With everything that reality TV is synonymous with and the mould of the 2020s, viewers needed something new. On September 6 2024, Hulu released The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Drama, sex, manipulation, and relationships. All four pillars of reality TV culminated inside one of the most media speculated religions: Mormonism.
The premise was unheard of: A group of Mormon TikTokers involved in a swinging sex scandal deal with the fallout, friendships, and drama after one of it's own members exposes the innerworkings of the group. Hulu knew that this would take the world by storm, purely from the internets inherent nature to observe other peoples lives. In an age of internet stalking, cancel culture, and social media stars The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was always going to become the next big thing.
Opening with a brief history lesson on the shows stars and their relationships with each other, the viewer instantly feels transported into the private, hidden world of this tight-knit group. The episode is designed to feel like a digital dossier—clips from TikToks, old Instagram photos, and viral videos—giving the audience a voyeuristic peek into their pasts. This opening cleverly mirrors the way internet sleuths piece together the lives of public figures online. It also builds a sense of anticipation as viewers become armchair detectives, trying to uncover the true workings of this (now iconic) Mormon sex scandal.
However, from the beginning it is clear that the 2020s mould of reality TV has impacted the shows creation. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives isn’t just about voyeurism—it's a deep dive into the clash between a seemingly conservative lifestyle and the hedonistic culture that surrounds social media fame. The juxtaposition of Mormon values with the raw, unfiltered drama of an underground swinging community sets up an inevitable tension, a dynamic ripe for dramatic confrontations.
The real genius of Hulu’s new reality venture, however, lies in its timing. The 2020s has seen a shift in how religious groups, particularly those with strict moral codes, are perceived in the media. Shows like The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City have already teased audiences with glimpses into Mormon life, but The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives takes it further, focusing squarely on a community not often given the reality TV treatment. It's a high-stakes gamble: pushing the boundaries of voyeuristic intrigue without crossing into offensive territory the iconic four pillars of reality TV bring.
As the season unfolds, viewers are left with more questions than answers. Who can be trusted? Was the scandal really about sex, or was it driven by jealousy, power, and fame? And how will the group cope with being thrust into the public spotlight, as their online personas and private lives collide in the most spectacular way possible?
While die hard reality TV fans would argue that the 2020s format has had a devasting impact on the staple of culture it once used to be, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives proves that the standard of reality TV has not dropped; it has just evolved. With the shows second season due to be released in spring 2025, the internet has been left to speculate on all the things that the first season left behind.