Series Review: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (Season 1 )

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
3BMG, Jeff Jenkins Productions, WWE
Streaming on Hulu: 09.06

Utah has been on the up and up in recent years and is not nearly the state it was 20 years ago. People have been flocking to our state to make it their home. Not only that, we’ve also hosted a variety of big-time events here in the Beehive State like the NBA All-Stars Game—where Charles Barkley called us out for lack of nightlife by saying, “These people going to heaven. Ain’t nothing to do in this boring ass city. It’s a great city, but ain’t nothing to do here. Can’t smoke, can’t drink. These people going to heaven.“ We have a killer Pride Parade that stars like Trixie Mattel come out for, we even got our own NHL team and we’re slated to host the 2034 Winter Olympics. Though the one thing (that I believe anyway), that has put us back into the spotlight of pop culture is… trashy reality television. From The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City to shows like The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch, Utah has blown up, not only the geological map, but also on the hellscape that is the internet. Its next trending series you’ve probably seen all over your X and TikTok feeds is The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. 

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives follows a group of Mormon women who’ve founded the popular TikTok group coined “MomTok” where they do dances or hop on viral trending memes to make “relatable” content to other moms, whether Mormon or not. Its lineup includes Taylor Frankie Paul, Whitney Leavitt, Layla Taylor, Demi Engemann, Jessi Ngatikaura, Jenn Affleck, Mikayla Matthews and Mayci Neeley. The ongoing plot line throughout the eight episode series is the “soft swinging” scandal the women found themselves in after Paul went on TikTok live to confirm that the group did in fact engage in swinging activities, which led to her divorce and the division of the MomTok group. It also follows the rebuilding of the group and how the scandal affected all of the participants’ external, real-life relationships and, more importantly, their relationships with their religion. 

Throughout the series, we watch as Paul tries to make things work with her current partner, Dakota Mortensen, after her arrest on domestic violence charges involving him and her children. We also follow Affleck’s relationship with her husband and his gambling addiction, Leavitt’s debacle with her husband’s Tinder profile rumors plus her “excommunication” from the MomTok group and Taylor’s divorce. The lighter, more comical issue that gives us some sort of relief throughout all of this? Ngatikaura’s labiaplasty. 

Now, you might be asking yourself at this point: “SLUG, why review some trashy reality TV series?” Well, it starts some interesting conversations, not only around Mormonism and its effects on culture here in Utah, but around religion as whole. These women are on a quest to become what they call “Modern Mormons.” What does that mean exactly? How does that look to each of these women and why does it almost feel like cherry-picking beliefs solely to justify a way that you want to live that goes against your preconceived notions of your relationship with your spirituality or God? At times, it almost seems hypocritical as these women use this to alienate each other. 

Now, not to get too personal, but I was raised Mormon until I was 18 and given free agency to be the dickhead I was always meant to be. All I can speak on is how the religion made me feel as a female child of a single mother and the pressure that was put on us to “follow the church’s teachings.” Depending on who you are, I don’t know if it’s the ideal environment for anyone of any gender identity to live in. During the series, it shows for not only the women, but their husbands as well. These men and women are taught to lessen themselves and compartmentalize their feelings for the sake of their children and partners, but what for? To live a life totally dishonest to your true beliefs and wants? It raises a big question: If your religion isn’t something that aligns with the way you want to live your life, why stay? Why try to make it work? Why not find one that does accept your way of living without any attached fear or judgment? 

Despite all of the questions and red flags this show raised for me during my initial viewing, it’s always fun to sit back and watch drama that isn’t your own. Especially when it’s excellently produced. I can’t wait to glue my eyes to the next trainwreck of a second season and see what the future has in store for MomTok. Whether you love it or hate it, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives looks like it’s here to stay! —Yonni Uribe

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