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Season 1 – The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman Jan 2022 Drama Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 72% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
A cruel con man masquerading as a British spy manipulates and steals from his victims, leaving ruined families in his wake.
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The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman — Season 1

Critics Reviews

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Annabel Nugent Independent (UK) 01/19/2022
3/5
The Puppet Master is the rare Netflix show that doesn’t overstretch its subject. The documentary is a taut, sad retelling of events, made sadder by the fact that Hendy-Freegard remains a free man. Go to Full Review Nick Schager The Daily Beast 01/19/2022
If not quite probing enough, their non-fiction effort paints an unnerving portrait of a conniving madman's use of lies and isolation to dupe and control innocent targets. Go to Full Review Brooke Daugherty Pop Culture Leftovers 03/06/2022
The way The Puppet Master weaves parallel stories from two time periods makes this story even more compelling and heartbreaking. Go to Full Review James Delingpole The Spectator 02/04/2022
It sounds almost unbearably depressing viewing. But actually what comes across most strongly is the resilience of the human spirit in the face of almost unimaginable suffering. Go to Full Review Steve Murray ArtsATL 01/31/2022
Puppet Master is an absorbing watch, but it leaves you hanging; Freegard and at least one victim are still out there somewhere. Go to Full Review Tatat Bunnag Bangkok Post 01/28/2022
Despite lacking some explanation and insight that would make this a much better story to experience, The Puppet Master is a fairly good binge documentary with enough suspense to keep you hooked. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C @bob25009 Sep 23 3 successful episodes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ages 17 and older!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Originally streaming on Netflix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more inta k @intuciic 12/30/2023 quite okay. watchable. See more Koda _ @KodaF 11/05/2023 This is probably the craziest and most unbelievable documentary I've watched on Netflix (and that's saying something). How one person, let alone multiple people, could fall for the conman is beyond me, but here we are. Not one you'll forget when it's finished and much better than the film. See more 03/25/2022 This was mildly interesting with some engaging primary interview subjects, but still felt a bit drawn out and would have worked better for me in a more condensed format. I used to watch a lot more true crime and was always aware of how desensitized I would become at times, and how easy it is to forget how terrifyingly awful and life changing these events, that I am exploring for entertainment in neatly packaged episodes, were for the people involved. I actually had a lot more sympathy for the family members of those conned than I did for the people who allowed this man to play such a prominent role in their lives for so long. I give total credit to everyone who stepped forward however, as scam artists usually rely on the victim's embarrassment at being deceived, to keep them from reporting the crime. See more William N @William125 02/07/2022 Entertaining but yet frustrating to watch people continue to get conned by this guy and have their lives ruined. See more 02/06/2022 very boring show. "ultimate conman" is definitely a stretch See more Read all reviews
The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Sam Benstead

Director

Gareth Johnson

Director

Bart Layton

Executive Producer

Rebecca North

Executive Producer

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jan 18, 2022 They Vanished In 1993, Robert convinces his friends he's an MI5 agent; decades later, a man named David exerts an extreme level of control over a family. Details Episode 2 Aired Jan 18, 2022 Chasing a Ghost A man raises the alarm with authorities about his daughter's safety; decades later, the police chase down a bizarre lead. Details Episode 3 Aired Jan 18, 2022 Setting the Trap As Robert continues to exploit and ruin lives, the authorities set a trap in London; in the present, Sandra's children hold out hope. Details

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The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman — Season 1

The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman View more photos

Season Info

Director
Sam Benstead, Gareth Johnson
Executive Producer
Bart Layton, Rebecca North
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama, Crime
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Jan 18, 2022
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