partner, Dakota Mortensen. Paul was arrested over the incident and later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.

The controversy also led to the cancellation of Paul’s planned Bachelorette season after additional footage of the incident surfaced publicly. The new season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives addresses the fallout while continuing to focus heavily on Paul and Mortensen’s complicated relationship.

Paul revealed that she and Mortensen reunited shortly after she returned from filming The Bachelorette. Their relationship has remained a major storyline throughout the series, with Paul describing their connection as an “addiction”.

The season also explores other relationships within the #MomTok group, including tensions involving Jennifer Affleck, Whitney Leavitt and their partners. However, the continuing focus on Paul and Mortensen has prompted questions about whether the series has become too dependent on their relationship drama.

The reality series originally attracted attention for examining the lives of young Mormon women navigating relationships, religion and social media fame. As the cast’s online influence has grown, the show has increasingly explored the impact of fame on their personal lives and marriages.

Whitney Leavitt has also announced plans to leave the cast following season 5 after making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago.

With a planned Orange County spinoff also in development, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives faces questions about its future and whether it can expand beyond the controversies that have shaped much of its recent storylines.