In 2022, Netflix released the docuseries Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, which explores the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). The series traces the lives of the wives of its former leader, Warren S. Jeffs, alongside survivors who recount the abuse carried out under his leadership and within the organization.

Across four deeply unsettling episodes, viewers are given firsthand accounts of abuse in its many forms: mental, physical, and, unsurprisingly, sexual. Calling it disturbing barely scratches the surface. It raises a flood of questions and reveals layers of trauma that are difficult to fully process, yet impossible to ignore. More than just a harrowing watch, the series offers a stark window into the mechanics of cult mentality and the ways power can be used to manipulate and exploit the vulnerable.

Earlier this month, Netflix released the companion series Trust Me: The False Prophet about another splinter and the wives of Sam Bateman who claimed he was Jeffs’ heir, and the new prophet of the FLDS church. 

This new series  (also consisting of four episodes) follows Dr. Christine Marie and her husband, Tolga Katas, as they relocate to the Short Creek community in the turbulent aftermath of Warren S. Jeffs’ arrest. Initially setting out to document the lives of those still within the community, their project takes a darker turn when they encounter Samuel Bateman and his claims of being the new prophet.

As disturbing allegations of child sexual abuse within Bateman’s inner circle begin to surface, the couple shifts from observers to participants, choosing to infiltrate the group in an effort to gather evidence and help build a case against him.

Like in the original series about Jeffs, Trust Me centers on survivors and the abuse they, along with many others, including children, endured at the hands of Samuel Bateman and those within his inner circle. It stands as a stark example of how individuals within organized religious groups can exploit positions of authority, distorting faith into a tool for control, manipulation, and the pursuit of their own harmful desires.

It’s horrific, but necessary to see, especially in the time of the Epstein files.