By Jessica Kelso and Riley Dauber
Elm Staff Writer and Editor-in-Chief
On Sept. 6, streaming service Hulu released a new documentary series based on the #MomTok trend, which prominently features Mormon influencer mothers. The show explores the lives, scandals, and secrets of these families.
According to Los Angeles Magazine, “MomTok originated as a way for a new generation of Mormon women to come together and promote a less judgemental way of practicing their religion, showcasing viral dance and lifestyle clips.”
However, the influencers gained traction when Taylor Frankie Paul, who is prominently featured in the series, announced that she and her husband were getting a divorce following a swingers event hosted by the group. Paul reportedly developed feelings for another man after the party and did not inform her husband of the relationship.
This interpersonal drama, which subverts the traditional expectations placed on Mormonsim, was ripe for an unscripted, reality television show. Accoring to Los Angeles Magazine, the show has already “broken records to become the most-watched unscripted premiere on the streaming platform this year.”
Along with Paul, the series also focuses on TikTok influencers Demi Engemann, Jennifer Affleck, Jessi Ngatikaura, Mikayala Matthews, and Whitney Leavitt.
The first episode, titled “The First Book of Taylor,” follows these women in the fallout of the exposed “soft swinging” sex scandal online.
The episode establishes each member of the MomTok group along with the narrative that MomTok was created as a way to regain identity after becoming a mother and proving that women are not limited by patriarchal titles.
Despite the show’s commerical success, it has fallen under heavy criticism by viewers and members of the Latter-Day Saints community, as it deals explicity with taboo topics in the Mormon religion and seems to contradict the Church’s values.
According to Today, “We understand the fascination some in the media have with the Church, but regret that portrayals often rely on sensationalism and inaccuracies that do not fairly and fully reflect the lives of our Church members.”
However, many viewers flocked to the series because of the dramatic storylines.
“‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ features two of the worst diseases ever inflicted upon
America: the LDS Church and TikTok, I am going to watch the s—t out of this. Bonus: these
women are GROSS on every conceivable level and each one is the worst dancer on the planet.
SOLD,” Twitter user @GeoffAgain tweeted.
The show’s appeal relies on the unseen moments behind public TikTok videos, with the promise of revealing the internal drama of the six women while simultaneously maintaining a social media facade.
Each episode draws viewers in with cliffhangers and unresolved conflicts, keeping the audience invested by cutting clips from future episodes to splice into the credits of the show.
Decider compares the show to the “aesthetic of ‘The Kardashians,’the drama of a ‘Real Housewives’show, and the naïveté of ‘Teen Mom.’”
Decider also praises the eight-episode series, claiming that it is “the next best reality show on streaming.”
In the weeks since its debut, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” has received plenty of praise and even more critiques; it is currently sitting at 5.1/10 average rating on IMDb.
Though the show has garnered a high amount of attention, critics are divided on whether the show is just another trashy attempt at a trending reality show or if it reveals entertaining and investing aspects of influencers’ lives.
Photo by Ella Humphreys.
Photo Caption: The trailer for “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” was teased during “The Bachelorette” finale, with contestant Hakeem Moulton making humorous facial reactions during the entire runtime.