“The Hunting Wives” has officially dropped on Netflix U.S. today, but unless you’ve been following closely, you might not have noticed. Originally developed by Starz, the eight-episode thriller was quietly acquired by Netflix earlier this year, and it’s landing on the platform without much fanfare or the usual marketing push.
Based on the bestselling novel by May Cobb, the series follows a former PR executive who relocates to East Texas in search of a fresh start. There, she’s drawn into the orbit of a group of wealthy, thrill-seeking women.
While this mystery thriller hasn’t generated much early interest, it seems to offer the kind of twisty, bingeable storytelling that could find its footing in the next few days. I recently wrote about the trailer and how it looks like a compelling watch, and I still think it has strong potential to climb Netflix’s top 10 based on its intriguing premise alone.
Even though it's not labeled as a Netflix original, there are still plenty of enticing ingredients to make viewers do a double take while scrolling though the service, including a strong cast led by Brittany Snow, Malin Akerman, and Dermot Mulroney, plus the fact that thrillers like this usually go down a treat.
Whether it slowly builds momentum or gets buried under bigger releases remains to be seen. But for those curious enough to press play, here’s everything to know about “The Hunting Wives” now that it’s streaming.
What is ‘The Hunting Wives’ about?
“The Hunting Wives” centers on Sophie O’Neil (Brittany Snow), a former PR executive from the East Coast. She relocates with her husband and son to a small town in East Texas after a traumatic life event.
In Texas, Sophie is drawn into an elite and seductive social circle of affluent women known as the Hunting Wives, led by the magnetic Margo Banks (Malin Åkerman), who is married to Sophie’s husband’s boss, Jed (Dermot Mulroney).
What starts with glamorous afternoons of skeet shooting, cocktails, and branded parties spirals into danger and nears catastrophe when the body of a teenage girl is discovered in the woods. Soon, Sophie is drawn into an intricate network of secrets and betrayal she can’t escape.
Should you stream ‘The Hunting Wives’ on Netflix?
Whether you decide to stream “The Hunting Wives” largely depends on your taste in mystery thrillers. It isn’t especially dark or intense, instead leaning into the glossy, soapy drama of shows like “Desperate Housewives” and “Big Little Lies.”
In simple words: the series is an easy, entertaining watch that doesn’t dive too deep but maintains enough sleek, gossipy energy and twists to keep the story moving.
Fans familiar with the novel will likely appreciate seeing how the characters and key moments are brought to life on screen. Plus, Brittany Snow and Malin Akerman bring plenty of charm, and their chemistry injects a healthy dose of chaotic humor that’s worth the price of admission alone.
Reviews for this mystery thriller have started going live, and so far they seem pretty positive. Ashley Hurst from What’s on Netflix said: “The Hunting Wives deserves a lot of praise for being so utterly uncompromising in its goal. It sets out to be a raunchy, juicy, and binge-worthy drama, and it achieves this with ease. There’s no holding back.”
Meanwhile, Pasta Magazine’s Lacy Baugher stated it’s “unabashedly entertaining, a fast-paced televisual equivalent of a beach read that may well end up being just as ephemeral by the time the final credits roll. But the ride is sure going to be fun.”
Alison Herman, however, wasn’t so pleased with the show’s ending and overall pacing. In her Variety review, she said: “Once there’s a corpse to investigate, however, The Hunting Wives grows less distinctive in its social commentary and more caught up in the race to the finish.”
She then added: “Twist after twist keeps the story constantly in motion, at the expense of both texture and basic coherence, until the season ends on an oddly open note — less hanging over a cliff than trailing off into the ether.”
Overall, “The Hunting Wives” probably won’t be remembered as the most thoughtful or uplifting series of the summer. It’s pure drama centered on a tight-knit group of women who cross dangerous moral lines to protect their reputations.
If you’re looking for something deeper or a neatly wrapped conclusion, this might not be it, but it’s still a compelling guilty pleasure that delivers on soapy thrills.
Rebecca Cutter actually shaped the vision and tone of the series, much like her work on “Hightown,” which also infuses crime drama with a focus on characters grappling with personal struggles and consequences.
With eight episodes around 50 minutes each, it makes for a manageable summer binge packed with enough mystery and drama to hold your attention (long enough to overlook any glaring flaws). You can stream “The Hunting Wives” now on U.S. Netflix.
Not feeling it? See what else is new on Netflix this week, or check out our guide on everything added to the streamer in July 2025.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
More from Tom's Guide
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
