My ranking of the 8 wives
Anyone who has dared to check social media lately has likely heard of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” It is an outrageous reality tv show about a group of fabulous and dramatic Mormon women. This show has become a major culture phenomenon that has left many of us begging for more. In case you have yet to be ensnared in this trap like me, let me tell you a bit more about the wild ride that is this show.
This show originated to document a TikTok account known as “Mom Tok.” Essentially, this account showed a group of wives and mothers dancing in fancy outfits and living their wild lives. However, following a massive scandal, which may have had to do with swinging, Mom Tok experienced some major challenges, which is when this show begins. Throughout the eight-episode series we get to better know these powerful women, their families and of course, their drama. As the show progresses, you quickly begin to form many opinions, and I thought I would share mine about the characters. Here is how I would rank them from my favorite to my least favorite and why.
1. Mikayla Matthews
Mikayla Matthews would have to be my favorite because she somehow is never a main source of drama, but is always there to take it all in. When everyone else is losing their minds, she is there with her metaphorical bag of popcorn enjoying the show. Plus, I love how she is open about her skin condition and does not let beauty standards hold her back. Overall, she is an enjoyable person who seems to just be along for the ride.
2. Jen Affleck
I arguably like Jen even more than I like Mikayla; thus, it was a battle for me to figure out who to put first. The only reason that Jen is second on this list is because of the way she handled her son’s baby blessing. As a mother she had every right to invite (and not invite) whoever she wanted to help celebrate her son. However, Jen invited and then uninvited half the Mom Tok group, leading to unnecessary quarreling and pettiness. Aside from this, I really like Jen and find myself rooting for her, especially because she must deal with her horrible husband.
3. Layla Taylor
Layla is another pretty lowkey individual from the Mom Tok group. She rarely finds herself in the middle of drama and is quick to support her friends. Moreover, watching her have the courage to divorce her husband and embrace her newfound freedom as a single woman was refreshing. From the most iconic divorce party to getting up close and personal with the Chippendales dancers, Layla knows how to have a good time.
4. Demi Engemann
Personally, there is something about Demi that I really like. I will admit that she definitely lets her anger get the best of her which has led to some questionable actions. But a part of me admires her fearlessness and passion. I think that her fiery personality adds an intensity and excitement to the show that otherwise would have been lost.
5. Mayci Neeley
Honestly, when it comes to Mayci, I take the same opinion she often takes, neutrality. I don’t necessarily like her, but I also don’t have anything against her. Generally, she avoids most of the major drama and she never really stirs the pot. Additionally, she frequently checks in on the other mom’s especially when they are feeling isolated which I think says a great deal about her as a person. The only thing that I take issue with is the fact that she always tries to be neutral, to the point where she will pretend to not remember conversations she was a part of, just so she won’t have to weigh in on the matter.
6. Taylor Frankie Paul
Taylor Frankie Paul feels like she is just one big scandal after another. From swinging to being arrested, she seems to have done it all. Yet, despite her many mistakes I still find her to be a sweet person at her core which I think is her redeeming quality. Her lack of maturity and her tendency to repeat the same mistakes is why she is ranked so low on my list. However, I see a lot of potential for her to grow in the future.
7. Jessi Ngatikaura
I cannot deny that there is something about Jessi that just rubs me the wrong way. She comes off as emotionless, unempathetic and rude throughout the series. In particular, her decision to continually place her friends in uncomfortable situations upset me. For example, in one of the episodes she pulls out a flask and blatantly drinks alcohol at Jen’s house despite these being against Jen and her husband’s religious beliefs.
8. Whitney Leavitt
Whitney, Whitney, Whitney. Where do I even begin? From the very beginning Whitney was instigating drama, attempting to control Mom Tok and turning the women against each other. Her tendency to not support her friends, missing key events like Taylor’s baby shower and Mayci’s launch party, was also a huge red flag. But the thing that upset me the most about Whitney was that she always played the victim. Not only could she not take responsibility for her own mistakes, but she would then blame them on others. Let’s just say she never failed to shock me, and not in a good way.
Now the fights and breakdowns can all be good fun to watch, and it can even be tempting to judge the women (as I have clearly done). Nevertheless, I think there are some wonderful themes that underlie this show that are important to note. First off, these women are devoted moms and wives that represent the importance of family. Yet at the same time they are all the breadwinners of their families proving that women can be incredibly hardworking and have successful careers. The Mormon wives are so much more than just wives.