Why the hunting party Is the Must-Watch FBI Procedural Right Now
Fresh off a streaming arrival that sent it surging up the U. S. viewing charts, the Hunting Party has emerged as a surprise latewinter hit. The 10-episode first season, which debuted on broadcast television in January 2025, landed on a major streaming service on February 15, 2026 (ET) and promptly drew new viewers into its high-stakes FBI world.
How the series broke out after its streaming debut
The show’s move onto a widely used streaming platform gave it immediate reach and pushed it into the service’s Top 10 in the United States. New availability combined with an 83% audience score on a prominent review aggregator to create strong word-of-mouth momentum. That spike is notable for a show that already had momentum on linear television: the first season’s concentrated 10-episode arc made it easy for streaming audiences to binge and catch up ahead of the second season’s rollout.
Industry watchers point to a familiar pattern: when a procedurally driven drama with serialized elements lands on a major streamer, discovery multiplies immediately. For this series, that translated into renewed attention for its central mystery — a roster of dangerous criminals who escaped from a secret facility known only as The Pit — and for the personal stakes tied to the lead character, Rebecca “Bex” Henderson, played by Melissa Roxburgh.
What to watch for and how to catch up before new episodes
The Hunting Party’s first season comprises 10 tight episodes that lay out the core premise and several long-running mysteries. Viewers who start the season now can complete the backlog quickly: the episodes are plotted to reward back-to-back viewing, with procedural cases that also feed into a season-long chase for one particular fugitive — the serial killer linked to Bex’s past, Richard Harris.
Season two has already begun airing on broadcast television, and at the time of this writing four of a planned 13 episodes have been released. The next new episode is scheduled for February 26, 2026 (ET). That staggered release pattern means streaming viewers who binge season one now will be well positioned to follow weekly developments when the network’s new installments arrive.
Why audiences are responding to its mix of character and cliffhangers
The Hunting Party blends elements familiar to viewers of procedural dramas — case-of-the-week structure, forensic detail, and team dynamics — with an underlying serialized hunt that keeps stakes escalating. Critics and audiences have noted the show’s brisk pacing, the way its mysteries unfold without long stretches of exposition, and the added tension of a protagonist whose past catch returns to complicate both investigations and personal life.
Melissa Roxburgh anchors the series as Rebecca “Bex” Henderson, a former FBI profiler who is pulled back into active duty to lead an elite team tasked with tracking down the nation’s most dangerous fugitives. The mix of an investigative ensemble, a shadowy secret prison, and a personal nemesis gives the show multiple hooks: casual viewers can enjoy standalone cases, while binge-watchers can follow the serialized payoff across episodes.
For viewers weighing where to spend their weekend streaming hours, the Hunting Party offers concentrated thrills and an accessible episode count. Its early aggregator and audience metrics suggest the show is resonating beyond its initial broadcast audience, and the timing of the streaming arrival makes now an advantageous moment to begin the series.
Whether you prefer to binge the first season in a weekend or catch up episode by episode before the broadcast network drops new installments, the Hunting Party has established itself as a procedural with enough momentum to keep viewers tuning in.
