Over the years Netflix has gained a reputation for producing some of the most chilling true crime documentaries and docuseries. From series killers to cults, this streaming platform has had something for everyone that might frighten one to the very core, The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping is no different.
Viewer discretion is advised for the docuseries as it contains narration of child abuse and lifelong trauma.
The Program isn’t for the faint-hearted. While this docuseries isn’t about a serial killer on death row, it highlights the murder of several childhoods. This docuseries tells the story of Ivy Ridge and a program that robbed children of their innocence. The more you know, the more it sends shivers down your spine, and here’s what we thought about it!
A Chilling Story with Brilliant Narration
One of the most attractive things about Netflix’s latest docuseries The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping is the fact that it isn’t told from the perspective of just one victim, but multiple in the span of three episodes. There are several moments of disbelief during The Program, where it is difficult to comprehend and process the trauma, and one of the main reasons is the different perspectives, stories, and feelings.
The Program tells viewers the reality of the Academy at Ivy Ridge in New York, and this story is told through those who were a part of it at one point in their childhood, as students. Ivy Ridge had been advertised to several parents as a disciplinary school that would help their children, but in the briefest way possible, it was a prison.
Despite only having three episodes, The Program narrates the true story of the trauma faced by children and the aftermath of the same which they have carried for years. Several of them have walked back into the school, to collect evidence and revisit some of their worst memories, resulting in this spine-chilling docuseries.
An Emotional Tale
The Program was informative, shocking, and emotional. This docuseries had several layers to it but focused primarily on what went on at Ivy Ridge and some information about the people behind it all.
here was some archival material and documents that accompanied The Program on Netflix, not only to help provide proof to the viewers but also to help understand the extent of how bad things were.
The Program isn’t everyone’s cup of tea as it is truly an emotionally jarring experience, where you can’t help but feel the pain of the victims who spent all their lives traumatized because of one decision made by their parents after being conned into believing they were doing the right thing.
However, if you can stomach the raw storytelling, The Program, now exclusively streaming on Netflix, definitely deserves a watch.
