The Hunting Wives is an odd one… It was on the US version of Netflix, but not UK, thus ends up getting its UK premiere on ITV, who have seemed to have chanced upon a hit of showing imported dramas on a Saturday evening.
From the premise, this looks like Desperate Hunting Housewives, where the women are all rather free with their love, getting rather handsy and sexual with each other, as well as being quite sweary; but then the couples, in general, all like to have an ‘open relationship’. Definitely NOT what you’d have got from ITV in the ’80s.
First, it goes back to 3 weeks ago, where an unnamed woman is running through the woods, clearly being hunted… given the title.
In the present, Sophie O’Neil’s (Brittany Snow – The Beast In Me) the new woman in town (with a husband in tow, who’s completely oblivious to everything going on), referring to the bunch of harridans as “little Marjorie Taylor Greenes“, most recently being the Donald Trump ally who turned against him.
As for hubby, Graham (Evan Jonigkeit – X-Men: Days of Future Past – The Rogue Cut), he says she’ll fit in, because “it’s a new town. Nobody knows you” – so immediately, you’re wondering what she’s done in the past – yes, it’s that sort of show, where everyone has secrets, and doesn’t reveal what goes on behind closed doors.
Margo Banks (Malin Akerman – Rampage) is the Stifler’s Mom of the day, rather taking Sophie under her wing, but then Margo et al are also Bible-bashers, so maybe that explains a lot.
For a change on UK TV, there’s some brief female nudity from Ms Akerman. DEFINITELY wouldn’t have got that from ITV in the ’80s!
Overall, The Hunting Wives is a big hunk of vapidness and nothing, but it’s junk that’ll probably get the ratings. Unsurprisingly, a second season is already confirmed.
The Hunting Wives begins tonight on ITV at 9.30pm with two episodes – then runs individually, weekly, but is already available to stream on ITVX.
It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but when it is, it will be listed on the New DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and 4K releases UK page.
Series Directors: Cheryl Dunye, Jennifer Getzinger, Melanie Mayron, Julie Anne Robinson
Producers: Jeremy Beim, Joan Cunningham,
Novel: May Cobb
Creator: Rebecca Cutter
Screenplay: Rebecca Cutter, Benjamin Flores, Will Hettinger, Kayla Westergard-Dobson, Emily Bensinger, Breannah Gibson, Mike Weiss, Brandon Zuck
Music: Jeff Danna
Cast:
Sophie O’Neil: Brittany Snow
Margo Banks: Malin Akerman
Callie: Jaime Ray Newman
Graham O’Neil: Evan Jonigkeit
Brad: George Ferrier
Jed Banks: Dermot Mulroney
Jill: Katie Lowes
Starr: Chrissy Metz
Taylor: Alexandria DeBerry
Monae: Joyce Glenn
Sheriff Johnny: Branton Box
Flynn: Hunter Emery
Salazar: Karen Rodriguez
Abby: Madison Wolfe
Jamie: Chosen Jacobs
Nina: Abigail Rhyne
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.