Name: How to Become a Cult Leader
Genre: Documentary, Crime
Released: 2023-07-28T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Peter Dinklage

The image of Peter Dinklage’s voice dryly intoning, “Step one: Build your foundation,” over footage of Charles Manson’s sinister grin is the kind of tonal whiplash that defines How to Become a Cult Leader. Netflix’s latest docuseries tries to walk the line between satire and serious inquiry, but the result is a show that stumbles more often than it strides.

The premise is simple: each episode dissects a different infamous cult leader—Manson, Jim Jones, Marshall Applewhite, and others—and presents their rise to power as a step-by-step guide. Dinklage’s narration is slick, even charming at times, but the juxtaposition of his wry delivery with the harrowing realities of brainwashing, mass suicide, and murder feels jarring rather than insightful. The series leans heavily into irony, yet the tone-deafness Richard Roeper noted in the Chicago Sun-Times is hard to ignore. There’s a fine line between dark humor and glorification, and while the show never outright glorifies these monsters, its flippant approach sometimes feels like it’s papering over the gravity of its subject matter.

Structurally, the series has merit. Each episode focuses on one of the “six rules” for cult leadership, making it easy to follow. The archival footage is compelling, and experts like former FBI agent Asha Rangappa provide necessary context. But the show’s biggest flaw is its refusal to fully commit to either satire or documentary. When it lingers on the devastation left in these leaders’ wakes—such as the chilling final montage of their fates (jail, suicide, execution)—it lands with impact. Yet too often, it undercuts itself with a smirk.

The performances, such as they are, rely entirely on Dinklage’s narration and the archival interviews. He’s charismatic enough to hold attention, but the script sometimes feels like it’s phoning it in. The real standout is Bexy Cameron’s Glamour essay, which cuts through the series’ playful veneer to highlight the gendered dynamics of cult leadership—a perspective the show itself could have benefited from incorporating more deeply.

Where the series truly falters is in its lack of urgency. Roeper and The Hollywood Reporter both noted the absence of a modern lens—no discussion of QAnon, no mention of L. Ron Hubbard or Donald Trump’s cult-like followings. The final episode’s attempt to tie everything together feels rushed, offering no real call to action beyond a grim recap of its subjects’ downfalls.

For all its flaws, How to Become a Cult Leader isn’t without value. It’s undeniably watchable, and the archival deep dives are fascinating. But it never quite decides what it wants to be—whether a sharp satire, a sobering documentary, or something in between.