Why Women Kill is the perfect show to add to your list of suspects when you’re in the mood for a darkly comic drama. Created by Mark Cherry (Desperate Housewives), the series blends mystery, scandal, and a very particular kind of humor – the fiendish kind. Each of its two seasons features distinct casts, characters, and settings.
All this is a set-up to introduce the delicious matter of Why Women Kill Season 1.
Season 1 tells the stories of three women in three different timelines: 1963, 1984, and 2019. Each of the women lives in the same stately house in Pasadena, California – and each of the women is faced with killer choices. Literally. The period details are on point, the comedy is biting, the twists are shocking – and we suspect you’re about to be hooked.
Here’s everything you need to know about Why Women Kill Season 1 — from the cast and characters to the jaw-dropping finale …
Spoiler alert: Key plot points from Why Women Kill Season 1, including details on how all three storylines wrap up, will be discussed. Read on to whet your appetite, or just go ahead and binge-watch all the episodes now.
What is Why Women Kill about?
Why Women Kill is dark comedy that explores the lives of women across different decades. In Season 1, each of its featured women deals with infidelity in their marriages.
When was Why Women Kill Season 1 released?
Why Women Kill Season 1 premiered on Aug. 15, 2019. The season finale dropped on Oct. 16, 2019. All 10 episodes of Why Women Kill Season 1 are streaming now on Paramount+.
When is Why Women Kill Season 1 set?
Why Women Kill Season 1 is set in 1963, 1984, and 2019. Read on for an overview of the storylines featured in each era.
1963
Beth Ann Stanton (Gennifer Goodwin), a seemingly sunny housewife haunted by the loss of her daughter Emily (Ava Scarola), discovers her husband Rob (Sam Jaeger) has been cheating with multiple women, including his secretary Claire (Lindsey Kraft), and April Warner (Sadie Calvano), a waitress who’s pregnant with his child. When Beth Ann learns Claire’s carelessness led to Emily’s death, she confronts her grief – and Rob’s betrayal.
1984
The picture-perfect life of Simone Grove (Lucy Liu) isn’t what it seems. Her husband Karl (Jack Davenport) is seeing another man, Hector (Philip Anthony-Rodriguez), and Simone herself is straying with Tommy (Leo Howard), the teen son of her best friend Naomi (Katie Finneran).
2019
Taylor Harding (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), a lawyer in an open marriage with husband Eli (Reid Scott), opens her life – and home – to Jade (Alexandra Daddario), a young woman who tempts both Taylor and Eli. What begins as an experiment spirals into obsession, manipulation, and violence.
Why Women Kill Season 1 cast
The Why Women Kill Season 1 cast is an ensemble led by Ginnifer Goodwin, Lucy Liu, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as the desperate women in desperate times. Here’s a look at the leads.
Ginnifer Goodwin as Beth Ann Stanton
Ginnifer Goodwin plays the role of Beth Ann Stanton in Why Women Kill Season 1.
Beth Ann is the stereotypical 1960s housewife, at least on the surface. When she uncovers her husband’s affairs, she hatches a plot. Her journey is a masterclass in subtle revenge, proving that sometimes, the quietest ones are the most dangerous.
Where you’ve seen her: Goodwin’s credits include starring roles in the series Once Upon a Time and Big Love.
Lucy Liu as Simone Grove
Lucy Liu plays the role of Simone Grove in Why Women Kill Season 1.
Simone is the epitome of 1980s glamour – meaning, yes, she will model headbands and sportswear. When Simone discovers that her marriage isn’t what she thought it was, she embarks on a whirlwind romance with her best friend’s son. But she’s still there in the end for her ailing husband.
Where you’ve seen her: Where haven’t you seen Liu? The veteran star’s credits include the Charlie’s Angels movies of the 2000s, Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Kill Bill: Volume 2, and the crime-drama favorite Elementary.
Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Taylor Harding
Kirby Howell-Baptiste plays the role of Taylor Harding in Why Women Kill Season 1.
Taylor is a modern woman artfully balancing a high-powered legal career with an open marriage. But things get complicated when Taylor and her husband both become attracted to the same woman.
Where you’ve seen her: Howell-Baptiste’s other credits include the shows Downward Dog and Killing Eve.
More Why Women Kill Season 1 stars
The ensemble cast of Why Women Kill Season 1 is rounded out by the following actors:
- Jack Davenport as Karl Grove
- Sam Jaeger as Rob Stanton
- Reid Scott as Eli Cohen
- Alexandra Daddario as Jade/Irene
- Sadie Calvano as April Warner
- Leo Howard as Tommy Harte
- Alicia Coppola as Sheila Mosconi
- Katie Finneran as Naomi Harte
How many episodes are in Why Women Kill Season 1?
Why Women Kill Season 1 has 10 episodes. See below for the complete list.
- Episode 1: “Murder Means Never Having to Say You’re Sorry“
- Episode 2: “I’d Like To Kill Ya, But I Just Washed My Hair“
- Episode 3: “I Killed Everyone He Did, But Backwards and in High Heels“
- Episode 4: “You Had Me At Homicide“
- Episode 5: “There’s No Crying In Murder“
- Episode 6: “Practically Lethal in Every Way“
- Episode 7: “I Found Out What The Secret To Murder Is: Friends. Best Friends.“
- Episode 8: “Marriages Don’t Break Up On Account Of Murder – It’s Just A Symptom That Something Else Is Wrong“
- Episode 9: “I Was Just Wondering What Makes Dames Like You So Deadly“
- Episode 10: “Kill Me as if It Were the Last Time”
Where can you watch Why Women Kill Season 1?
You can watch all episodes of Why Women Kill Season 1 on Paramount+. And fun fact: You can watch all episodes of Why Women Kill Season 2 on Paramount+, too.
How does Why Women Kill Season 1 end?
Why Women Kill Season 1 ends like … okay, we’ll tell you, but remember: You’ve been spoiler-warned!
How does the 1963 story end?
The 1963 story ends with Beth Ann finding solace with her friend Mary Vlasin (Lio Tipton), who is in an abusive relationship with her husband Ralph (Scott Porter). Beth Ann and Mary decide to work together to get rid of each other’s problems: Beth Ann buys a gun for Rob (but purposely doesn’t load it with bullets), while Mary writes a note to Ralph saying she’s left him for Rob.
When an enraged Ralph confronts a drunken Rob, Ralph shoots and kills a defenseless Rob, and, in due time, Ralph will be executed by the state for Rob’s death. Beth Ann leaves Pasadena, travels with April and April’s daughter to New York City.
How does the 1984 story end?
The 1984 story ends with Simone caring for Karl, who’s been stricken by AIDS. Karl convinces Simone to give him a fatal overdose of medication. After Karl’s death, Simone moves on with her life, and out of the Pasadena home.
How does the 2019 story end?
The 2019 story ends with Taylor and Eli fighting back at Jade, aka Irene, a woman who’s killed before, and who manipulated Eli into getting back on cocaine. When Jade tries to eliminate Taylor and Eli at their home, Taylor overpowers Jade, and kills her. Taylor and Eli move out of the house, and change their relationship status from open to closed.
Bonus kill
As Taylor and Eli move out, Abby (Abbie Cobb) and Andrew (Andrew Shapiro) move in. In short order, Abby, one, discovers that Andy is cheating, and, two, shoots him dead.
Why should you watch Why Women Kill Season 1?
You should watch Why Women Kill Season 1 because it mixes eye-catching style with darkly comic storytelling. Plus, you know all those viral clips that’ve popped up in your feeds? You can finally watch them in context!
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