Shubhabrata Dutta
There can be many reasons for cheating and infidelity, ranging from a loveless relationship to complicated issues that tear lovers apart, to a romance devoid of pleasure, to straightforward sexual attraction, to name a few. Naturally, as objectively wrong as it seems, the complex processes of the mind and heart join forces to lead a person to commit the titular acts, resulting in explanations that reveal suppressed thoughts, feelings, and desires. In this article, we bring you the top shows about cheating, adultery, affairs, and infidelity on Netflix, which explore the complex behavior patterns of the characters engaged in such acts.
10. Unspeakable Sins (2025- )
In the Mexican drama series ‘Unspeakable Sins,’ AKA ‘Pecados inconfesables,’ Businesswoman Helena Rivas gets into a steamy affair with a young high-class escort named Iván. Helena’s husband Claudio’s controlling nature may have played a part in Helena’s infidelity, but now that she has Iván, they can find a way to get back at Claudio. They decide to record the latter while he vents out his attraction to men, which shall enable Helena to file for divorce. However, the plan backfires, and both Claudio and Iván can’t be found in the aftermath of a murder. Helena is thus forced to answer the questions in the investigation and tackle Claudio’s family while keeping her affair a secret. Sexy, gripping, and twisted, ‘Unspeakable Sins’ is all about manipulation and pleasure. The show stars Zuria Vega, Andrés Baida, and Erik Hayser. It can be streamed here.
9. Fatal Seduction (2023- )
‘Fatal Seduction’ is a South African thriller series that is based on another Netflix show titled ‘Dark Desire.’ It deals with the unanticipated dangers that the pleasures of the skin often land people in. When Nandi discovers her husband Leonard’s affair with his much younger assistant Ameera, she too ventures into the murky waters of infidelity with a younger guy named Jacob, whom she meets during a getaway. Upon her return, it is revealed that her friend Brenda, with whom she went to the getaway, has died. This sets off a series of events whose roots seem to lie in Nandi’s inner circle, whose way of life is revealed to be quite questionable. Featuring performances by Kgomotso Christopher, Thapelo Mokoena, Prince Grootboom, and Lunathi Mampofu, ‘Fatal Seduction’ is high on testosterone and treachery and can be streamed right here.
8. The Hunting Wives (2025- )
‘The Hunting Wives,’ which is based on May Cobb’s bestselling novel, explores the raunchy side of infidelity. It follows Sophie O’Neil, whose shift from Boston to Texas feels all the more unprecedented after she makes friends with a group of socialite housewives who take her on a thrilling trip packed with seduction, sex, and even murder. Illicit secrets abound, and ‘The Hunting Wives’ doesn’t hold back from showing all kinds of weird obsessions the wives have and the extent to which they can go for them and to hide them as well. In the middle of all this exciting chaos is Sophie, who struggles to decide what to say yes to and what not to. Partly satirical but wholly worth bingeing, ‘The Hunting Wives’ stars Brittany Snow, Malin Akerman, Jaime Ray Newman, Katie Lowes, and Chrissy Metz. The show can be streamed here.
7. Dark Desire (2020-2022)
‘Dark Desire,’ AKA ‘Oscuro Deseo,’ is a Mexican show at the center of which is Alma, who is married to Leonardo, and they have a teenage kid. When Alma harbors doubts that Leonardo is having an affair with another woman, she, wooed by her friend, Brenda, during a weekend getaway, decides to sleep with a guy as well. Why? To vent her anger and have some fun doing it. This guy turns out to be her law student, Darió. As the plot proceeds, it is revealed that Alma and Leonardo’s affairs are only a part of a larger web of infidelity, wherein multiple “near and dear” people are entangled. It has even resulted in the death of a person. With a lot of lovemaking and expression of “dark desires,” the show is customized for the audience who have made the genre their guilty pleasure. The series is created by Leticia López Margalli and stars Maite Perroni, María Fernanda Yepes, Jorge Poza, Alejandro Speitzer, and Regina Pavón. It can be streamed here.
6. Obsession (2023)
An illicit affair takes a dangerous turn in ‘Obsession,’ an erotic miniseries based on Josephine Hart’s novel ‘Damage.’ William Farrow finds himself deeply attracted to Anna Barton, his son Jay’s beloved fiancée. The attraction is clearly sexual, and once Anna returns the favor, the two set off a steamy ride of pleasure that only furthers the direness of the risks and consequences of their “acts.” Keeping their affair quiet is necessary, and while both are equally involved in it, they have their separate issues that need to be handled differently, including how the affair alters the family dynamics. Starring Charlie Murphy, Richard Armitage, Rish Shah, and Indira Varma, ‘Obsession’ is developed by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Benji Walters. It can be streamed here.
5. What/If (2019)
‘What/If’ explores a forbidden arrangement between venture capitalist Anne Montgomery, Lisa, a scientist, and her husband Sean. Anne offers to finance Lisa’s research if Anne and Sean spend a night together. The catch? Lisa cannot ask what happened on the night in question. The arrangement is agreed upon, leading to a bizarre revelation that, in a way, transcends infidelity to show what absurd ways a person resorts to, to vent out emotions. There is cheating involved as the show throws light on the lives of multiple characters, some of whom take the illicit route to self-expression. The show, created by Mike Kelley, stars Renée Zellweger, Jane Levy, Blake Jenner, and Louis Herthum. You can watch it here.
4. Gypsy (2017)
In ‘Gypsy,’ Naomi Watts stars as psychologist Jean Holloway, who has a rather interesting approach toward helping her clients sort out their life issues. She uses an alias to infiltrate the personal lives of their clients, something that requires her to compromise her marriage and venture into forbidden affairs. As harmful as it is for Jean, she doesn’t stop, as it is exciting and seemingly provides her with a sense of power and freedom. Adding to it is the opportunity to explore the nooks and crannies of physical pleasure. Watts is enigmatic as the protagonist and offers the viewers a gripping display of a twisted mind at work, or rather, play. Billy Crudup plays Jean’s husband, Michael. ‘Gypsy’ can be watched right here.
3. Sex/Life (2021-2023)
Inspired by BB Easton’s memoir ‘44 Chapters About 4 Men,’ and developed by Stacy Rukeyser, ‘Sex/Life’ revolves around Billie Connelly, played by Sarah Shahi, who is dissatisfied with her married life with Cooper, played by Mike Vogel. When Brad(Adam Demos), her past lover, shows up, she can’t help but channel her sexual attraction toward him. When the feeling becomes mutual, a forbidden affair takes shape, forcing Billie to rethink her decisions as a woman, as a wife, and as a mother. She starts penning down her emotions with the hope that it will somehow help her get rid of the guilt, but does it? Leaning into the eroticism of such things, ‘Sex/Life’ is as much about the pleasures of the skin as it is about the sins of the skin. It can be streamed here.
2. Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)
Based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Vaughan, ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ explores the tumultuous shape the relationship of Sophie Whitehouse and her husband James Whitehouse, a government official, takes after the latter’s infidelity with their young staffer, Olivia Lytton, comes to light. While what it results in is a scandal with political ramifications, the show is underscored by the affair that stretches the bond that Sophie shares with James to its limit. What adds fuel to the whole issue is Olivia’s accusation that James raped her, enabling prosecuting barrister Kate Woodcroft to go guns blazing after the man. However, before the couple can address what went wrong between them or what led James to do what he did, they must take care of what’s out there in front of the public eye. Starring Sienna Miller, Rupert Friend, Naomi Scott, and Michelle Dockery, ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ is developed by David E. Kelley and Melissa James Gibson and manages to blend infidelity and politics just fine. You can watch it here.
1. Behind Her Eyes (2021)
Developed by Steve Lightfoot, ‘Behind Her Eyes’ ups the ante of infidelity by adding a supernatural layer to it. The show, based on Sarah Pinborough’s novel, shows what happens when Louise, a single mother, gets into an affair with her boss, David, who is married to Adele. Soon, the two women bond as well, and the love triangle formed morphs into a time capsule that takes the viewers on a journey to the past and reveals shocking truths beneath the enigmatic demeanors of Adele and David. While Louise is scared of what she finds, she is unable to restrain herself from the thrill and the “out of body” experience she has while getting to know these two people. Starring Simona Brown, Eve Hewson, and Tom Bateman, ‘Behind Her Eyes’ is a mind-bending thriller that bathes in our urge to keep pushing the limits of the forbidden and does so in more ways than one, much to our gratification. The show can be streamed here.
Read More: Shows Like The Hunting Wives on Netflix
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