Netflix’s latest limited series, “The Hunting Wives,” is already making waves as a provocative blend of Southern charm and high-stakes intrigue.
Based on May Cobb’s 2021 novel, the eight-episode thriller drops viewers into the glitzy-yet-toxic world of Maple Brook, a fictional Texas town where luxury and lies go hand-in-hand.
Spoiler Alert: The following article contains plot details from Netflix’s “The Hunting Wives.”
Netflix’s Latest Thriller
The story follows Sophie O’Neil, portrayed by Brittany Snow, a former East Coast magazine editor who moves south with her husband and young son.
Drawn into the glamorous lifestyle of a local clique led by the magnetic Margo Banks (Malin Akerman), Sophie is soon swept into a vortex of lavish parties, romantic entanglements — and eventually, a murder investigation.
But unlike the novel, which leaves politics in the subtext, Netflix’s version dives headfirst into the ideological divide.
Right from the pilot, Sophie is revealed as a fish out of water—a liberal navigating a staunchly conservative town. At her first social outing, she’s startled to discover it’s a fundraiser for the NRA, where her husband’s boss, Jed Banks (Dermot Mulroney), is mulling a Republican bid for governor.
When Politics Meet Passion
Adapted by Rebecca Cutter, the show explores Sophie’s fascination with Margo, a driving force behind her eventual unraveling. “It’s very easy for her to put aside what she thinks she believes at the beginning, because she’s having fun and it feels good,” Cutter told Texas Monthly. “That’s a parable I was trying to make about people’s politics.”
Margo’s duplicity isn’t limited to policy. Her flirtations — and her husband’s indiscretions — add more fuel to the fire. After Jed makes a move on Sophie, Margo casually quips, “Open relationships are for liberals.” It’s one of many sharp-tongued lines that mock the double standards of the show’s characters.
Supporting cast members include Chrissy Metz, Katie Lowes, Jaime Ray Newman, and George Ferrier — each playing roles that further complicate the web of deceit surrounding Sophie.
A Dangerous Game of Seduction & Scandal
The show’s steamy, scandalous tone has drawn comparisons to “Desperate Housewives” and “Big Little Lies,” but with an even darker undercurrent. Cutter described the show as “horny,” while Cobb labeled it “adults behaving badly.”
For Cobb, the adaptation’s political angle is a welcome twist. “If there’s such a thing as a red-state viewer, if there’s such a thing as a blue-state viewer — and I think it’s more nebulous than that — [this show] appeals to both.”
With its rich characters, timely themes, and slow-burning suspense, “The Hunting Wives” is poised to be one of Netflix’s buzziest binge-worthy shows of the summer.
“The Hunting Wives” premieres July 21 on Netflix.
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Netflix’s ‘The Hunting Wives’ Spoilers – What to Expect