Reality television is no stranger to diving into the weird sides of any group whether that is people’s weird addictions or a family with quintuplets (five children born in the same pregnancy). So it is no surprise that another reality show is delving into the unknown world of religion like Mormonism in the show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” on Hulu. 

The show is centered around a group of Mormon moms who all had their start on TikTok forming a group that they dubbed themselves as “MomTok.” Their content centered around picking at the stereotypes and typical “rules” most Mormons follow. The wives often dress “immodestly” according to their faith and would curse or even have sexual relations before marriage which is very looked down upon in the Mormon church. These progressive views and ways the women carry themselves online interested a lot of people because they gave a new perspective on what Mormon culture looks like. 

The group blew up when a “swinging” scandal was being talked about mainly on Reddit and Taylor, one of the main moms of the group, confirmed the scandal on a TikTok that blew “MomTok” up, causing a riff in the group and changing the dynamics on and offline. 

Picking up with the group trying to come back together after the scandal, the show follows the moms in Utah navigating social media and their independence while still trying to abide by the strict Mormon religion that is heavily rooted in sexist traditions and values. The show follows any typical reality drama with clearly scripted or rehearsed scenes. The moms are constantly going behind each other’s backs and gossiping with one another.

While drama within the moms is a central part of the show’s main plot, a very fascinating aspect are the husbands and the control they have over their wives. Marriage is a big part of the Mormon faith with even many people practicing polygamy which involves the man marrying several women to become stronger in their faith. 

Although none of the marriages in the show practice polygamy, there still is a great sense of how marriage is such a big factor in their culture. 

Many people in Utah get married young and the women of the show are no exception. With this young marriage and more progressive approach, multiple women in the show have been divorced by the age of 22. Some of the husbands are very controlling, and it is evident that a lot of worth in the culture amongst Mormons is what your marriage looks like.

Some of the women are more progressive and not even practicing anymore, but it is very interesting how Mormonism is portrayed in the show. Oftentimes, the faith is seen as strict with rules people must abide by to be a good follower. The show’s portrayal of this new wave of Mormonism can be seen as a way of breaking barriers, but the LDS church has a long way before it can be seen as an inclusive and safe space.

Image by @secretliveshulu via Instagram