Netflix’s Raunchy New Hit ‘The Hunting Wives’ Needs a Season 2 for a Very Specific Reason

Heroes are in short supply in Netflix’s sultry thriller The Hunting Wives. Even the characters who appear “good” at first reveal their darker sides by the end of Season 1, and nearly everyone carries secrets they’d rather keep buried. But it’s that moral messiness that has turned the series into a fast-rising hit, drawing in audiences with its mix of Southern charm, steamy drama, and slow-burning suspense.

Just a week after its release, The Hunting Wives has landed in Netflix’s Top 10, and buzz continues to grow thanks to the sizzling performances of Malin Akerman and Brittany Snow as two Texas housewives caught in a torrid, dangerous affair. The series—created by Rebecca Cutter (Hightown) and based on the novel by May Cobb—delivers exactly the kind of glossy, guilty-pleasure energy that summer thrillers are made of.

Akerman and Snow make for a magnetic duo as they sip mimosas in sundresses and, quite literally, play with fire. Their characters’ flirtations and bad decisions unravel in a stifling, conservative East Texas community where appearances are everything—until a gruesome murder sends the town spiraling into scandal and suspicion. But as much as the show thrives on its blend of sex, betrayal, and mystery, the true breakout of Season 1 is not one of the titular housewives. It’s Deputy Wanda Salazar.

Deputy Wanda Salazar: Season 1’s Unsung Hero

Played with scene-stealing grit by Karen Rodriguez, Deputy Salazar becomes the unlikely anchor of a story swirling with deceit and desire. While the wealthy wives of East Texas toast to their indulgences and spiral into chaos, Salazar emerges as the lone figure willing to cut through the lies.

When she first appears, she’s an on-leave deputy reluctantly drawn into a murder investigation that the local police department seems content to ignore. But as the season unfolds, Salazar becomes the moral center and the sharpest mind in the room, tracking the connections that others miss and bringing a sense of grounded urgency to the otherwise intoxicatingly messy drama.

By the explosive Season 1 finale, Salazar evolves into the series’ clear hero, uncovering truths that everyone else either overlooked or actively avoided. In a show full of morally gray characters, she’s a rare figure you can root for without hesitation. And that’s exactly why Season 2 needs to happen: to give Salazar the full tortured detective treatment she deserves.

Inside Netflix’s Sultry Summer Thriller

The Hunting Wives follows Sophie O’Neil (Brittany Snow), a reformed wife and mother who moves to East Texas with her husband (Evan Jonigkeit) and young son, despite their contrasting political views and lifestyles. There, she encounters Margo Banks (Malin Akerman), a stunning, magnetic housewife married to aspiring gubernatorial candidate Jed Banks (Dermot Mulroney).

Margo quickly develops an obsession with Sophie, drawing her into a world of indulgence and secrecy. Weekly hangouts consist of booze, hog hunting, and discreet affairs, and soon the two women begin a secret steamy affair of their own.

The small-town façade shatters with the shocking murder of local teen Abby (Madison Wolfe). The scandal deepens when it’s revealed that Margo was also involved with Abby’s teenage boyfriend, Brad (George Ferrier). As suspicion falls on Sophie, she is pulled further into Margo’s web of lies, creating a tense cat-and-mouse game that leaves no character untouched by the fallout.

Enter Deputy Wanda Salazar, whose instincts and determination turn the season’s second half into a slow-burn detective story. She begins connecting the dots between the murder, the affairs, and a serial kidnapper, uncovering layers of corruption and negligence in the town’s police department along the way.

Why Season 2 Is Essential

While Season 1 provides its fair share of shockers and a finale packed with revelations, it also sets the stage for an even more thrilling follow-up. Salazar’s rise as the unlikely hero of the series is the clearest reason why a second season is not just wanted—it’s necessary.

Her rule-bending, truth-seeking persona injects fresh energy into the narrative, and her arc hints at untapped potential for the show’s next chapter. Imagine a Season 2 where Salazar steps fully into the spotlight, confronting the aftermath of the murder, hunting not one but two killers, and navigating the murky waters of a community that thrives on secrets.

For Netflix, The Hunting Wives has already proven to be a raunchy, addictive summer hit—a mix of scandal, suspense, and Southern charm. But for fans, the heart of the show now lies with a single character: Deputy Wanda Salazar. She’s the kind of hero audiences can’t get enough of—and she might just be the reason The Hunting Wives could become Netflix’s next long-running obsession.