The Hunting Party Season 1

Before the second season of The Hunting Party kicks off this week, I wanted to share a quick recap and my thoughts on the first season. Hope you find it helpful!

If you took The Blacklist’s DNA and fused it with the grit of Criminal Minds, you’d get The Hunting Party. NBC’s high-concept procedural arrived with a bang last year, and with Season 2 premiering this week, there’s no better time to look back at why this "serial killer of the week" drama has everyone talking.

The series kicks off with a massive, unexplained explosion at "The Pit," a top-secret, underground supermax prison in Wyoming that officially doesn't exist. The facility housed the nation’s most dangerous serial killers, most of whom the public believed had already been executed. When the explosion frees these monsters, the government is forced to assemble an off-the-books team to hunt them down.

Leading the charge is Rebecca "Bex" Henderson (Melissa Roxburgh), a brilliant ex-FBI profiler living in "exile" as a casino security guard. She’s joined by her former mentor, Oliver Odell (Nick Wechsler), CIA agent Jacob Hassani (Patrick Sabongui), and Shane Florence (Josh McKenzie), a former guard from The Pit who knows the inmates better than anyone.

While the team spends each episode tracking down a different escaped killer, the real meat of the story lies in the "Why." It’s revealed that the inmates weren't just being held; they were being experimented on to "reprogram" their violent impulses, making them even more unpredictable and deadly.

The first season ended on a significant cliffhanger, revealing that the prison break wasn't an accident but a planned "release" by a shadowy group within the government, leaving Bex questioning who she's actually working for.

The Hunting Party attracts a dedicated audience that loves it regardless of critics' opinions. Even though some professional reviewers found it formulaic at first, fans have enjoyed its exciting, fast-moving action and the intense chemistry among its lead cast members. 

Melissa Roxburgh, fresh from her role in Manifest, really shines as a procedural expert. Her character, Bex, is portrayed as cold, analytical, and deeply troubled, making her one of the most intriguing "broken" geniuses on network TV. The idea of killers who were "supposedly dead" coming back to their familiar haunts makes for a really engaging story. 

It's obvious NBC put a lot of effort into this production, with remarkable sets and breathtaking cinematography of the Wyoming "Pit" ruins that really capture your attention. However, the show sometimes struggles to balance its "Case of the Week" with the bigger conspiracy, which can make the main storyline feel a bit slow. 

It’s not trying to be The Blacklist, but The Hunting Party succeeds in being a "turn your brain off and enjoy the ride" thriller. It’s addictive, dark, and filled with enough "holy crap" moments to keep you clicking "Next Episode" on Peacock. Overall, I give the first season a 7.5/10.

What are your thoughts on The Hunting Party? Have you seen the series? Are you a fan of the show? Will you be tuning in for the season two premiere?  Leave a comment.

Catch The Hunting Party Season 2 Thursday, Jan. 8th at 10/9c on NBC and catch up on Season 1 on Peacock.