The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping is a 2024 American true crime documentary series, directed by Katherine Kubler. It follows Kubler and former classmates of hers from the Academy at Ivy Ridge, a behavior modification facility that was marketed as a boarding school, as they reflect on the allegedly abusive conditions they experienced in the program and the lasting trauma.
| The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Documentary |
| Directed by | Katherine Kubler |
| Music by | Gia Margaret |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Brooke Workneh |
| Cinematography | Peter Castagnetti |
| Editors |
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| Running time | 61–66 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | March 5, 2024 |
Premise edit
Katherine Kubler, alongside her classmates from Academy at Ivy Ridge, reflect on and describe the horrors they experienced during their time in the program and how they coped with it.
Episodes edit
| No. | Title | Directed by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Where The F**k Am I?" | Katherine Kubler | March 5, 2024 |
| 2 | "Mind Control" | Katherine Kubler | March 5, 2024 |
| 3 | "Follow the Money" | Katherine Kubler | March 5, 2024 |
Production edit
After attending Academy at Ivy Ridge, Katherine Kubler wanted to make a documentary after seeing a lack of resources available to explain what had happened to her.[2]
Reception edit
Critical reception edit
On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[3]
Joel Keller of Decider praised the series writing: "The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping does a good job of showing the harrowing conditions at the Academy at Ivy Ridge and other disciplinary schools, while also showing the resiliency of the people who were sent there and endured those condition."[4] Nick Schager of The Daily Beast also praised the series writing: "Presents a terrifying insider's view of the institution and the lasting damage on those who attended."[5]
See also edit
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References edit
- ^ "Video: "The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping" - Official Trailer - Netflix". The Futon Critic. February 21, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ B. Waxman, Olivia (March 5, 2024). "How Netflix's The Program Docuseries Exposes the Troubled Teen Industry". Time. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ "The Program: Cons Cults and Kidnapping: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ Keller, Joel (March 5, 2024). "Stream It or Skip It: 'The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping' on Netflix, a Docuseries Where Former Students Revisit a Disciplinary School That Was a Torture Chamber". Decider.com. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ Schager, Nick (March 5, 2024). "An Abusive, Cult-Like School for 'Troubled Teens' Gets Exposed". The Daily Beast. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
