Series
Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults
“What do you believe?”
DocumentaryCrime
What started in 1975 with the disappearance of 20 people from a small town in Oregon, ended in 1997 with the largest suicide on US soil and changed the face of modern New Age religion forever. This four-part docuseries uses never-before-seen footage and first-person accounts to explore the infamous UFO cult that shocked the nation with their out-of-this-world beliefs.
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Seasons & episodes
1The Awakening3 Dec 2020 · 51m · ★ 7.0March 1997. Thirty-nine members of the Heaven’s Gate cult are found dead in a Southern California mansion - the largest mass suicide in U.S. history. The inception of this mysterious group dates back to 1970s Oregon, where founding members Bonnie Nettles and Marshall Applewhite begin to recruit individuals interested in end-of-the-world Christianity, new age religion, and UFOs - but the disappearance of new members soon drives media attention and family concerns.
2The Chrysalis3 Dec 2020 · 51m · ★ 6.5As the Heaven’s Gate "Classroom" begins, Bonnie and Marshall - who call themselves "Ti" and "Do" or "The Two" - enforce strict rules of no family communication. After Ti dies from cancer in 1985, a distraught Do briefly allows members to visit their families, and a few consider leaving the group for good. When the members return, Do becomes much more controlling - and opens the door to group suicide.
3The Second Harvest3 Dec 2020 · 51m · ★ 6.5Using a popular sci-fi TV series to help bolster his teachings, Do encourages asexuality and individual submission for the benefit of the collective - and even initiates voluntary castrations. Having dwindled in number, the group starts recruiting again, but they’re met largely with derision and skepticism. Seeing this as a sign, Do begins planning their exit to the next level.
4The Exit3 Dec 2020 · 51m · ★ 7.2The 1997 arrival of the Hale-Bopp comet spurs the group to prepare for their departure, though their plan to commit mass suicide goes undetected. After an anonymous 911 caller alerts the authorities, Heaven’s Gate, deemed the first "internet cult," becomes a media and pop culture phenomenon - but the suicides have a very different effect on those closest to them. Today, former members, loved ones, and experts reflect on the legacy of Heaven’s Gate, offering a chilling reminder that indoctrination can happen to anyone.
Details
- First aired
- 3 Dec 2020
- Last aired
- 3 Dec 2020
- Status
- Ended
- Language
- English
- Network
- HBO Max
- Episodes
- 4
- Votes
- 41 on TMDB
Cast
Marshall ApplewhiteSelf - Co-Leader of Heaven’s Gate (archive footage)
Bonnie NettlesSelf - Co-Leader of Heaven’s Gate (archive footage)- SSawyerSelf - Former Member
- FFrank LyfordSelf - Former Member
- BBenjamin ZellerSelf - Religious Studies Professor
- JJanja LalichSelf - Sociologist
- RRobert BalchSelf - Sociologist
