'The Hunting Wives' is an addictive series filled with deception, small-town secrets and deadly intrigue

We’ve all been there, sitting on the couch, glass of wine in hand, scrolling through Netflix, thinking, I need something that’s a blend of "Sex and the City", "Big Little Lies", "True" Detective and "Desperate Housewives”.

We’re always here for strong female characters leading a storyline. And "The Hunting Wives" is just what the doctor ordered.

I was pleasantly surprised by the murderous-Republican-bisexual antics in this new drama, based on May Cobb’s novel, which recently dropped in South Africa.

This show is rated PG-16. It’s sexual, messy, and unapologetically chaotic. If you’re okay with married women being romantically curious about each other, welcome to Maple Brook.

Everyone carries secrets; it’s very "White Lotus" energy. Some are fake Christians hiding behind mega-church facades, others are murderers, and most are navigating complicated love triangles. Gentlemen, this might just make you double-check your wife’s schedule … jokes, obviously.

Set in Texas, guns are welcome, and apparently, open marriages are too. "The Hunting Wives" follows Texas transplant Sophie O’Neil (Brittany Snow) as she gets pulled into a friend group composed entirely of rich Republican housewives.

Sophie, a former Bostonian trying to start fresh, quickly learns that this glamorous world is anything but simple. It’s hot, armed, and drunk, so of course, along with interpersonal drama, there’s also a mysterious murder plot.

Sophie is effortlessly relatable, balancing curiosity, innocence, and her growing obsession with the secrets swirling around her. Malin Åkerman’s Margo is magnetic, charming, and just shady enough to make every scene addictive.

Their chemistry is believable, but like Sam Smith once sang, “Too much of a good thing won’t be good anymore.”

You can feel it, just as a sweet, fun moment hits, you know something’s about to crash it. That sense of impending chaos is constant. With a story like this, mental health threads its way through the drama, too.

Characters grapple with brokenness, sociopathic tendencies, obsessive behaviours, and manipulative control, all while trying to maintain the perfect suburban façade. It’s messy, it’s darkly compelling, and it adds a whole layer of psychological intrigue that keeps you hooked.

Supporting cast members like Jaime Ray Newman, Chrissy Metz, George Ferrier, and Madison Wolfe bring layers to the town’s messy relationships, with side glances and jealousies that will have you whispering “No, don’t do that, bro!” at your screen.

The show explores identity, desire, and the facades people maintain. One, for instance, expertly orchestrates her relationships and the secrets around her, keeping those around her intrigued but on edge, while subtly controlling who knows what and when.

Another manipulates situations to protect her own interests, especially when it comes to the delicate love triangles, while another turns a blind eye to maintain the façade of a perfect marriage.

The town is filled with sexual tension; it's like everyone feels the need to get laid: flirty pastors, sidepieces, secret trysts, and awkward run-ins that have “you might get caught” written all over them. Each character has a messy, sinful, and often hilarious double life.

The series also highlights the risks the characters are willing to take. 

"The Hunting Wives" is a guilty pleasure done right. It celebrates strong, complicated female characters, revels in small-town scandal, and keeps you guessing with every stolen glance, secret affair and suspicious handshake.

"The Hunting Wives" is now streaming on Netflix.

Rating: **** a standout series with exceptional qualities.