There are plenty of great Netflix shows about basically whatever it might be that you want to watch. Among the many things that Netflix is great at is true crime docuseries, which it has released steadily since its earliest days as a streamer.
One of those recent documentaries is The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping, which tells the story of one woman who decides to expose the seedy underbelly behind the “troubled teen” industry. The documentary is riveting from beginning to end, but if you’ve already finished it, we’ve found three other docuseries that might be great follow-ups. Not all of these docs are the easiest to watch, but if you want something thrilling, these will fit the bill.
Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence (2023)
Telling the story of a cult on a college campus, Stolen Youth is a brilliant exploration of the way victims deprogram after an experience with a cult. The series tells the story of eight college freshmen who become completely ensnared in the life of one of the girl’s fathers, who forces them all to live in a one-bedroom apartment together and perform everything from cooking and cleaning to sex acts for him.
The series can sometimes be harrowing, partly because it is such a dreadful and heartbreaking story. As we watch the women at the center of the story begin to heal, the show becomes rewarding, if bittersweet.
Escaping Twin Flames (2023)
Another story of two people who ensnared hundreds looking for love online, Escaping Twin Flames focuses on the Twin Flames Universe, interviewing those who used to be involved in the group. As we learn more about the group’s practices and the way the group’s leaders take advantage of individuals’ vulnerabilities, it becomes easy to understand how so many people fell under their spell.
You may not see yourself as someone who could be pulled in by this kind of deceit, but Escaping Twin Flames reveals exactly how cult leaders can warp even the brightest person’s mind.
The Keepers (2017)
The Keepers reexamines the decades-old murder of a Catholic nun at a school in Baltimore and its suspected link to a priest who has been accused of abuse. The series is a fascinating examination of one murder and the twists and turns it has taken in the 50 years since it occurred, but it’s also a look at the way systems of abuse can be covered up, even at the expense of some people’s lives.
As one of the foundational true crime series on Netflix, The Keepers is also, in its way, about how teens can be exploited by the adults around them, even when they think they know which ones they can trust.
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