20 Creepy, Thrilling, Terrifying, and Just Plain Weird TV Shows About Cults

It's all right there in the title! The seventh season of the horror anthology takes place in the aftermath of the 2016 US presidential election, with some alarming twists. Everything from political and racial violence to a murder spree involving clowns show up, all tied to a powerful man who slowly and effectively launches a misogynistic cult.

After two percent of the world's population disappears suddenly, the resulting social upheaval leads to the rise of several different cults in this sci-fi drama. Different people join different cults, seeking answers in a world that has changed rapidly, but each group has its own terrifying secrets that tear apart friends, neighbours, and families.

Based on a novel, this eerie drama series follows a teenager who escapes from a cult, only to end up in prison and suspected of knowing the truth about the murder of the cult leader. As an FBI cult expert investigates, the story takes plenty of twists and turns as it reveals more about the cult members and how they came to be true believers.

Part of the A&E Investigates series, this documentary miniseries covers a wide variety of cults, fringe religious movements, and other similar organisations. Seven episodes are dedicated to investigating individual groups, from NXIVM to the Twelve Tribes and more. The other two episodes share the stories of survivors, as told directly by them.

Over the course of two seasons, Deadly Cults investigates a number of cults, all linked to violent crimes, disappearances, and even murders. From well-recognised groups to bizarre fringe cults, they're all linked by unusual beliefs, charismatic leaders, and devotion that leads to violence.

The Emmy-winning documentary investigates the history of Scientology, its founder, and its exploitations. Over the course of two hours, the filmmakers interview former members to learn how and why they joined (and left), reveal some of the true history behind the organisation's founding, and uncover allegations of misconduct, abuse, blackmail, and exploitation that former members say are par for the course in the secretive group.

From the 1970s to the 1990s, the Heaven's Gate cult attracted followers with promises of spiritual ascension and an assortment of alien and UFO-related beliefs. HBO Max's docuseries investigates the cult's origins, its leaders, and how its followers were eventually led to an infamously tragic end.

This documentary is a firsthand account of one man's experiences within the Buddhafield cult. After rising up through the ranks and becoming the cult's official documentarian, he left it all behind. Now, he and other former members share their experiences and reveal the odd and often abusive practices of the cult and its leader.

Leah Remini is among the most recognisable celebrities to leave Scientology, and she's focussed much of her efforts in the years since on uncovering what really happens in that secretive organisation. A&E's multi-season docuseries dives into the beliefs and practices of Scientology, as well as its hidden abuses and the stories of people who have left or who have lost loved ones to the organisation.

Perhaps one of the most high-profile entries on this list, The Vow is a comprehensive investigation of NXIVM, the abusive cult that masqueraded as a self-empowerment group. The series includes investigations into founder Keith Raniere and celebrity member Allison Mack, plus interviews with former members detailing exactly what went on at each level of the cult.

The Netflix docuseries traces the Rajneeshpuram movement, a town in Oregon entirely settled by followers of the controversial guru Rajneesh. In the 1980s, conflicts erupted between the cult and the surrounding community (as well as power struggles within the cult itself), culminating in a series of crimes and even a massive bioterror attack.