The leading ladies of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” wear multiple hats: mother, businesswoman, author, dancer, model and entrepreneur. What began as “MomTok,” a collection of silly videos posted online by a group of Mormon women in Utah, quickly became a million-dollar production on Hulu.
In the show’s flashiest season yet, the women take on “The Bachelorette,” “Dancing with the Stars” and an ungodly amount of podcasts, notably Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy.”
Taylor Frankie Paul, the de facto leader of MomTok, is often seen battling her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, with whom she shares a child. Her tendency to self-destruct is only exacerbated by Mortensen’s own nature.
Her status as America’s latest bachelorette was upended when the ABC network pulled her season just three days before its official premiere after TMZ published footage of her attacking Mortensen and throwing metal chairs in a fit of rage, with one of her children caught in the crossfire.While Paul battles her own issues, the other members of MomTok are left to deal with a new foe: DadTok.
Emerging in the shadow of MomTok, the Mormon men are no longer content to remain bystanders to their partners’ success.Despite initial dismissiveness and episodes ridiculing the nature of MomTok, many of the partners of MomTok members are beginning to recognize the lucrative nature of turning personal lives into content.
At the helm of DadTok is Jordan Ngatikaura, husband of Jessi Draper, who has built a name for herself through her popular salon and hair brand. Their relationship often comes across as combative and, at times, verbally abusive.
Ngatikaura leans heavily into his DadTok identity, sporting hats, sweaters and merchandise throughout the season, and seems intent on stirring tension between MomTok and DadTok. Meanwhile, Jennifer and Zac Affleck also had their relationship put on blast by viewers over the past four seasons.
This season, Zac — once med school-bound — stayed home with the children while Jennifer dazzled on “Dancing with the Stars.” His new role seems to have made him more abrasive and resistant when it comes to supporting her career, despite that it ultimately benefits both of them.
The reversal of traditional gender roles has been an interesting challenge for Zac.
Contrastingly, Whitney and Conner Leavitt’s marriage paints a picture of mutual support in each other’s careers. Whitney has managed to level up on “Dancing with the Stars” and launch a career on Broadway, thanks in part to her husband’s support.
Their partnership allows them to rise above much of the drama that surrounds the group. The couples that offer one another support and allow their marriages to thrive regardless of traditional gender roles exemplify a new era of Mormon relationships. Maybe the real draw of it all is not just the drama, but watching who adapts, who resists and who comes out on top.
