The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives: Orange County
Thursday, streaming on Disney Plus
Most shows facing allegations as serious as the ones that surround The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives’ Taylor Frankie Paul would stealthily disappear before the cast pops up years later, downcast against a green-screen, in a Netflix tell-all. Instead, not only has it continued filming, but it’s launching a new iteration set in Orange County.
Few faiths have been as good to pop culture as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Whether it’s one of Bravo’s most watched instalments, The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City, the five seasons of HBO’s Big Love or Under The Banner Of Heaven starring Andrew Garfield, there is something about their way of life that we refuse to look away from. Fifteen years after its Broadway debut The Book Of Mormon still has audiences hooked, as I found out when I saw it in Perth last month. And the year’s most talked-about novel, Yesteryear, draws Mormon undertones with its tradwife protagonist.
The next chapter swaps Utah’s mountains and dirty soda stores for the beaches of the OC, with a fresh cast of influencers and mothers stepping into the spotlight. Among the new flock are controversial content creators Aspyn Ovard and Bobbi Althoff, nurse-turned-influencer and podcast host Avery Wood, Australian Ashleigh Pease and original cast member Jen Affleck.
And, like its predecessor, there is big hair, bigger drama, the requisite husband issues and a polyamory plotline. What’s thinner on the ground is Mormons, with several of the new cast having no connection to the church at all.
By all accounts it’s shaping up to be another huge season, so that Netflix doco will have to wait for now.
The Good Daughter
Friday, streaming on Stan
Aussie Rose Byrne and The White Lotus’ Meghann Fahy, a talented duo I’d happily watch any day of the week, star in this latest book-to-screen adaptation.
I’ve worked my way through much of Karin Slaughter’s thriller-led back catalogue, to varying degrees of Good Read ratings, but haven’t reached The Good Daughter yet — so no spoilers here.
Byrne and Fahy play feuding sisters forced back together after an attack in their small town, one that dredges up old trauma and family secrets, particularly involving their father, played by Irish actor Brendan Gleeson.
The one is going in the calendar.
Return To Paradise
Saturday, streaming on ABC
Back for its third season, this series picks back up where it left off in Dolphin Cove after Mackenzie ruined yet another one of Glenn’s weddings. With Glenn out of the picture, there’s room for handsome new pathologist Leo, played by Jacob Collins, while Kerry Armstrong arrives as Mack’s strong-willed mum, just to keep things interesting.
The Rehearsal
Streaming on Binge
At least once a week I think of season two of Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal and the wild lengths the filmmaker and comedian went to prove a point. It’s well worth a watch, especially ahead of his hotly anticipated doco on fraudster Elizabeth Holmes, You Can See Everything, out on Thursday.
Allen
Thursday, streaming on Netflix
From Ludo, the studio behind beloved Bluey, comes this sci-fi comedy film centred on an unexpected friendship between Petey and Allen . . . a tiny green-eyed alien. Wholesome E.T vibes here, had it been set against Queensland beaches. Younger and adult Jade is here for it.
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails