The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping 2024 Tv Show Series Cast Crew Online
This documentary is not perfect. Yes this is in an issue that’s been raised before. The point is this is STILL happening, so no matter how many times the issue it raised if it’s still going on that means it’s needed. In fact if it all ended tomorrow and these places would no longer exists it would still be needed, because we (not just the survivors) need to process what happened and we (again I mean everyone) would need to remember and never forget so it doesn’t happen again. It also talks about things so easily forgotten today: manipulation, brainwashing, how no matter how smart you are anyone can fall victim to an idiot with system and how very good people can do very evil things.
It is a Netflix documentary because it’s not just spewing hate, judging and being one sided. I love that about Netflix documentaries. They take the parents and their struggles into account, they even take the employees into account, the town economies and show how deep the manipulation goes. There are some things that are inexcusable and this film doesn’t excuse them either.
Apparently, Katherine, seems to be a polarising character. I get it, while she’s a my “vibe” sort of person I understand that some people find that annoying (because I’m like her in many ways). That doesn’t change the story, what happened to her and the other survivors. More so, I don’t know her life right now, but I find it difficult to imagine anyone can come out of an experience like that and not stick out and just lead a normal life. I’m guessing suicide, substance abuse and all sort of other pathology statistics for people that went through this are very high. How can it not be? If someone is “doing well” on the outside I’m pretty sure there’s a hell of a lot masking going on.
This is a very personal piece. I know we’re not used to it in documentaries, the informality of the way this was done. There were many moments where, I felt, if this was created by uninvolved parties some conversations would go further, more questions would be asked, it would perhaps be easier to dig deeper and it would feel more satisfying. In the end though, while I realise this is “entertainment”, I don’t care that I might feel slightly unsatisfied, if this film brings a sliver of solace or closer to anyone, if it opens someone’s eyes, brings change, then my slight dissatisfaction while sitting in my living room, surrounded by loved ones, safe but free to leave, really doesn’t matter 🙂 (also it really was slight, I binge watched the whole thing, it was very interesting, well researched, the interviews were interesting, the music, the visuals, I would personally say this is a very good film, this is just my response to some of the reviews).
This should be a mandatory film. We should all watch it and if we feel this is too much of a personal journey, therapy for the creators or whatever, we should check our privilege of never having to go through that and recommend this film to others.
