Netflix's 8-Part Thriller Based On A Bestselling Novel Is One Of Its Best Shows To Binge

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Jaime Ray Newman in The Hunting Wives

Published Apr 6, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT

Marcelo Leite is the Deputy Editor for Screen Rant's TV segment, developing and overseeing content about classic, current, and upcoming television shows. He began his editing career on Screen Rant in 2023 after joining the site as a writer in 2022.

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A fan of all things pop culture, Marcelo studied Civil Engineering in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, before realizing that writing was his true passion. From running a WordPress blog with a friend about movies and TV shows to being part of Screen Rant, entertainment has always been part of his life.

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While Netflix has plenty of great thrillers for viewers to check out, one book adaptation from 2025 stands out in the crowded, competitive field. Although Hulu, Peacock, and Prime also have some great entries into the genre, Netflix is fast establishing itself as the best streaming service when it comes to killer thriller shows.

From all-time classic psychological thrillers like You to more recent hits like the trippy, darkly comic thriller Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, Netflix has produced no shortage of great additions to the genre in recent years. However, one standout title from 2025 remains one of the streaming service’s most binge-able thrillers, and it is The Hunting Wives.

The Hunting Wives Is An Acclaimed Netflix Thriller Adaptation

Brittany Snow's Sophie looks concerned sitting at a desk from The Hunting Wives

Based on the novel of the same name by author May Cobb, The Hunting Wives stars Brittany Snow as Sophie, a new arrival in the small town of Maple Brook, Texas. Despite hailing from Massachusetts and knowing little about country living, Sophie has a dark past she is eager to get away from, so she soon befriends the titular group of hard-living, hard-partying Texas housewives.

Betrayal, murder, and innumerable twists ensue as the campy story of The Hunting Wives season 1 turns the book’s mystery plot up to eleven. While Malin Akerman is a scene-stealing hoot as the surprisingly sympathetic anti-villain, the show is Snow’s vehicle through and through, and a compelling reminder of her best career move.

The Hunting Wives Cements Brittany Snow’s Best Career Move

Brittany Snow's Nina smiles in The Beast In Me Image courtesy of Everett Collection

Between The Hunting Wives, Netflix’s darker thriller The Beast in Me, and the same year’s true crime hit Murdaugh: Death in the Family, Snow has firmly established herself as the go-to star for any new thriller miniseries. These three shows couldn’t be more different in terms of tone, since The Beast in Me is as dour as The Hunting Wives is playful.

The Hunting Wives Season 2 Can Make Netflix’s Mystery Thriller Even Better

Malin Akerman wields a handgun in The Hunting Wives Image courtesy of Everett Collection

However, the reliably superb Snow grounds the respective stories of all three shows, ensuring viewers care about Sophie’s fate even as the bodies start to pile up and the storyline of The Hunting Wives season 1 grows more absurd and unlikely. This is why the season 2 renewal of the series was met with delight.

The Hunting Wives season 1’s finale ends on a shocking cliffhanger that made the series feel like a grown-up spin on Pretty Little Liars, and, for a moment, it seemed like viewers would never get closure on the trashy thriller’s knotty plot. Fortunately, the forthcoming arrival of The Hunting Wives season 2 means viewers can anticipate another binge-worthy thrill ride sooner than later.

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Release Date July 21, 2025

Network Netflix

Directors Julie Anne Robinson

  • Headshot Of Brittany Snow

    Brittany Snow

    Sophie O’Neill

  • Headshot OF Malin Akerman

    Malin Akerman

    Margo Banks

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