Why we can't resist 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives'

I’ll be honest, nothing about watching Mormon wives making sunscreen from scratch and swinging sounds appealing to me.

Okay…well, maybe a little. But not enough to watch an entire season of it.

Ok I lied. I binged it.

Which got me thinking,

What is it about these shows, rife with scandal and secrets, that has such a strong allure we can't resist?

'The scandalous world of a group of Mormon mom influencers who get caught up in a swinging sex scandal that makes international headlines.'

Girl, please, that’s literally crack.

Just the title alone feels like a golden invitation to step behind the curtain of a private world. And this leans on a timeless pull—who doesn’t want to be in on a secret?

But marketing mystery isn’t just clever; it’s a double-edged sword, especially when it comes to faith and culture.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives show’s framing as an 'insider’s reveal' works because it plays on the need to know what’s usually hidden.

It’s Marketing 101: scarcity sells.

Here, the 'secrets' of Mormon life become an exclusive peek into a world few know intimately.

So it's perfect for audiences who are curious, voyeuristic, or just looking for something off the beaten path of typical reality TV. Because as far as this show goes, it’s well into the woods.

But there’s a fine line between curiosity and caricature.

When the whole concept is built on what’s 'unusual,' it’s easy to see how that can veer into sensationalism, reducing a complex culture to the quirks that make it ‘interesting.’

Now, I’m not religious. But I can’t deny that when a show brings faith into the mainstream, there’s a lot at stake.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives doesn’t just entertain; it risks shaping—or misshaping—public perception of Mormon culture. And here’s where things get tricky.

The marketing builds intrigue by focusing on 'secrets' and 'unveiling' a subculture. But that leaves room for stereotypes and oversimplifications to sneak in under the guise of 'relatability.'

A lot of what the show serves up will end up defining how viewers see Mormon women, whether that’s fair or not.

So, this 'cultural ambassador' role, which the show might not even ask for, becomes a powerful side effect of putting private lives on display.

This is where it gets interesting.

Beyond the show, each cast member has her own social media following, a personal space where she can counterbalance or reinforce what’s shown on TV.

These platforms become spaces where they can reclaim their own narrative. Each post is like a little side commentary, giving viewers a chance to connect with these women on a personal level.

Through these individual accounts, audiences see that these women aren’t just characters.

They’re real people with day-to-day lives, identities, and beliefs that might align with or even challenge the show’s portrayals.

Taylor Frankie Paul is the star of the show, and the scandal that started it all. The TikTok influencer split from her husband in 2022, after 'stepping outside the bounds' of a soft-swinging agreement with him that excluded 'going all the way.'

In the trailer for the series, Taylor reveals how she was raised to be a traditional Mormon wife, getting married and having children at a young age. Her response to which was: 'f&%k this.'

She then went on to create the MomTok phenomenon with three of her friends, also Mormon wives. And the scandals piled up one after the other with each online confession.

What we’re seeing with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is a fascinating case study in how faith, culture, and personal branding collide.

The show knows how to hook an audience with intrigue—there’s no denying that—but it’s the cast’s social media presence that can shift perceptions in a big way.

By engaging directly with fans, each member has the chance to challenge the show’s narrative, tell her own story, and (hopefully) bring audiences a little closer to understanding who they actually are.

But as always, it’s a balancing act. And the stakes are high when you’re dealing with the delicate space between curiosity and respect.

So, as marketers, what do we take from this? Maybe it’s a reminder that authenticity on social media is worth more than a slick reality TV edit. Sometimes, the real story is the one the audience has to dig a little deeper to find.

-Sophie, Writer