S01E01 The Awakening
March 1997. Thirty-nine members of the Heaven’s Gate cult are found dead in a Southern California mansion - the largest mass suicide in U.S. history. The inception of this mysterious group dates back to 1970s...
Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults
What do you believe?
S01E04: The Exit
The 1997 arrival of the Hale-Bopp comet spurs the group to prepare for their departure, though their plan to commit mass suicide goes undetected. After an anonymous 911 caller alerts the authorities, Heaven’s Gate, deemed the first "internet cult," becomes a media and pop culture phenomenon - but the suicides have a very different effect on those closest to them. Today, former members, loved ones, and experts reflect on the legacy of Heaven’s Gate, offering a chilling reminder that indoctrination can happen to anyone.
Overview
What started in 1975 with the disappearance of 20 people from a small town in Oregon, ended in 1997 with the largest suicide on US soil and changed the face of modern New Age religion forever. This four-part docuseries uses never-before-seen footage and first-person accounts to explore the infamous UFO cult that shocked the nation with their out-of-this-world beliefs.
Episodes
S01E02 The Chrysalis
As the Heaven’s Gate "Classroom" begins, Bonnie and Marshall - who call themselves "Ti" and "Do" or "The Two" - enforce strict rules of no family communication. After Ti dies from cancer in 1985, a...
S01E03 The Second Harvest
Using a popular sci-fi TV series to help bolster his teachings, Do encourages asexuality and individual submission for the benefit of the collective - and even initiates voluntary castrations. Having dwindled in number, the group...
S01E04 The Exit
The 1997 arrival of the Hale-Bopp comet spurs the group to prepare for their departure, though their plan to commit mass suicide goes undetected. After an anonymous 911 caller alerts the authorities, Heaven’s Gate, deemed...
Cast
Marshall Applewhite
Self - Co-Leader of Heaven’s Gate (archive footage)
Bonnie Nettles
Self - Co-Leader of Heaven’s Gate (archive footage)
Sawyer
Self - Former Member
Frank Lyford
Self - Former Member
Benjamin Zeller
Self - Religious Studies Professor
Janja Lalich
Self - Sociologist
Robert Balch
Self - Sociologist
