The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

When Rena and her family arrive in Colonia Le Baron, a secluded polygamist Mormon settlement in Mexico, they are commanded to relinquish all their earthly possessions and devote themselves to the doctrines of the LeBaron brothers, Ervil and Joel. However, as the brothers' insatiable thirst for power ignites growing discord, the community fractures, and Rena's family aligns with Ervil. As his teachings take a harrowing turn towards violence, Rena witnesses the transformation of devoted followers into ruthless killers, indoctrinated to carry out brutal acts. At just 16 years old, Rena becomes Ervil's 13th wife, groomed to serve as one of his so-called 'holy assassins'. After being coerced into committing murder against a rival polygamist, Rena miraculously escapes conviction, yet her fear for her life and her daughter's safety becomes palpable. When Ervil is unexpectedly arrested, Rena seizes the opportunity to escape the oppressive settlement, bringing her daughter and other loved ones with her. Driven by her harrowing experiences, she vows to help others break free from the confines of a life she never wanted.

Series details

• Title: The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy
• Format: Scripted
• Language: English
• Genres: Drama
• Premiere date: 2025-05-31
• Final broadcast date listed: 2025-06-01
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: Lifetime
• Network country: United States
• Typical episode runtime: 120 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 83632
• IMDb ID: tt35681078

Cast and credited roles

• Eric Johnson — Ervil LeBaron
• Felicity Huffman — Present Day Rena
• Olga Petsa — Rena
• Michelle Harrison — Thelma Chynoweth
• Jonathan Whitesell — Mark Chynoweth
• Thomas Elms — Ed Marston

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2025-05-31; final listed air date 2025-06-01; episode order: 2.

Source and licence

Adapted from The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.