The Hunting Party quietly emerges as one of Netflix’s most intriguing crime thrillers

Netflix has added another crime thriller to its lineup, and it is quickly attracting viewers. NBC’s The Hunting Party arrived on the streaming service on Feb. 15 and has already climbed into the upper reaches of Netflix’s Top 10 most-watched shows.

That puts the series in some impressive company. The Hunting Party is currently competing for viewers alongside established Netflix favorites such as The Lincoln Lawyer, The Night Agent, and Bridgerton. Considering the show arrived on Netflix with relatively little promotion, its early performance is particularly notable.

The timing also gives the crime drama a second chance to find a larger audience. The series originally premiered on NBC in January 2025 and earned a second-season renewal after its first season. Season 2 began airing in January 2026, meaning Netflix viewers discovering the show now have plenty of new episodes waiting on Peacock.

What is The Hunting Party about?

At the center of The Hunting Party is Rebecca “Bex” Henderson, played by Manifest star Melissa Roxburgh. Bex is a former FBI profiler who is brought back into action after a catastrophic event sets some of the country’s most dangerous serial killers free.

The escape begins with an explosion at a secret underground prison known as the Pit. The facility was hidden beneath the Wyoming countryside and was never supposed to become public knowledge. Once the prisoners escape, Bex is recruited to help track them down before they can kill again.

The premise gives the series two stories to follow. Each episode typically focuses on the pursuit of a different escaped serial killer, while the larger mystery surrounding the prison and the circumstances behind the explosion continues to unfold.

That combination gives The Hunting Party the structure of a traditional procedural while maintaining an overarching conspiracy that connects the individual cases.

Melissa Roxburgh leads an ensemble cast

Roxburgh anchors the series as Bex Henderson, but she is joined by a supporting cast that includes Patrick Sabongui as Ryan Hassani, Josh McKenzie as Shane Florence, and Sara Garcia as Jennifer Morales. Nick Wechsler also appears as Oliver Odell, Bex’s former partner.

Because each episode revolves around a different killer, the show also has room for a rotating lineup of guest stars. Season 2, for example, has already featured Eric McCormack and Liz Gillies.

That case-of-the-week format makes the series relatively easy to binge. Viewers can follow the larger story while still getting a distinct investigation in each episode.

Netflix currently has the complete first season

The Hunting Party originally debuted on NBC in January 2025, with its first season running for 10 episodes. NBC renewed the series for a second season, which began airing on Jan. 8, 2026.

For now, Netflix’s offering is limited to those 10 episodes from Season 1. That makes the streaming release an easy entry point for anyone who missed the show during its original NBC run.

Viewers who finish Season 1 and want to continue immediately can turn to Peacock, where Season 2 is available. The second season consists of 13 episodes, with new installments airing on NBC on Thursdays and becoming available to stream afterward.

Could Season 2 eventually arrive on Netflix?

There is a reasonable possibility that Netflix subscribers could eventually get the second season as well, although there was no confirmation of that at the time of the February 2026 Netflix release.

The first season’s arrival is notable because NBC and Netflix have previously shared successful network series, including The Blacklist and New Amsterdam. If The Hunting Party continues to attract viewers on Netflix, another season could make sense as part of that relationship.

For now, however, anyone wanting to stay current with the series will need Peacock or NBC for Season 2.

Critics remain skeptical, but viewers are watching

One of the more interesting things about The Hunting Party is the divide between its critical reception and its audience response.

Critics have generally been unimpressed with the series. Season 1 currently holds an 18% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, while its audience score is dramatically higher at 81%.

Some reviews have criticized the show’s formulaic approach and predictable twists. Others have acknowledged that its premise and action make it an engaging watch despite those shortcomings.

That gap between critics and viewers may help explain why the series has found new momentum on Netflix. The Hunting Party is built around a straightforward appeal: dangerous serial killers are loose, and an experienced team has to find them before they strike again.

For fans of procedural crime dramas, that formula can be exactly what makes the show so easy to keep watching.

Netflix gives The Hunting Party a second life

The streaming release has already demonstrated that there is an audience for The Hunting Party. In the week following its Netflix debut, the series reached No. 3 on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart, recording 1.29 billion viewing minutes between Feb. 16 and Feb. 22. It trailed The Night Agent and The Lincoln Lawyer during that period.

That performance gives the NBC drama a much larger platform than it had during its original run.

With its combination of serial-killer investigations, a secret prison and a mystery surrounding the escape, The Hunting Party offers an uncomplicated binge for viewers looking for another crime thriller. Netflix’s release may have been quiet, but the audience response suggests the series has found plenty of people willing to join Bex on the hunt.