A television critic has urged everyone to watch a new Netflix true crime documentary, which he claims is the best of 2026 so far and will leave viewers experiencing a wave of emotions.
Critic's Praise for Maternal Instinct
For those passionate about true crime, one TV critic has highlighted a brand new Netflix documentary that he insists is a "must-watch." Luke Eccleston went further, describing the programme as the finest of 2026 so far and predicting it would soon become the "top trending" title on the streaming giant.
"The documentary I am talking about is called Maternal Instinct," he revealed in a TikTok video. Despite running at just 90 minutes, Luke enthuses that it will have all viewers "hooked" after just five minutes.
Plot Overview
"This tells a story from back in 2020 where a young woman is driving down the highway, she gets pulled over by the police and she has a baby on her lap, which had just been born," he continued. Expanding on the plot, Luke explained that once the woman and baby are taken into custody by law enforcement, tests quickly reveal the pair are not related.
"What comes next is genuinely insane," he declared. Keen not to discourage his followers from watching, Luke pressed on: "The more you learn about the story, this woman and what happened... it is one of the most brutal, heartbreaking, emotional and horrible stories you will ever come across. Everyone is going to be talking about this documentary - I guarantee it."
Netflix's Official Synopsis
Netflix's synopsis for Maternal Instinct states: "In a small East Texas town, a young woman from a wealthy family falls for a local hog trapper. Their relationship appears perfect, and within months she's pregnant and proudly showing off her baby bump all over social media. But when a state trooper pulls her over and discovers she has just given birth in her car, her story quickly falls apart, exposing the truth behind a terrifying and unthinkable crime."
Behind the Documentary
Helmed by Jessica Dimmock, Maternal Instinct chronicles the lives of Jessica Brookes, her boyfriend Wade Griffin, Taylor Parker and Reagan Simmons-Hancock. On IMDb, the documentary has garnered an impressive rating of 7.4 out of 10 from almost 2,000 reviews.
One viewer confessed in a recent review: "I was not prepared! I went into this documentary completely blind, with no idea where the story was headed. It begins with a mystery. Something seemingly impossible has happened. But how? As the pieces slowly fall into place, the story takes an increasingly dark turn, far darker than I ever expected. And I have seen my share... the reveal is a complete and utter gut punch and at one point brought tears to my eyes. And I will have to leave it at that."
Another added: "I had never read anything about this case, so I went into this doc knowing nothing of the background or repercussions. I was horrified at how one person could destroy so many lives. The documentary pursues the whole journey of the perpetrator extraordinarily well, piecing together her journey for the past 10 or so years of her life where her lies keep getting worse."
