True-crime TV has discovered its new obsession: The twisted saga of the NVIXM cult, with well-known followers like Smallville alum Allison Mack and salacious accusations of intercourse slavery, has impressed not one however two long-form TV documentaries, together with numerous one-off investigative specials. HBO’s The Vow, which premiered in August, was billed because the definitive take a look at the cult’s inside workings, informed by the members themselves. However is it even good? And does one other TV documentary really do a greater job at bringing NXIVM’s surprising deeds to gentle? Let’s take a more in-depth look, lets?
The Vow is the higher-profile of the 2, and advantages tremendously from the participation of a number of former NXIVM members, together with Mark Vicente, Bonnie Piesse and Sarah Edmondson, who relate their private tales of being beneath cult chief Keith Raniere’s spell. It feels artsy and intimate, and is chock filled with incriminating particulars, with entry to numerous paperwork and video and audio recordings from throughout the cult. Administrators Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer spent greater than a 12 months and a half filming, and their persistence pays off: They had been filming because the New York Occasions bombshell exposé of NXIVM and Raniere went stay, and as phrase unfold of Raniere’s arrest.
However, as you might have already heard, it is usually loooooong: 9 hours lengthy, for a narrative that may very well be in all probability be lined completely nicely by a two-hour movie. The tempo at occasions is agonizingly gradual, with numerous footage of Vicente scrolling by means of his electronic mail or Edmondson on the cellphone. However with all that overkill, it’s additionally badly muddled, lacking the large image story of NXIVM by getting too far within the weeds. We’re typically not clear on who did what to whom, and what all of it means; we find yourself feeling as disoriented as the previous cult members do.
In the meantime, Starz’s Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult, which wrapped up its four-episode run this previous Sunday, approaches the scandal with a lot higher readability and focus, zooming in on the story of former cult member India Oxenberg. She’s talked about in The Vow — her mom Catherine paperwork her frantic efforts to get India out of the cult — however India will get the highlight right here, and the slender give attention to her helps immeasurably. India makes a compelling witness to the horrors of NXIVM, and her private story offers Seduced a sturdy narrative arc to observe, versus The Vow‘s disparate story threads.
Seduced additionally paints a extra damning image of NXIVM and Raniere, with shockingly graphic accusations and particulars about his crimes. (It’s tempting to suppose that The Vow held again on exposing the complete scope of the crimes in order to not scare off its topics from taking part, since they had been in management positions at NXIVM on the time.) Plus, Seduced provides essential context from cult consultants and prosecutors, who put NXIVM’s sins into correct perspective. And sure, it’s lower than half so long as The Vow — which is a big promoting level as of late.
Having watched each sequence in full now, I do really feel like The Vow helped fill in a number of the blanks left by Seduced, so if you’d like each final element about what went on inside NXIVM, the 2 sequence complement one another nicely. However should you solely have time for one, Seduced covers the entire drama way more effectively and successfully. The story doesn’t finish there, although: HBO has renewed The Vow for Season 2, which is able to give attention to Raniere’s arrest and trial on intercourse trafficking prices. As a result of 9 hours wasn’t almost sufficient, apparently.
Inform us, true-crime followers: Did you favor The Vow or Seduced, and why? Hit the feedback under to share your ideas.