Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults backdrop

TV ShowEndedHBO MaxDocumentaryCrime

Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults

2020 · 45m per ep · TV-MA · English · United States of America

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.

6.8(46 reviews)

3.0594% popularity

At a glance

Details

First air date: Dec 3, 2020
Last air date: Dec 3, 2020
Status: Ended
Seasons: 1
Episodes: 4
Episode runtime: 45m
Original language: English
Country: United States of America
Network / platform: HBO Max
Creator / showrunner: —
Certification: TV-MA
Production companies: CNN Original Series, Campfire Studios

Where to watch

Streaming availability has not been added yet.

Keywords

castrationcultufoaliennew agemass suicidedoomsdayreligious cultritual suicideascensioncultistsufo cultbarbiturates

Seasons & episodes

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

Media

Reviews & ratings

6.8

46 community reviews

AR
Alex Rivera5.8/103/18/2026
Binge-worthy
Every episode leaves you wanting more. The character arcs are exceptional.
52 found helpful
JK
Jordan Kim6.8/103/14/2026
Peak television
One of the best shows in its genre — tightly written and beautifully acted.
44 found helpful
SP
Sam Patel7.800000000000001/103/10/2026
Must-watch series
The season finales alone are worth the watch.
36 found helpful
ML
Morgan Lee5.8/103/6/2026
Brilliant writing
Gripping from the first scene. Already recommending to everyone.
28 found helpful
CW
Casey Wong6.8/103/2/2026
Slow burn payoff
Takes a few episodes to hit stride, then it's unstoppable.
20 found helpful