Over the years, reality shows have always been in the limelight as to how real most of the depicted incidents are and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives available for streaming on Hulu is not an exemption. This series premiers on September 6, 2023, and follows the lives of eight Mormon #MomTok bloggers; several of these women were once at the center of a “soft swinging scandal” in 2022. In the following show, however, it is not very clear whether they are real or in a fix of scripted show that has been produced to give a feeling of real reality show.
The drama behind the secret lives of mormon wives
The show focuses on a group of content creators from the Mormon community, who found fame on TikTok because of their relatable mom accounts but also because of the controversies they faced behind the camera. Among the group, Taylor Frankie Paul has been the most famous one who shocked the internet when she described her “soft swinging” marriage with Tate Paul. Taylor said that this provided them a chance to be intimate with other people though not directly and not in every sense of the word. Taylor crossed the line that resulted in their divorce, and this made a chain reaction in her friend group and led to friend zoning.
The other cast members—Jennifer Affleck, Demi Engemann, Mayci Neeley, Jessi Ngatikaura, Mikayla Matthews, Whitney Leavitt, and Layla Taylor—have millions of followers on TikTok, and of course, were part of that MomTok scene originating in Utah. The scandal put them in the limelight making hulu to create a series that depicted their lives, the effects of the scandal they had, and technology influence on their fame through social media platforms.
Is The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Real or Scripted?
Now the viewers might be thinking that how much of what is being portrayed is actually real? Similar with most reality shows today, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives have a mixture of reality and what others perceive as scripted. Although the scenes may be genuine, they are mostly contrived to increase tension to what could have been a romantic movie.
For instance, Taylor revealing the “soft swinging” scandal appears genuine because she first shared these features on her TikTok account before the debut of the show. Nonetheless, the timing of some of the interactions and confrontation of the show may make skeptics to believe that the producers are rigging the show to create certain narrative to capture the audience.
It should also be mentioned that all the cast members are quite active on social networks and share exclusive backstage materials and statements regarding show gossips and scandals. This transparency leads to having a feeling that even though the series portrays real life events, then the flow of events may at times be inclined towards the aspect of reality texas holdem series. In any case, the publication of the material with the increased expressiveness of a plot is what holds users’ attention.
The Nature of Reality TV
Still, it seems evident that the dramatized accounts of the scandal are rooted in the real-life divorce of Kody Taylor and the subsequent rumors involving him and incentives millionaire’s group of wives; nonetheless, it can’t be denied that The Secret Live of Mormon Wives is primarily an entertainment show. Like any other reality television series ranging from The Real Housewives to Keeping up with the Kardashians, the show producers usually fan the flames and push the series participants into reliving issues, arguing, or even engaging in discussions that they wouldn’t have usually engage in.
However it is important to note that cast always defends that what is portrayed on screen is real. In the trailer, the character Demi Engemann talks about how they wanted to humanize the struggles that they are going through as Mormon women, the life of fame and controversies they deal with.
The Real-Life Consequences
However, the so-called ‘soft swinging scandal’ played out on live TV had real life ramifications. Taylor divorced Tate Paul, and her disclosures were not well received: they introduced the viewers to other MomTok influencers, not so popular until the scandal. Some of them tried to distance themselves from the scandal whereas others suddenly saw their own lives as a subject of scrutiny and speculation about their relationships and participation.
Furthermore, Taylor’s own problems did not end with the scandal itself. In February 2023, she was involved in legal issues, one of which was an arrest for misdemeanor assault. The show is supposed to address these moments in her life and offer a closer look at the life of Taylor other than the viral star on TikTok.
How Real Is The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives?
Clearly, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is based on real-life drama and actual events, however, in its essence, reality TV cannot be pure reality. The feelings that characters express, quarrels they have, and even the friendships that they establish here and there are authentic but the frequency and the extent of passion and aggression may appear more frequent than when people are not acting for the camera.
Regardless of the complete authenticity of the show or its partial fabrication, it goes through exciting emotions, dramatic moments, and diversely shocking discoveries. And that is what reality show viewers crave for.