You probably think you know the story of Margo Banks and her messy, high-stakes life in East Texas. If you've read May Cobb’s original novel, you're likely even more confused. There is no Kyle in the book. He doesn't exist. He’s a total invention of the Netflix series, and honestly, he changes everything about how the first season ends.
Kyle, played by Michael Aaron Milligan, is the "misfit brother" Margo never wanted anyone to know about. He lives in a trailer in Alba, Texas. He's the gritty, drug-addled antithesis to the polished, billionaire-adjacent life Margo has built with Jed Banks. While Margo is busy sipping martinis and playing power games with Sophie O’Neill, Kyle is the ghost of her past—specifically her past as "Mandy."
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Why Kyle Changed Everything in the Show
In the book, the mystery of who killed Abby Jackson is fairly straightforward. Jill did it. Case closed. But the TV show took a hard left turn. In the Netflix adaptation, it's revealed that Margo killed Abby.
But how did she get away with it? Enter Kyle.
Margo didn't just stumble through the crime; she recruited Kyle to clean up the scene. This addition creates a much darker bond between the siblings. He isn't just a nuisance; he's her accomplice. He’s the person who knows where the bodies are buried because he likely put them there.
The Problem With Kyle's Character
Some fans on Reddit have pointed out that Kyle feels like a "caricature." He’s the stereotypical trailer-park "bad guy" dropped into a slick socialite thriller. One user even mentioned he felt like he wandered in from a different show entirely.
- He lives in a run-down trailer.
- He has a history of drug use (he allegedly overdosed the night of Abby's murder).
- He is used as a tool for Margo's "frame game" against Jill.
Despite the criticism of him being a bit one-dimensional, Kyle serves a massive narrative purpose. He represents the "dirt" that Margo can't wash off. No matter how much of Jed’s oil money she spends, she’s still Mandy from Alba, and Kyle is the living proof of that.
That Shocking Season 1 Ending Explained
If you were yelling at your TV during the finale, you weren't alone. The most polarizing moment of the season involved Sophie and Kyle on a dark Texas road.
After Sophie discovers the truth about Margo’s past and her involvement in the murder, she encounters Kyle. He runs her off the road and threatens her. In a moment of pure, unhinged panic, Sophie hits the gas and runs him down. She kills him.
This is a massive departure from the source material. In the book, Sophie is more of an observer who eventually finds a sense of peace. In the show? Sophie is now a murderer. She drags Kyle’s body to a cliff and tosses it over.
Why this matters for Season 2:
- The Cover-Up: Sophie didn't call the police. She chose the Margo Banks way of handling things.
- Margo's Leverage: If Margo finds out—and she always finds out—she has total control over Sophie.
- The Ghost of Kyle: Even though he's dead, his presence will loom over the new episodes. You don't just kill a billionaire's brother-in-law and walk away clean.
Who is Michael Aaron Milligan?
The actor behind Kyle brings a certain frantic energy to the role. Milligan is a veteran of "gritty" roles, often appearing in Southern-fried thrillers and action series. You might recognize him from Outer Banks or The Purge TV series. He specializes in playing characters who are slightly dangerous and deeply unpredictable.
In The Hunting Wives, he had to balance being a legitimate threat with being someone Margo could easily manipulate with money. It’s a thankless job, but he made Kyle memorable enough that his death felt like a genuine turning point for the series.
What to Watch for Next
With Season 2 currently in production and new cast members like John Stamos and Cam Gigandet joining the fray, the fallout from Kyle's death is going to be central.
Margo is now essentially homeless after Jed kicked her out, and Sophie is carrying the weight of a hit-and-run. The power dynamic has completely shifted. Kyle was the catalyst for Sophie’s descent from a bored housewife into someone capable of extreme violence.
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What you can do now:
If you want to stay ahead of the curve before Season 2 drops, re-watch Episode 8, specifically the scene where Sophie meets Kyle’s doctor. The details about Kyle's overdose and Margo’s alibi are the keys to understanding how much Jed actually knows. Pay attention to the timeline—the show likes to play with when Margo was actually with Kyle and when she was "Mandy."