Without our being able to explain it to ourselves, we can find certain rather tragic things fascinating, this is for example the case of sects. That’s why probably so many documentary or fictional works arrive on our screens in the form of films and series, some inspired by the most creepy cults in the world and others who totally invent a story by taking up cliches on the subject. We decided to give you a little best-of series that talk about sects, in the form of a documentary or fiction, in case you like the subject too.
1. “The Vow”
Produced by HBO this documentary series focuses on the case of the NXIVM (Nexium) cult and the scandal that ensued from it in 2018 in Hollywood. To put it simply, this is a cult that has been dealing with sexual slavery since the 2000s and which you may have heard of when it was proven that two actresses in the series Smallville were part of it. We are talking about fifty victims of sexual slavery and a lot of money at stake, another thing that shows the ugly face of Hollywood behind the cameras.
2. WACO in the weeks ahead
The affair of the Waco sect had a profound impact on the United States, in particular by its tragic and controversial conclusion during a collective suicide. But this mini-series with, among others, Mr. Michael Shannon has set himself the challenge of showing what happened in the days before the appalling conclusion and it is clearly worth a look.
3. “Yellowjackets”
We gave you the reasons to watch Yellowjackets when it was released, the series was so engaging. Following a plane crash, a women’s football team survives in the far north of Canada and we also follow an investigation into their lives some twenty years later. Obviously there is a kind of super creepy cannibalistic cult delusion and the first season is promising.
4. “Keep Sweet – Pray and Obey”
In the Netflix docu-series category, Keep Sweet – Pray and Obey takes us into the sect of the “Prophet”, a guru who married nearly 78 women (including more than 20 who were minors) while dealing with the subject of sexual slavery. An extremely hard theme but well tackled and shown through testimonies of women who managed to get out of the sect, very scary but fascinating.
5. “Archive 81”
Canceled after one season, the Netflix series between fantasy and realism on cults had good ideas. A guy is in charge of restoring old VHS that show a journalist’s documentary on the strange and communal behavior of the inhabitants of an old building… And that’s fucking the female dog. And even if there is no season 2 planned, the first is enough on its own.
6. “Wild wild country”
A docu-series that follows the escapades of the sect of Osho, representative of the “Rajneesh” movement which settled in Oregon in the 80s to open “his city” there. The documentary retraces what happened in this sect as well as the investigation that has grown in importance throughout its history. Some colleagues loved it, personally I found it long and boring but life is a matter of taste, it’s up to you to judge for yourself.
7. “The Path”
If you like cults, Aaron Paul and verandas you will love “The Path”. This mini-series focuses on Meyerism and criticizes Scientology by showing us the inside of the movement through the eyes of a faithful who begins to doubt his faith and quickly realizes that it is complicated to extricate oneself from it. a cult when his whole family is there. Regarding the verandas, I don’t know if we see any in the series since I haven’t watched it yet. Sorry suddenly.
8. “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
By choosing to treat the sectarian subject under the angle of the comedy this series adds a different dimension and succeeds its blow. Basically Kimmy is a young woman who comes out of a bunker after years because her family was part of a sect convinced that the apocalypse was imminent, but promised it’s shot in funny mode and ESPECIALLY there is Titus, one of the best characters ever.
9. “Aquarius”
Fiction series adapted on the affair of “the family” of Charles Manson, Aquarius takes us to the Los Angeles of the late 60s against a backdrop of “Peace and Love”. Investigating the disappearance of a young woman the police quickly go back to Manson and his famous “family”. It’s well done, it’s well acted, it’s well reconstructed and at the same time it’s creepy.
10. “The leftovers”
Admittedly, this is not the initial subject of the series which rather speaks of people who try to reinvent themselves after the sudden and inexplicable disappearance of a whole part of the population. But there’s a super weird sect of people in there who don’t talk and smoke a lot of fags. It’s not the main subject but overall it’s just one more reason to watch this genius series.