The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4 Renewed: 20 Episodes Coming to Hulu Soon

Hulu has officially renewed The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4, ordering 20 episodes that will likely span two additional seasons with the fourth installment set to premiere in early 2026. The announcement comes just two weeks after Season 3 debuted as the number one show on Hulu’s Top 15 Today list on November 13, 2025, continuing the reality series’ unprecedented success as the streaming platform’s most-watched unscripted franchise.

The 20 episodes renewal follows Hulu’s established pattern for the series, mirroring the structure that delivered Seasons 2 and 3 earlier in 2025. This massive order confirms that The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 will be followed by a fifth season, with both likely filmed back-to-back throughout 2026 to maintain the show’s rapid production schedule and capitalize on the cast’s explosive popularity across multiple Disney platforms.

Record-Breaking Success: From Premiere to Phenomenon

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has shattered every expectation since its September 6, 2024 premiere, evolving from a risky reality concept into Hulu’s most dominant unscripted series. Season 1 became Hulu’s most-watched unscripted season premiere of 2024, based on three days of streaming data, surpassing even The Kardashians—a title the Kardashian-Jenner family had held for years.

The series reached No. 7 on Nielsen streaming ratings for original series during the week of September 2-8, 2024, becoming Hulu’s first unscripted series to ever chart in those rankings. By September 9-15, it climbed to No. 8, demonstrating sustained audience engagement rather than flash-in-the-pan curiosity. TVision’s Power Score, which evaluates connected TV programming performance across over 1,000 apps, calculated that The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was the tenth most-streamed show during its premiere week, later moving to eighth place.

Viewership has consistently grown with each successive season. Season 2, which premiered May 15, 2025, pulled in 5 million views globally across Disney+ and Hulu in its first five days—a significant increase from Season 1’s already impressive numbers. Season 3 continued this upward trajectory, with Hulu confirming that viewership “grew season over season” based on five-day streaming data, though the company did not disclose specific numbers.

Social Media Dominance and Cultural Impact

Beyond streaming metrics, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives achieved remarkable social media penetration. The show’s official accounts gained the most new followers, engagements, comments, TikTok shares, and TikTok views of all Hulu originals in their first season—a particularly impressive feat given that TikTok served as the origin point for the #MomTok phenomenon that inspired the series.

The cast members were collectively named No. 17 on People magazine’s Creators of the Year list, cementing their status as influential content creators beyond the reality television framework. This recognition reflects how seamlessly the show integrated with existing social media ecosystems rather than attempting to create artificial separation between the cast’s influencer personas and their reality TV characters.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4: What We Know

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 is scheduled to debut in “early 2026,” with specific premiere dates yet to be announced. Based on Hulu’s previous release patterns, early 2026 could mean anywhere from January through March, though filming schedules and post-production timelines will ultimately determine the exact date.

Producer Jeff Jenkins told Deadline during Season 3’s promotion that filming was expected to continue “through most of 2026,” indicating that production on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 has likely already begun. Cast member Jen Affleck confirmed in an October 2025 interview with PEOPLE that she was simultaneously filming Dancing with the Stars and the next season of the reality series, providing concrete evidence that cameras were rolling well before the official renewal announcement.

The 20 Episodes Structure: Two Seasons, One Order

The 20 episodes renewal represents Hulu’s vote of confidence in the franchise’s staying power. This mirrors the streamer’s approach following Season 1’s success, when they ordered 20 episodes that were subsequently split into Seasons 2 and 3—each containing 10 episodes that aired in May 2025 and November 2025, respectively.

Industry observers expect The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 to follow the same 10-episode format, with Season 5 completing the remaining episodes later in 2026. If the spring-fall release pattern continues, Season 4 could premiere in January-March 2026, with Season 5 arriving in September-November 2026. This aggressive scheduling allows Hulu to maintain momentum while the cast remains culturally relevant through their various Disney platform crossovers.

The back-to-back filming approach, while efficient, has created some awkward moments. Season 2 and 3 were filmed consecutively, leading to uncomfortable dynamics at reunions where cast members addressed conflicts that were still actively playing out during filming of subsequent episodes. This compressed timeline contributes to the show’s raw, unfiltered quality—cast members cannot edit their behavior based on audience reaction because new content is already in the can before previous episodes air.

Cast Status: Who’s Returning for Season 4?

While Hulu has not officially announced The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 cast, all core members from Season 3 are expected to return, though their prominence may vary based on availability and storyline developments.

Expected Core Cast:

• Taylor Frankie Paul: The #MomTok founder and swinging scandal epicenter faces scheduling complexity as she was announced as ABC’s next Bachelorette lead, with that season premiering March 22, 2026. Paul confirmed on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast that she plans to appear on both shows simultaneously, though production schedules may limit her Season 4 screen time.
• Jen Affleck: Competed on Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars alongside Whitney Leavitt, confirming her continued Disney relationship and likely Season 4 participation.
• Whitney Leavitt: Also competed on Dancing with the Stars, though reports suggest she and Affleck brought their on-screen tensions to the ballroom, potentially intensifying Season 4 drama.
• Demi Engemann: Her Season 3 screen time was significantly reduced following pay negotiation disputes that contributed to her ongoing feud with Jessi Ngatikaura. Whether she returns to full prominence in Season 4 remains uncertain.
• Jessi Draper Ngatikaura: Central to Season 3’s infidelity rumors and marriage struggles storylines; expected to continue as major presence.
• Layla Taylor, Mayci Neeley, Mikayla Matthews, Miranda McWhorter: All expected to return in their established roles.

Cross-Platform Synergy: The Disney Reality Universe

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has become a cornerstone of Disney’s reality television ecosystem, with cast members appearing across multiple platforms in what amounts to an unprecedented reality TV universe:

ABC’s Dancing with the Stars: Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt competed on Season 34 in fall 2025, bringing their real-life tensions to competitive ballroom dancing and cross-promoting both shows.

ABC’s The Bachelorette: Taylor Frankie Paul was announced as the lead for Season 22, premiering March 22, 2026—potentially before The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 drops. This casting decision allows ABC to capitalize on Paul’s reality TV fame while keeping her connected to her original platform.

Hulu’s Vanderpump Villa: Season 2 featured multiple Mormon Wives cast members including Demi Engemann, Jessi Ngatikaura, Jen Affleck, Layla Taylor, and Mikayla Matthews. Engemann and Ngatikaura’s relationships with Vanderpump Villa cast member Marciano Brunette became major storylines in Season 3 of Mormon Wives, demonstrating how Hulu is building interconnected reality programming.

This multi-platform strategy keeps cast members visible year-round, maintaining audience interest between Mormon Wives seasons while generating promotional synergy that benefits all Disney properties involved. The approach resembles how Bravo maximizes its Housewives franchises but operates across Disney’s substantially larger media empire.

Season 3 Cliffhangers and Season 4 Setup

Season 3 concluded on November 13, 2025, leaving multiple storylines unresolved that The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 will presumably address. The season’s synopsis teased: “#Momtok is back, but damaging revelations and allegations threaten its future. The members face a crisis of friendship as loyalties shift, trust is tested, and the lines between fact and fiction blur.”

The escalating conflict between #MomTok and #DadTok—husbands and male partners asserting themselves in the influencer narrative—created Season 3’s most contentious moments. This gender dynamic, combined with questions about #MomTok’s collective future, positions Season 4 to explore whether the group can survive continued internal warfare or whether the brand that made them famous will ultimately destroy their friendships.

Taylor Frankie Paul’s love life provides another major cliffhanger. Season 3 left her romantic situation unresolved, with Season 4 expected to follow her journey into Bachelorette territory. The timing could create fascinating meta-television: if Bachelorette filming occurs early 2026 and Mormon Wives covers that same period, audiences might watch Paul’s relationship developments unfold across two different reality shows simultaneously.

The Season 3 Reunion: December 4, 2025

Before The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 premieres, fans will get additional closure via the Season 3 reunion special hosted by former Vanderpump Rules star Stassi Schroeder. Premiering December 4, 2025, on Hulu (and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S., and Disney+ internationally), the reunion will likely address fan questions about Season 4 participation and tease upcoming developments.

Schroeder’s involvement represents an interesting choice—she brings Bravo reality credibility and experience navigating controversial storylines, having weathered her own scandals during the Vanderpump Rules phenomenon. Her outside perspective may generate more honest responses than if producers had selected a cast member or someone too close to the group dynamics.

The Swinging Scandal Origin: What Started It All

For viewers unfamiliar with the franchise’s origins, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives emerged from one of 2022’s most viral TikTok controversies. Utah influencer Taylor Frankie Paul shocked her millions of followers by revealing that she and her then-husband had been “soft-swinging” with other Mormon couples in their social circle. The confession went viral worldwide, sparking intense debate about Mormon culture, influencer authenticity, and the gap between public persona and private behavior.

The scandal fractured #MomTok—a collective of Mormon mother influencers who had built substantial followings by presenting picture-perfect lives balancing faith, family, and social media success. As trust evaporated and alliances shifted, the group that once supported each other through brand deals and content collaborations found themselves navigating betrayal, judgment, and public scrutiny.

Producers approached the shattered group months after Paul’s revelation, recognizing that their real-life drama contained all the essential reality TV elements: relatable characters, genuine emotional stakes, built-in audience investment through social media, and controversial subject matter guaranteed to generate conversation. In February 2023, Paul was arrested for domestic assault after an argument with boyfriend Dakota Mortensen—an incident featured in the series’ first episode, demonstrating the show’s commitment to documenting difficult realities rather than sanitized content.

The Mormon Question: Controversy and Church Response

The show’s title and premise have generated consistent controversy regarding its portrayal of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On August 16, 2024, ahead of the series premiere, the LDS Church released a statement acknowledging “the fascination some in the media have with the Church” but regretting that the series portrayed “sensationalism and inaccuracies that do not fairly and fully reflect the lives of our Church members.”

The church called for “fair and accurate” entertainment but criticized content that “resort[s] to stereotypes or gross misrepresentations.” Several LDS leaders and members accused the cast of being “outliers” who were “flaunting” bad behavior while inappropriately claiming Mormon identity for shock value and monetary gain.

Cast members and producers have consistently maintained that the show explores the tension between traditional Mormon values and modern secular pressures, particularly for young women navigating social media careers while maintaining religious connections. Executive producer Lisa Filipelli emphasized: “This show is rooted in friendship and it’s really rooted in female empowerment, too, which I think everyone is very surprised by.”

Production Team and Executive Producers

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is produced by Jeff Jenkins Productions in association with 3BMG and Walt Disney Television Alternative. The Season 3 executive producer roster includes:

Jeff Jenkins Productions:

• Jeff Jenkins (showrunner, also produced The Kardashians, Keeping Up with the Kardashians)
• Russell Jay-Staglik
• Andrea Metz
• Elise Chung
• Dan Cerny

3BMG:

• Ross Weintraub
• Reinout Oerlemans

Select Entertainment:

• Georgia Berger
• Lisa Filipelli
• Danielle Pistotnik

Jeff Jenkins’ involvement provides the series with substantial reality TV credibility. His work on the Kardashian franchise—particularly the early, unfiltered seasons that captured genuine family dynamics before cast members became media-trained celebrities—serves as a template for Mormon Wives’ approach. Jenkins told media outlets that he wanted Mormon Wives to capture the raw, chaotic energy of early Kardashian episodes before that franchise became overly produced.

The production team has worked with the cast for years, according to Georgia Berger, who noted: “We are still baffled by the things that come out of their mouths.” This long-standing relationship presumably contributes to cast comfort levels in revealing genuine emotions and conflicts rather than performing for cameras.

Hulu’s Unscripted Strategy: Bulk Orders and Binge-Worthy Content

Hulu’s decision to renew The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 with a 20 episodes order reflects the streamer’s broader unscripted programming strategy. Unlike traditional networks that renew shows season-by-season, Hulu frequently commits to large episode batches for successful reality series, allowing for back-to-back production that keeps content flowing and maintains audience engagement.

This approach offers several advantages:

Production Efficiency: Filming 20 episodes consecutively reduces setup costs, crew mobilization expenses, and location rental fees compared to separate production windows.

Narrative Continuity: Cast members remain emotionally invested in ongoing storylines rather than separating and reconvening months or years later with manufactured conflicts.

Streaming Optimization: Hulu’s platform thrives on binge-watching behavior. Dropping 10 episodes simultaneously encourages viewers to consume entire seasons in days, driving sustained platform engagement and social media conversation.

Risk Mitigation: Bulk orders lock in talent before competing platforms can poach popular cast members, protecting Hulu’s investment in the franchise.

The strategy has proven successful for Mormon Wives and other Hulu reality properties. The streamer can maintain year-round presence for its most popular unscripted shows through staggered releases while keeping production pipelines active and efficient.

The Reality TV Landscape: Why Mormon Wives Resonates

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ success occurs against a reality television landscape where traditional franchises struggle to maintain relevance. The Real Housewives franchise, once Bravo’s unassailable crown jewel, has experienced declining viewership across multiple cities. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 14 delivered lackluster ratings despite manufactured drama, suggesting audience fatigue with overly produced content where cast members perform rather than live authentically.

Mormon Wives succeeds by offering several elements that resonate with contemporary reality TV audiences:

Genuine Stakes: Unlike wealthy housewives whose conflicts rarely threaten their lifestyles, Mormon Wives cast members navigate real consequences. Religious community judgment, family estrangement, career impacts, and genuine friendship destruction create authentic emotional investment.

Social Media Integration: The cast’s influencer careers mean their reality TV behavior directly impacts their primary income source. This creates feedback loops where social media followers react to episodes, influencing cast dynamics in real-time—a meta-layer traditional reality TV lacks.

Generational Relevance: The cast members are predominantly millennials and elder Gen Z—demographics that streaming platforms prioritize but that often feel alienated by older reality franchises focused on boomer and Gen X concerns.

Cultural Specificity: The Mormon setting provides cultural texture that feels fresh to audiences saturated with generic wealthy-people-behaving-badly content. The tension between religious expectations and secular ambitions creates built-in conflict that doesn’t require producer manipulation.

Unfiltered Authenticity: The show’s rapid production timeline and cast members’ relative inexperience with reality TV create moments of genuine spontaneity. They haven’t yet mastered the self-editing and media training that makes veteran reality stars feel calculated.

What to Expect in Season 4 and Beyond

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives season 4 faces the challenge of maintaining authenticity as cast members become increasingly media-savvy and aware of their reality TV personas. Season 1 succeeded partly because the cast didn’t fully understand how their behavior would be edited and received. By Season 4, they’ll have substantial experience managing their public images—potentially reducing the unfiltered moments that made early episodes compelling.

However, several factors suggest the show can maintain quality:

Escalating Stakes: As cast members become more famous, the consequences of their behavior intensify. Higher profile means greater scrutiny, larger brand deals at risk, and more substantial fallout from public conflicts.

New Cast Members: Producers have indicated interest in adding “a new cast member or two” each season to keep dynamics fresh and introduce perspectives that disrupt established alliances.

Expanded Backstories: Season 2 and beyond aim to explore cast members’ histories more deeply, including participants from the original swinging scandal who declined Season 1 involvement. These additions could provide context that reframes existing narratives.

Cross-Platform Storylines: The cast’s involvement in Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelorette, and Vanderpump Villa creates multi-platform storylines that blur boundaries between different shows, generating novel dramatic situations.

If Season 4 and 5 maintain the viewership growth trajectory established through Season 3, additional renewals seem inevitable. A series that consistently tops streaming charts and drives social media conversation represents exactly the kind of content streaming platforms need to justify subscription costs and compete for attention in an oversaturated market.

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