Credit: Netflix

Netflix never fails to catch viewers off guard with its weekly trendsetters, which, in turn, leaves them quietly brainstorming: how did it even get there? But not every viral title demands complex reasoning, just like the 2026 true-crime movie Maternal Instinct, currently on the rise on streaming.

During the week of June 7th to June 14th, Jessica Dimmock’s chilling new documentary debuted on the most popular movies chart with 15million views, becoming the number one title in four countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada. While it is ranked second globally, the movie has already clearly tasted what it means to be a chart-topper.

Although in cases of older Hollywood gems, resurgences are influenced by a number of factors, including content licensing, star power, algorithmic serendipity, and sometimes, the sheer enthusiasm of finding that one title you never thought would make it to streaming, in cases of newer releases, like Maternal Instinct, the logic is simple: the subject matter is as compelling as it gets.

The documentary chronicles the shocking true story of Taylor Parker, who faked a pregnancy for months to deceive those around her, eventually leading to the terrifying, cold-blooded murder of Reagan Simmons-Hancock in East Texas. The tragic nature of the film, which places it in the club of stranger-than-fiction narratives, has naturally drawn significant viewer interest, simultaneously boosting the streaming momentum.

In addition, Maternal Instinct has made a strong debut within just a few days since its release. To be fair, true-crime documentaries are a consistently popular genre on Netflix, which is why when the Lifetime movies from the network’s ripped-from-the-headlines category were added previously, the response was massive.

So, by centring on a disturbing and widely discussed criminal case, Maternal Instinct has benefited from word-of-mouth recommendation, with Netflix’s algorithm promoting it to users who prefer similar investigative, mystery, or true-crime content.

The Netflix documentary explores the elaborate web of lies Parker constructed, from fake pregnancy bellies and staged gender reveal parties, to keep up with the charade, serving as a major hook for the audience who have been curious about the psychological motives behind such a calculated crime.

In any case, now that we know why Maternal Instinct is making waves on Netflix, make sure to tune into it to get an idea of how inhumane humans can be.