Talk about a bad romance. The Hunting Party’s latest villain is a charming serial killer known as the Widower. Mark Marsden – played by Bring It On’s Jesse Bradford – has already killed three of his wives. And it seems he’s about to add a fourth woman to his list of victims, as seen in this exclusive clip from the March 17 episode of the NBC procedural. But his newest target isn’t quite like the others. She knows all about Mark’s twisted past, but she’s still willing to through with the wedding. 

A woman falls for a serial killer in the next episode of NBC’s ‘The Hunting Party’ 

In this scene from “Mark Marsden,” Bex (Melissa Roxburgh) and the team compare video footage from a series of weddings, analyzing the shifts in body language from a woman named Carol (Brooke Smith), who appears to be standing in as the bride. 

“Eighteen months ago, these people did not know each other,” Bex says. “No touching, no eye contact. Her body language basically says she’s just doing her job. The more recent one, her body language has completely changed.”

We then see Carol nervously waiting in a car outside a gas station. Mark returns to the car and presents her with a small box. 

“I got you a surprise,” he says. He opens the box, which contains a cheap vending machine ring.

“We can get married for real,” he says. 

Her demeanor immediately shifts. “Now, this is perfect,” she replies with a smile before they kiss. 

What drove Carol into Mark’s arms? 

Carol has fallen hard for Mark, whom she apparently met through her work. But why would a seemingly intelligent woman get involved with a man whose previous wives all ended up dead?

Bex has an answer. 

“It’s called hybristophilia,” she explains. “It’s a psychological disorder presenting as an intense attraction to criminals.”

“Especially serial killers,” Oliver (Nick Wechsler) chimes in.

What drives some people to fall hard for the worst of the worst isn’t clear. But there are theories. Some people think it’s related to a “savior complex,” Bex says. There could be an evolutionary psychology element as well, with women drawn to men who kill because they believe they will keep them safe. 

“They delude themselves into believing that a mate who’s willing to kill is the best kind of protector,” Oliver adds. 

The women who get caught up in these romances aren’t stupid, Bex says, even if their motivations are hard to understand. They’re often smart and confident enough that they can convince themselves that they’ll be the one to change a criminal’s behavior. Shane (Josh McKenzie) points out that the infamous Ted Bundy didn’t lack for admirers after he was locked up. 

But Carol doesn’t fit the profile of a woman who falls for a killer. She was happily married for decades to a very buttoned-up accountant. But her husband died six months ago. The trauma from that loss could have sparked a change in Carol’s behavior. 

“With that kind of tragedy, who knows how her psychology has shifted,” Bex says. “So, we should talk to someone who knows her, preferably a family member.” 

The Hunting Party airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. Episodes stream the next day on Peacock. 

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