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Season 1 – The Vow

Play trailer 2:49 Poster for Season 1 – The Vow Aug 2020 Documentary Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
72% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Following the experiences of people deeply involved in the self-improvement group NXIVM, an organization under siege with charges including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy brought against its highest members and founder Keith Raniere.
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The Vow — Season 1

The Vow — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Though The Vow's scope at times exceeds its reach, its empathetic approach to unpacking NXIVM's manipulations and the consequences therein make for necessary, difficult viewing.

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Critics Reviews

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Alessa Dominguez BuzzFeed News 04/07/2022
You must be very trusting, says one young woman. Not anymore, they reply. And in some ways, despite nine hours of television, that’s as deep as the documentary’s insight gets. Go to Full Review Sophia Stewart Bitch Media 03/17/2021
The documentarians behind The Vow are most interested in the shame and responsibility that NXIVM's whistleblowers feel. They're also uninterested in: coherent timelines; the complicity of Edmonson, Vicente, and others. Go to Full Review Sophie Gilbert The Atlantic 11/09/2020
Without external voices in the mix, The Vow becomes less a documentary series than an artfully made exercise in spinning a story. Go to Full Review Charlotte Harrison Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies 12/02/2020
What this series does so fantastically is destroy the myth of people who believe they're 'too smart' to 'fall for' a cult. Go to Full Review Dave Nemetz TV Line 11/12/2020
The pace at times is agonizingly slow, with lots of footage of Vicente scrolling through his email or Edmondson on the phone. But with all that overkill, it's also badly muddled, missing the big picture story of NXIVM by getting too far in the weeds. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Amy Q @RT84792577 Aug 11 Probably the best documentary I've ever same. Four stars is because it's just so uncomfortable. I went into it blindly I had never heard of this cult or the people involved. So wild! Also two seasons and nobody told Lauren Salzman about those eyebrows? That's another reason why it got four stars. So hard to look at. And they were supposed to be such good friends? See more Mark C @RT30045176 12/13/2022 Riveting documentary series. One of the best I've seen - up there with The Jinx and The Staircase. See more Julie B @RT06180755 11/24/2022 If it's based on true story, a documentary involving real people involved, I'm watching it. Although long series (including S2), I found it fascinating. Just amazing anyone falls for this stuff, but all come aboard with a fatal flaw. Kudos to the few people who saw early on it was bad situation, and brought attention to it. See more Coby N @Coby00 10/30/2022 It so good I watched the entire series twice. See more Thanato p @RT90618582 09/03/2022 If you like watching non-athletes play volleyball, and waiting hours for some lurid payoff only to get none, this is your jam. See more 07/20/2021 Lacks detail (financials, how particpants made money, what crimes Raniere was charged with, why the NY AG decided to go after him, why he was charged but other cults have not been) Too much reality TV spin, could have told story in 4 episodes not 8. See more Read all reviews
The Vow — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Jehane Noujaim

Director

Karim Amer

Director

Karim Amer

Executive Producer

Jehane Noujaim

Executive Producer

Geralyn White Dreyfous

Executive Producer

Mike Lerner

Executive Producer

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Aug 23, 2020 The Science of Joy Mark Vicente and Sarah Edmondson, high-ranking former NXIVM leaders, describe the dream and mission of NXIVM to build a better world; Bonnie Piesse, Mark's wife, tells him she is worried about the organization and leader Keith Raniere. Details Episode 2 Aired Aug 30, 2020 Viscera After seven years, Bonnie leaves NXIVM for Los Angeles and tries desperately to get through to Mark, who reassures her all is well; Mark remains loyal to Keith and NXIVM, but a series of phone calls begins to sow doubt within him. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 6, 2020 At Cause Sarah confides to Mark about DOS, a secret group involving "masters" and "slaves," and struggles in her relationships with NXIVM, her husband and her best friend; Sarah and Mark lament how many members they've recruited and question what to do next. Details Episode 4 Aired Sep 13, 2020 Building Character Mark, Bonnie, Sarah and Nippy strategize with Catherine Oxenberg about how to get her daughter, India, out of DOS, even though she wants to stay; "Jane," India's close friend, describes the appeal of the organization and why she left it all behind. Details Episode 5 Aired Sep 20, 2020 Class 1 Data Catherine believes her daughter is in danger and wants her to come home; when she and the former members are unable to get the attention of the authorities, they approach the New York Times; Mark reflects on his time at NXIVM. Details Episode 6 Aired Sep 27, 2020 Honesty & Disclosure Sarah, Mark and Nippy contact additional news outlets to provoke outrage and pressure law enforcement to pay attention; Barbara Bouchey, a former board member and early defector, reflects on her time in Keith's inner circle. Details Episode 7 Aired Oct 4, 2020 Blame & Responsibility Catherine meets with Frank Parlato to build a dossier of evidence for the New York Attorney General's office. Details Episode 8 Aired Oct 11, 2020 The Wound As the group prepares to testify to the FBI, it reflects on its beliefs regarding the SOP and JNESS curriculums. Details Episode 9 Aired Oct 18, 2020 The Fall Keith hasn't been seen in Clifton Park, N.Y., for weeks; Catherine meets with India; Mark and Bonnie return to Clifton Park for the first time since leaving NXIVM; Sarah, Bonnie, Mark, Nippy and Catherine face a development in the case. Details

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The Vow — Season 1

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The Vow — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Jehane Noujaim, Karim Amer
Executive Producer
Karim Amer, Jehane Noujaim, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Mike Lerner, Nina Fialkow, Lyn Davis Lear, Regina K. Scully, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller
Network
HBO
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Documentary, Crime
Original Language
English
Release Date
Aug 23, 2020