The Vow / HBO

There has been a recent surge of docuseries’ following the rise and fall of NXIVM- the alleged sex cult/pyramid scheme that was involved in human traffiking. And no wonder. All you have to do is say the words “sex cult” at any gathering and everyone’s ears perk up. “Sex cult, you say? Tell me more.” It’s an instant attention grabber.

Part MLM scheme, part religious order that includes blackmail, branding, and the recruitment of young women for the enjoyment of the group’s CEO, NXIVM is a fascinating study into the type of psyche that would allow this cancer to fester. And while HBO’s The Vow goes deep into the everyday workings and structure of the order, it is a still problematic.

Featuring former members (who dedicated decades of their lives to the teachings of Keith Raniere) telling their stories, The Vow is like a master class in gaslighting. With the mind of Manson inside the body of Bob Denver, Raniere manipulated thousands of people into running away from home and joining his three-ring circus, including Smallville star Allison Mack. But it is only as one gets deeper into the infrastructure of NXIVM, spending more money on classes and completely embracing the doctrine, that it begins to get terrifying.

While the story is compelling, it takes nine episodes to tell the tale which is too drawn out. The show takes its time to focus on individual members and their complex relationship with NXIVM, and the pacing is off, pulling from the effectiveness of the story. The sordid series places attention on too many individuals and puts too much faith in the average American’s ability to stay focused. While The Vow taps directly into the psyche of current events and cult mentality, the storytelling method would have benefited from a heavier hand in the editing room. By the time it reaches its climax, it ends abruptly with little satisfaction for the viewer.

Fargo / FX

The fourth season of FX’s Fargo is another lively period piece that follows gang activity in the Midwest in the 1950s. The series easily fits into the Coen brother repertoire of idiosyncratic crime stories, but it is not without its issues. Set in Missouri back when Warriors-style gangs ruled the streets of St. Louis, the show centers on a bitter battle brewing between crime families. The groups have a fragile truce that can shatter at a moment’s notice. Possible dangers include an internal struggle between the head of the Italian family (Jason Schwartzman) and his newly-arrived brother (Salvatore Esposito), a Mormon lawman from Utah (Timothy Olyphant), and an “angel of mercy” serial killer in a nurse’s uniform (Jessie Buckley), just to name a few. All threaten to throw a wrench into the machine that keeps peace between the rival gangs.

This season follows a template laid out by previous Coen brothers efforts, where everyday oddities and friendly strangers mask potential bloodshed around every corner. The fourth season of the AMC crime show follows this template well, providing rich character development with numerous twists and turns. Entertaining? Sure. But is this “must see TV”? Sadly, no.

While the look of the show and the cast is outstanding (especially Chris Rock in his role as the head of an African-American crime family), the story is somewhat forgettable. With so many moving pieces on this chessboard, it is difficult to connect or invest emotion into the story. If the season had fewer characters, it would have been near perfect. As it is, the viewer’s attention is pulled away every few minutes by a new development, making it hard to care about a particular story arc or character.

ANIMANIACS (Hulu)