The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping (2024) User Reviews

Thats how a documentary should be done

[danielleshaffi · 8/10 · 10 March 2024]

Documentaries are so alike that we start feel like once we've watched one we've watched them all. There was just something different about this one.. maybe its because it was created by the people who went through these horrid things. It has a personal touch to it that no one else would really be able to shine light upon.

Even though 3 episodes is plenty and there wasn't really much else to be said at the moment, I was left wanting more. I want to know if justice was served or if any of the children there today can be set free.

I hope this show go viral so the people behind the camps can be stopped and all current victims can be saved.

First hand experience

[yaboyromeo · 7/10 · 6 March 2024]

I think this was a pretty good show, but one thing I will say is this stuff goes on all over the U. S still till this day. I was in group homes and foster care from age of 9 until 18 and many went on a point system. Things kids are in those homes to get away from go on in those homes. I've physically fought staff members because I refused to be bullied. Staff members sleep with some of the kids sexually and all. It's crazy. They kicked me out when I turned 18 in an area hours away from my home town and I had to figure it out. I'm great now my own family, land, and home. They fail, I made it...

Well done

[wac85 · 8/10 · 10 March 2024]

To the reviews picking this and Katherine apart, I don't think that's necessary and you have sort of missed the point, and also yourself being VERY judgemental and a lot of nasty pasty's out there too, maybe check yourselves.

Katherine has made this documentary and has gone on to say within it, that she isn't a 'journalist' - however she has done her very well darn best in putting together this doco in an an amazing effort in recovering evidence of the shocking scam and abuse, and followed through with what she always intended to do, which is clearly a part of her healing process. She has provided a sense of justice by showing the world her story for all of the children under these abhorrent types of institutions.

She's not pretending to be anything, she is being herself and also achieved a huge success in sticking to her guns and following through getting to the bottom of such an ordeal, that takes bravery, guts and huge determination. Also going to film school, making a doco - lands on Netflix. Anyone done anything of that cailbre recently? (Congrats if you have been kicking goals too!)

She has slayed her dragon, and she is amazing for doing so and nothing less. So get off her case and your high horses because you expect her to be a 60 minute reporter or something and not appreciating the beauty of the documentary exactly as it is, it's incredible in my opinion that's she's achieved it.

She has done an amazing job, and should be congratulated.

Also to those who say they must have been there for a reason and implying they are probably fundamentally f up, sure! Kids act out - and they are not 'playing the victim' - this is mostly always due to trauma, and back in those days, there was NO discussions around adolescent mental health and trauma informed care like there is now! It simply was not there. Nothing. People were not as educated on it back then. There wasn't all the mental health buzz words and jargon and support and online help and awareness like there is these days for adolescents. Kids aren't just 'naughty' - there is always a reason.

My father sent me away to boarding school at 15 for punishment for being 'hard to control' when in reality I was being abused with violence due to his alcoholism and I simply struggled with that so I 'acted out' by fighting back because it wasn't okay. Black eyes and harsh physical violence when intoxicated, but the adult in the situation created the narrative of 'hard to control' rather then take ownership of alcoholism and abuse and providing an unstable environment for me to cover up his own bs. Anyway that took an unexpected detour!

I loved hearing her say in the Church did you want to say that outside so you aren't lying in the Church to the reverend 🤣💪👊🏻 bam!

That woman who bought her breakfast was guilty as sin and had snake written all over her.

To all the people who experienced this, I see you and I'm so sorry you suffered like that.

The missing puzzle piece to my strained relationship with my sister.

[mvb-37703 · 10/10 · 6 March 2024]

I began the documentary with the idea that I'll get to learn more about the programs Paris Hilton keeps mentioning, instead I revisited a suppressed memory.

When I was about 7 years old I recall my half sister being in and out of my life. The time we did spend together she was the funniest person I knew and I would normally feel excited to have her around. I remember her mother coming to pick her up one day after she had spent over a year with us and told my father she had a "contingency plan" in place in case she began acting out again. My sister was 14 years old, she was rebellious on paper but nothing that could not be managed since my parents had proven in the last year that she was just starving for attention and got her to change. However, her mother thought otherwise.

A month later her mother contacted my father to let him know that she was going off to a "behavior modification program" and that she would pay for it. My father reluctantly agreed and off my sister went. The next time I saw her I was 12 years old and she was a shell of the girl I remembered. Yes, we were both older by now but something was different beyond normal aging, she was hurt.

Today she does not speak to my dad despite him stating he would have intervened sooner had he known. It took this documentary for me to connect the dots on why she stopped keeping in touch and cut off her parents. As a child, things are explained on a surface level, "your sister was a broken kid due to a divorce and now she resents the world". I never even contemplated it was the program she was sent to, even though I now can connect how that was what ultimately broke her.

After finishing the documentary I questioned my dad about the "special school" she was sent to and he had a difficult time even explaining it, instead he summarized it to "a reformatory".

Today I am 33 years old and even though I am grateful that I did not suffer from the same fate as my sister, I feel guilty for not learning of this sooner. I can only hope she is willing to speak to me one day again.

Thank you all who participated in this documentary, it was not your fault.

"You're not a victim for sharing your story.

You are a survivor setting the world on fire with your truth. And you never know who needs your light, your warmth, and raging courage." -Alex Elle.

A stark and raw look at the underbelly of youth "rehabilitation."

[josborn5136 · 10/10 · 6 March 2024]

I would absolutely rate this a 10 out of 10. Aside from the absolute cruelty that has happened and still happens to thousands upon thousands of teens, the filmmaker was extremely well prepared and this was an amazing portrayal of these particular cons, cults and kidnappings. I am very glad that she, along with the others in the documentary series, brought this issue to the fore. Investigative, emotional and riveting, throughout all three episodes. The storytelling was done very well, and as disturbing as it was, it really shines a light on these toxic and dangerous programs. I have a few ideas of how, as a group, we could try to shut these places down, so reach out to me if you'd like. I was a woman, I want to see these people pay for their evils. Thank you for bringing this issue to the public. These programs have been going on for far too long. I was born in the late 60s, and I remember some back then. Parents are also brainwashed into thinking these programs are good. These people are swindlers , sociopaths and con men. I want to see justice. This Netflix documentary will certainly do that.

First Hand Personal Experience- This is 100% Accurate

[kristen_Sus · 5 March 2024]

As someone who was to a school with the exact same structure (Cross Creek in Utah), from 1997-1998, I can confirm that every detail about the schools setup is completely accurate. I never experienced abuse, or saw anyone being abused, to the degree these women did, but I do believe that it existed in other, similar "schools". From levels 1-6, with the privileges of makeup and shaving being earned after level 3, to the school's education structure, with independent learning and the requirement that we pass all exams with 80%+ to advance in a subject.

I was lucky. I had a wonderful group leader/therapist who cared immensely. I learned so much and grew emotionally, but I can also see how those that didn't have the same experience would have left with so much trauma. And it didn't mean that the bulk of my experience wasn't anywhere from terrifying to extremely uncomfortable.

I'm glad that the parts of these programs that are corrupt are being exposed, and that their insane shield of secrecy has been pierced. I hope this brings some sense of peace to the many that need it.

A compelling and riveting account of horrific child abuse...

[mdw0526 · 7/10 · 15 March 2024]

We don't have kids, so I can't truly put myself in the place of a parent, but I was absolutely stunned watching this latest docuseries from Netflix. It boggles the mind that parents could be so easily duped and willingly turn their teenagers, no matter how troubled, over to these grifters and malcontents. Compelling and riveting, the 3-episode series describes the psychological and physiological torture teenagers were put under in the name of helping them straighten out at a "behavioral modification" boarding school. But it's not just one school and it's still happening. I'm thinking about the show days after finishing and horrified that this type of child abuse happens way too frequently.

Well prepared, well executed

[sandrarollings · 10/10 · 6 March 2024]

This did not expect this documentary to touch me the way it did. I spent 12 month at Casa by the Sea. I Find it funny that another reviewer compared the tactics to the military and so stated it was difficult to be sympathetic. I served 7 years in the Army, with two deployments to Iraq, one of those being attached to an infantry unit. I'm also a firefighter. I've seen a lot. I would rather relive any other point in my life than that program. If you haven't been in it, you can't speak to it. What this documentary does so well, is that it does not whine and say that no one understands why are parent could resort to sending their child to a program. What it DOES to is explain why they are harmful, and usually, don't have the intended outcome. From the lack of credible staffing, programming, mental abuse, physical abuse (which I did not sustain, but I also am not surprised), and financial corruption, this documentary does a great job of fulfilling its intent. To inform.

Insane story, weird delivery

[xkdsy · 6/10 · 10 March 2024]

Obviously, the school should've been shut down and the teachers should have been prosecuted for their inhumane actions towards these kids. I do get an odd feeling that these people are trying to convince me that this happened, as if we don't believe them. I really don't quite know how to explain what I mean. Is it the way that it's edited? It feels like random interviews supposed together about how horrible people treated them. It feels kind of like a YouTube compilation of conversations by people who were traumatized at one point and are trying to act it out years later. I get it, it sucked, you have a Netflix documentary, we believe you, there's footage. They really should've done this from a dateline type of perspective. Have somebody like Lester Holt explain the stories and the history of the school. Have him interview people. I don't know, I had a kind of a hard time getting through this because of the way it was put together. I really do feel for these kids though. Looks like it was complete Hell in that school.

Accurate on every level.

[hhompstead · 10/10 · 6 March 2024]

If you have ever wondered what being sent to a residential treatment center, Katherine Kubler encapsulates that feeling so accurately, I was transported back to my own experiences in the Troubled Teen Industry. This was so thoroughly researched and thought out. The connections between Synanon, WWASP programs and the Litchfield family and the LDS Church really show how complex and multifaceted this vile industry is. Thank you to the survivors who participated in the creation of this docuseries and to the people who worked tirelessly to make this happen. You will change lives with this. We are Unsilenced!

Subject matter is important but docuseries is poor.

[jack_e-25042 · 6/10 · 12 March 2024]

This is a poorly made series and some of it feels forced. If it wasn't such an important topic I probably would have skipped it. The behavior of the group making this lends to a bit unprofessional. The foul language was unnecessary to get the point across and the dancing and drinking made it seem more of a revenge film than a documentary. Having watched one of these from Canada involving the kidnapping and death of many indigenous kids put into a facility and badly abused, this pales in comparison. Regardless of the quality it is a weighty subject that affected thousands of children and still happens in ours and many other countries and therefore deserves investigation and exposure if warranted.

This one will stick with me awhile...

[JK-WhatsUpWeirdoPodcast · 10/10 · 7 March 2024]

Really skillfully done, and surprisingly very hopeful and endearing throughout. These girls could be anyone you know, and they have such beautiful, strong spirits. I'm so glad to see that hasn't been ripped from them completely. I loved the heavy dashes of F you: the inside church audio, the gutsy phone calls to past workers, and the One Way or Another part. ;) How brazen of these absolute criminals to leave behind all their evidence, that really speaks to how above the law they feel they are. I'm glad it was all there to be found, I wish happiness and abundance to all who survived, and anxiously await the downfall of every wretched person who contributed to this nightmare.

Important documentary, but disappointedly put together

[tedwardsx4 · 6/10 · 12 March 2024]

I'm being generous with a 6, maybe its closer to 5. I was looking forward to watching based on the high rating it has on imdb as I love documentaries. Unfortunately I found the documentary to be poorly put together. Don't get me wrong, I feel horrible for what these kids had to go through and there was definitely something sinister going on here. I just didn't enjoy the narrator, the lack of cohesive interviews. It would have been much better with some parent interviews, maybe someone from the actual school. There is no doubt some of these kids were troubled, one spoke of using heroin during high school. Unfortunately it all came out flat for me.

Needed editing

[josietuex · 5/10 · 11 March 2024]

The story needs to be told and I did learn a lot but I think it would have been better in half the time. Too much time spent trying to convince us what they are saying is true. We believe you, we want more details. I also think more follow-up would be helpful, like ok this happened, now what is being done about it? It was interesting being done by the people who experienced it, but I think it would have been even better if an actual journalist/ reporter asked the questions of them and then did more follow-up directly to the people responsible to put them on the spot. I think because they were in it they are not able to see it from the audience view and the extra questions we have. Like, ok you weren't allowed to talk but you must have found some secret way to communicate? Could you sneak notes to each other? What happened if you were sick? Were you allowed to cover the windows so you couldn't be accused of looking out.

Eye opening

[hannahjbiggs · 10/10 · 5 March 2024]

My husband and I watched this in horror in 1 sitting and I felt compelled to leave a review. We can't believe how awful these places are and the fact ITS STILL HAPPENING and none of these literal child abusers are being held to account. They have - and are continuing - to torture thousands of children and just getting away with it and making millions whilst doing it. That's just America I guess.

The documentary itself was very well directed and it made me tear up on multiple occasions. Katherine is brilliant and I'm pleased she's managed to create something good (this doc) out of a terrible trauma.

Heartbreaking and Eye Opening

[oliviacutler · 10/10 · 8 March 2024]

This documentary is extremely hard for me to watch.

I have never been in a program myself but my younger sister who has had behavioral issues her entire life was sent to one when I was 18, she was 14 or 15 at the time.

She went in to Willow Springs In Nevada for about 3-4 months. I lived in California at the time and was not allowed to know the specifics of the facility, only that it was in Nevada. My mom hid it from me and my older sister until she was out because she didn't want us visiting her. Now I am not saying that willow springs is anything like Ivy Ridge but my sister has always had a special hate towards my mom ever since then.

I haven't had a relationship with my sister much since then either and now I feel like I need to throw up...and also call my sister and take her to lunch.

I remember thinking my sister needed this program to help her, because that's what my mother told me.

Now after watching I realized my mother was just as brainwashed as those poor kids in the documentary.

Wish I could thank the maker for opening my eyes to the cruelty of these places.

Nothing new...and over long to get there

[bczech-46-485595 · 6/10 · 7 March 2024]

The stories of these programs that abused and tortured kids are not new. I have seen several before. And a big problem I have with them is not the kids (who are in many ways part of the problem) but for the parents who abdicated any responsibility to their children. That they had enough money to throw their children away to these "schools" in hopes of reprogramming their children. It's disgusting.

This is a watchable documentary but it suffers in many ways.

First, it suffers from this modern need to stretch a documentary to 3 or 4 hours, or longer, by pumping it full of repeated commentary and "evidence".

Second, it suffers from the fact that the former "students" were the creators of the documentary. Bravo! For rising above the experience but should they be the ones to drive the content of the doc?

Third, it fails to acknowledge the end results. While many of the former "students" suffered at the hands of the "administration", many of them appear to be well rounded and responsible members of society. Is that the impression they were trying to give in the doc? Or is that reality? And how were they able to overcome this trauma?

Don't get me wrong. The overall production is good. The information is good but it is over long for the results produced.

first i must mention...

[ops-52535 · 10/10 · 6 March 2024]

That im a grumpy old man, and without any knowledge of wwasp, or troubled teens programs in the usa other than from feature comedy films, my initial thought was that this was a weeping girl revenge documentary, so im sorry , i was wrong (im norwegian, an overcontrolled socalled benign to children country for real)

its a flat out disturbing discovery documentary about greed, child abuse and parental neglect at a sky high level, and they are even being robbed financially for their efforts to make a responsibel adult out of my troubled child...

its ''1984'' in its true sense of being, controlling ,surveilling and punishing kids that wont apply to their homestead rules, and this documentary should be curriculized as a must watch in every federal, state or private building/home in the united states... them kids doesnt even have a qualified degree from their efforts, where are FEMA for disaster control and repatrinative payouts, for lost control of mind and sole...?

A great documentary made, over a hush hush topic, because its so embarrasing for the parents being duped into pure swindle. Make more about the subject, and dont burn them files, those should be kept under the seal of law for everybody to dig in for your future generations...

Real-life horror story of Christian abuse marred by annoying lead

[msghall · 7/10 · 3 April 2024]

Chilling recounting of all-too typical abuse by religious monsters under the guise of caring. In this new era of abuse in all sectors of society, by the Taliban, by the Catholic church, evangelicals, Trump supporters etc., this show is more than timely, perhaps even a precursor to a new world of authoritarian abuse in the name of a deity.

This is not a perfect documentary, however. The main narrator and director is annoying with her whiny, loud voice that gets irritating after the first half hour. She dominates the proceedings and takes away from the impact of the show. I found it hard to totally empathize with her, but not the other victims, because she can be overwhelming too often.

Power to the Survivors

[gghimmel · 10/10 · 7 March 2024]

As a survivor of an adjacent program i am both inspired by these survivor documentarians. As well as humbled in my own experiences. Its not a contest whose program was worse, but this showed me that many people had a different and more brutal experience. I knew they existed, but never knew those program's M. O.s.

This is a bare-boned, no punches withheld, stark exposé of these types of places told by the people who went through it and shows the world, makes real, their own personal experiences. This documentary invalidates the abusers narrative and replaces it with hard evidence of truth. Well done to all of you.

They were victims...sort of...

[caiseejc · 7/10 · 5 March 2024]

I agree with the former "students" and psychologists interviewed that these places are torture - both psychologically and for a few unfortunately even physically - and the way they are should be totally illegal and bring on PTSD even years later. I've first heard of them when my older sister was sent to one for her bad behavior as a teen (drinking, smoking, violence) and I listened on audio Paris Hilton's book describing her experience of them so I was interested in this documentary to see if it's as bad as I heard before, and it's even worse! They were also falsely advertised to parents as being a real school and having some fun activities when that mostly wasn't the case.

However...some of the former students who said why they were sent there to begin with acted like the reasons were no big deal and "normal teen stuff." While the stuff they did to be sent there by their parents - underage drinking and smoking - isn't that uncommon, it's still illegal and unhealthy so I don't totally blame their parents to send them to a boarding school to make sure they get out of those bad habits. Of course these places just weren't where they should have been sent to and shouldn't be around at all, but they weren't sent away for nothing.

Child abuse merchants get exposed

[zack_gideon · 9/10 · 8 March 2024]

This nice little 3 hour Netflix series is basically perfectly executed. Bringing the issue out slowly and then exposing the scumbags who run these paid off (politically) institutions that literally destroy peoples lives.

It's so sad to see how the system allows this literal child abuse scam to go on, even today. So happy Netflix is showing this, it really helps to expose the people that are profiting from torturing children.

I cried at the end, won't say why...but just seeing the damage full-blown abuse does to kids (I was abused) is so easily understood and felt in this really helps to understand how wrong this is.

Next step is to expose all the sleazy money hungry lying politicians who support this stuff and line their pockets while young kids get abused. That should be a whole new documentary. 8.8/10.

Good Documentary

[djclevinger · 7/10 · 8 March 2024]

This is a well put together documentary and insightful. I will say that the main purpose behind programs like this is to rehabilitate troubled children. The producers and stories that are shared never put into the context that these children got there for a reason and simply place all the blame on the program.

There are clear signs of abuse which is unacceptable in any manner. The school should have labeled itself a military type school vs a speciality school for troubled children. Had these children embraced the structure and followed the rules the outcomes most likely would have been different.

Interesting subject matter, poor execution

[datkaa · 5/10 · 13 March 2024]

I appreciate that it's made by the people who experienced the abuse at these "schools" first hand, however, they should've gotten at least some help from professionals as the way the story unravels is all over the place and I as a viewer was pulled in and out of the storyline. It jumps from one thing to another then circles back and you lose the thread.

The people responsible that they speak to are never held accountable either, like Siss or the PR/priest guy, and the girls give up very easily.

It was an interesting concept and definitely important for people to know about this, just think it could've been delivered better!

Validating but very confronting look at the TTI

[sholzer-86110 · 10/10 · 7 March 2024]

Having attended a TTI "Therapeutic Boarding School" in the late 90s which used similar tactics and had a similar philosphy... I found this show to be incredibly validating but hard to watch. They did a fantastic job of mixing in some humor and levity to break up the darkness. Exceptionally well done, and I hope to see a continued outcry against these types of programs which still exist today. Paris Hilton kicked off the "mainstream" coverage of these types of schools (Provo Canyon in her case), and I appreciate the courage it took for everyone involved to bring this story to life. I know it was a long journey to get here. Grateful for the exposure, and for the awareness it will bring.