Abhiroop Das
Netflix’s ‘The Hunting Wives‘ adapts May Cobb’s eponymous novel about the character of Sophie O’Neil, who leaves her stressful life on the East Coast behind for a fresh start in Maple Brook, Texas. While she initially struggles to find her footing, things take a turn with the entry of Margo Banks, a wealthy socialite whose small circle of friends stands a cut above the rest. In a flash, Sophie finds herself becoming a part of the group and their elite lifestyle. However, hidden behind all the euphoria are the town’s secrets, many of which find their root in Margo herself. As the plot thickens, the line between truth and fantasy begins to blur, and the protagonist desperately tries to maintain her balance and not give in to temptations. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Sophie Dips Her Toes Into the World of the Wealthy
The episode begins at night, with a girl running for her life deep in the woods. Soon, we learn why, as bullets hurl past her, barely missing their target. The girl’s luck eventually runs out, and she stumbles after getting hit. Right as the killer takes their final shot, the narrative jumps to three weeks earlier, with Sophie O’Neil taking an Uber to her new home in East Texas. She has a quick reunion with her son, Jack, before heading out for a fundraiser party with her husband, Graham. Graham is an architect, and his newest high-profile client is Jed Banks, the owner of JJ Banks Oil, and the host of the celebration. As Sophie dresses for the occasion, her eyes go to the surgical scar on her abdomen. During the ride, the protagonist gets nervous at the idea of interacting with new people, while her husband urges her to “turn on the old Sophie charm.”
Upon reaching Jed’s sprawling villa, the duo realizes that the fundraiser is for the National Rifle Association, and the new crowd soon takes a toll on Sophie. Following an anxiety attack, she makes her way to the washroom and runs into a woman looking for a sanitary pad. When Sophie offers a tampon, the woman passes, before stripping in front of the protagonist and using tissues as a temporary measure. The enigmatic woman is revealed to be Margo Banks, Jed’s wife, who shares the stage while her husband announces that he is considering running for Governor. The party continues, and Sophie is introduced to more of Margo’s friends: Callie, whose husband is the town Sheriff, and Jill, the wife of the local Reverand, along with Taylor and Monae. Jill asks for her son, Brad, a star high school basketball player, and Margo goes to search for him.
Sophie and Margo Grow Closer
Meanwhile, Brad gets intimate with his girlfriend, Abby, but Margo catches him in the act and smirks at the sight before letting the two go. Later that night, Sophie discusses with Graham how she found Mrs. Banks to be better than the crowd, and he eagerly asks her to develop a friendship, describing the opportunity as a fresh slate for the protagonist. This seemingly strikes a nerve, once again pointing to an untold past. Elsewhere, Margo and Jed discuss whether they should seriously pursue his Governor’s campaign. She explains that doing so will invite serious media scrutiny, which spells an end to all of their scandalous activities. The following Friday, Margo invites Sophie to her lakeside manor for a girls’ night out, which secretly excites the latter.
Upon meeting with the clique, Sophie tries to initiate a conversation, asking the women about their professions, but learns that they are all stay-at-home wives of wealthy people. The protagonist tells more about herself: she used to work in Public Relations for local political campaigns in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but chose to quit after the birth of her son. Most strikingly, she doesn’t drink alcohol, and quickly begins to feel a distance from everyone except Margo. From here, the group heads to an open shooting range, where Sophie tries her hand at gunning down targets. However, her increasing closeness to Margo noticeably makes Callie jealous. The fun continues, with Margo convincing the protagonist to come to a nightclub named Coyote Joe’s.
At the same time, a rousing basketball game takes place at the local sports center. Brad, along with his friend Jamie, eventually wins the match for their team. Jill and Abby cheer from the stands, although the tension between them is palpable. Brad then leaves with Jill and Jamie to join the rest of the group at Coyote Joe’s, where the party is at full swing. However, Margo and Sophie are interrupted by a strange one-eyed man, who calls the former Mandy, instantly earning her anger. As the man exits, the protagonist realizes it’s nearing midnight, and she is already too late. Jamie suggests dropping her off at home while casually showing interest, but Margo gets ahead of him, deciding to drive Sophie home herself.
Margo Convinces Sophie to Break the Rules
During the ride, Margo urges Sophie to open up, particularly about why she doesn’t drink or drive. The protagonist reveals that she was in a car accident years prior while inebriated. The incident left her traumatized, and since then, Graham has prevented her from doing either. Hearing this, Margo pushes back, pointing out that Sophie can’t let her husband decide the course of her life, and she needs to loosen up. To put her advice into practice, Margo then suggests that her friend drive her truck in circles in a parking lot and let out all of her pent-up frustration. After a little more convincing and a sip of alcohol, Sophie agrees and takes the vehicle for an adventurous few spins. She returns home to her family asleep, and although Graham gets suspicious, she manages to play it off.
Around the same time, Abby sneaks out of her house to meet Brad, who is visibly upset. To gain his attention, she expresses that she is ready to have sex again and urges him to take her purity ring off. Elsewhere, Callie uses her husband’s credentials to sneakily log into the police database, where she discovers that Sophie has a criminal record, although the information is all sealed off. Time jumps yet again, this time, two weeks ahead, wherein the killer shoots the girl in the head. Later, a hunter discovers a group of wild boars eating the body of the girl. Back in the present, Sophie and her family attend a Church Congregation led by Jill’s husband, Clint. Sophie feels out of place yet again, and her troubles are worsened when she is forced to be on stage as part of the newcomers in the community.
The Past Plays Catch-Up
Clint begins to discuss the Book of Psalms, referencing David’s sins and self-loathing before tracing back to God’s forgiveness. The words appear to hit Sophie hard, and she begins to cry on stage, drawing everyone’s attention. She then meets Starr, Abby’s mother, but their interaction is quickly cut short by Margo’s group, who seem keen on alienating the latter. Soon after, Jed Banks invites Sophie and Graham to dinner. While leaving the church, Jed continues discussing the campaign with his wife, with her brother coming up as one of their loose ends that need to be taken care of. Following this, we are introduced to Pastor Pete, who leads the junior congregation. He pays special attention to Abby, seemingly perceptive of the new changes in her life.
The scene then returns to Margo paying her brother, Kyle, a visit. Here, she inquires about the mystery man following her, but learns nothing. Instead, she has him sign a nondisclosure agreement, which requires him to keep a tight lip about her past, as Mandy, for the rest of the year. Margo’s next stop is Callie’s house, and the two get intimate right upon meeting, revealing that Margo is having an affair. However, she pulls the brakes early, revealing that she is actually here to end their present dynamic. She cites Jed’s campaign as a reason, but that fails to soothe Callie, who tearfully tries to hold on by confessing her love. While Margo’s decision remains unchanged, we see her smiling on the way out of the house, revealing a layer of insincerity in her actions.
Sophie’s Feelings About Margo Begin to Change
Later, Sophie and Graham meet the Banks for Dinner, during which Graham reveals that before they got married, Sophie was a party girl, whom he eventually managed to “straighten out.” His arrogance and dismissal towards his wife shine through in the conversation, and almost on cue, Margo decides to take him on a house tour, leaving the protagonist with Jed. The latter wastes no time in trying to charm her, particularly with an expensive drink. She accepts his offer and takes a sip, breaking her husband’s rules for the second time. In private, Margo reveals to the protagonist that she has a unique relationship with her husband, wherein the two have sexual relationships outside of marriage, but only with other women. Elsewhere, Brad sneaks Abby out to his father’s boat, where the two have sex.
The next morning, Margo calls Brad to her home, and the latter lies to Abby about coaching the Banks’ children, before eagerly heading out. At home, Sophie digs through a box of papers, getting visibly upset upon finding documents from Child Protective Services, another hint at her past. To distract herself, she checks out Margo’s social media pictures, but soon gets aroused and begins touching herself. The scene is juxtaposed with Callie, who is struggling to recover from the news Margo left her with. Emboldened by the time she spent with her new friend, the protagonist decides to drive her way to buy groceries. Here, she runs into the one-eyed man yet again, who warns her about how dangerous the Banks are. Scared, Sophie tries to contact Margo, but fails to do so, forcing her to flee the market in her car.
A String of Discoveries Overturns the Narrative
Brad makes his way to Margo, where she tells him what she told Callie, implying that he is yet another one of her sexual partners. However, the teen gets confrontational and calls out how he can just reveal her affair to the public. Realizing that brute force is not the way to go, she decides to soothe him back into putting his guard down, before subtly manipulating him to ensure that their relationship stays a secret. The scene then cuts to Abby, who works at a fast food outlet. Here, we meet Ms. Colson, Jed’s former wife and the mother of his two children. Seeing the trio, Abby assumes that their practice is over, but quickly learns that her boyfriend lied to her. Elsewhere, Callie practices her skills in the police shooting range before making her way to her husband, the Sheriff.
Once alone with Jonny, Callie asks him if he probed deeper into Sophie, and learns that he has managed to uncover the details of her case. The contents are not revealed to the audience, but their reaction suggests that the protagonist has been involved in some serious crimes. We then return to her as she rushes to Margo’s lakeside manor, hoping to get answers about the mystery man. When no one comes to open the door, Sophie takes a look around the house and ends up peeking through the window to find Margo being pleasured by Brad. Although startled, she seemingly fails to take her eyes off the scene, and is eventually noticed by Margo, who smirks seductively in return. The episode ends on an enigmatic note, with a number of mysteries piling up in the face of a budding dynamic between two women.
Read More: Is The Hunting Wives Based on a True Story?
