How to Become a Cult Leader

Name: How to Become a Cult Leader
Genre: Movie/Mini-Series, Documentary
Released: July 28, 2023
Rating: 52

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Mixed or average reviews based on 5 Critic Reviews

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Series Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date: July 28, 2023

Summary: Narrated by Peter Dinklage, the six-part documentary series focuses on six cult leaders: Heaven's Gate Marshall Applewhite, Aum Shinrikyo's Shoko Asahara, Buddhafield's Jaime Gomez, Jim Jones, Charles Manson, and Unification Church's Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

Genre(s): Movie/Mini-Series, Documentary

Recent Episodes

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S1:E6. Become Immortal
Air Date: July 28, 2023
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S1:E5. Control Your Image
Air Date: July 28, 2023
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S1:E4. Promise Eternity
Air Date: July 28, 2023

See all Seasons and Episodes

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Critic Reviews

Joel Keller

Jul 28, 2023

Season 1 Review: The format of How To Become A Cult Leader isn’t quite as grating as its predecessor, How To Become A Tyrant, and that leaves room for the show to provide a lot of information about how the cult leaders it’s profiling managed to wield so much influence. Read full review

The Daily Beast Nick Schager

Jul 27, 2023

Season 1 Review: As a general overview of such outfits’ bedrock traits and strategies, it certainly knows about which it speaks. Read full review

Daniel Fienberg

Jul 27, 2023

Season 1 Review: There really is clever stuff here and a few interesting linkages, and I can’t speak highly enough of how much value Dinklage adds, but by the end of five episodes, How to Become a Cult Leader was out of satirical ideas. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Jul 28, 2023

Season 1 Review: Maybe the thinking behind “How to Become a Cult Leader” was that we’ve had so many books, documentaries, magazine articles, TV specials, fictionalized movies and series, etc., about these infamous destroyers and the lives they’ve ruined that a satirical approach might feel original and offer insights from a fresh perspective. Read full review

G. Allen Johnson

Jul 27, 2023

Season 1 Review: The overall sarcastic nature of the series seems at odds with the horrors these men unleashed. Somehow, providing helpful “tactics” via bite-size tips — “tend your flock,” “get your dogma down,” “expand your territory” — just seems weird. “How to Become a Cult Leader” instead becomes a playbook of an unintended sort: How not to make a docuseries. Read full review

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User Reviews

Joseph588

Aug 30, 2023

This show purports to expose a variety of cults but ends up creating a confusing mishmash with no actual learning or message to offer. Lumping mass murderers like Charles Manson with spiritual teachers like Osho shows a real lack of discernment. I’ve had friends who spent time with Osho andThis show purports to expose a variety of cults but ends up creating a confusing mishmash with no actual learning or message to offer. Lumping mass murderers like Charles Manson with spiritual teachers like Osho shows a real lack of discernment. I’ve had friends who spent time with Osho and had a beautiful experience, the same with Scientology and other groups who are now labeled as cults. Many reviewers mention that this show is superficial, sensationalist, frantic and unfocused. In addition, it falls prey to the recent common practice of calling any group we do not understand a cult, akin to calling someone a witch in days of yore. In today’s polarized society, the last thing we need is another way to justify saying arrogantly that we know the truth, and everyone else is an infidel, a witch, a cult member. The series does not deserve the title documentary as it does not dive into any particular topic or ever show different viewpoints. The viewpoint that is pushed ad nauseum is that these groups have all been brainwashed by powerful leaders. I’m sorry, but if brain washing were actually possible, we would be able to convince our friends and neighbors to agree with us, and we know that is not happening! Sadly, this series adds fuel to the fire of division and confusion and does not inform, uplift or unite anyone. The creators of this series could be labeled cult leaders themselves, trying to recruit people to their agenda.… Expand

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Seasons & Episodes

52

Series Overview
Season 1

52
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: July 28, 2023
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  S1:E6. Become Immortal
  Air Date: July 28, 2023
- tbd
  S1:E5. Control Your Image
  Air Date: July 28, 2023
- tbd
  S1:E4. Promise Eternity
  Air Date: July 28, 2023
- tbd
  S1:E3. Reform Their Minds
  Air Date: July 28, 2023
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  S1:E2. Grow Your Flock
  Air Date: July 28, 2023
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  S1:E1. Build Your Foundation
  Air Date: July 28, 2023