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Not sure if anyone posted this yet but I remember this case: https://nypost.com/2023/08/05/oregon-man-negasi-zuberi-accused-of-locking-woman-in-makeshift-cell-appeared-on-judge-judy-using-alias/

Binged the whole season and just finished the reunion. I enjoyed it but thought it was a bit odd. I mean, they had 10 people so they had to match 5 couples. Some were extreme mismatches. Aussie and Mildred were a mismatch out of the gate, Sam and Tiff were the couple that had to be matched because they wouldn't match Tiff with Aussie. Once Lexi discovered what trash Vanessa was, the only one left to put her (Vanessa) with was Rae. Clearly three of the couples were placed out of necessity. The other two couples seemed very real throughout. I could not get into the stories of the others because of the mismatches. I thought Mal was manipulative. "I know stuff about her.... I stuck with her through xyz," as if that entitles you to be the one. It felt as though she believed Yoli was her property simply because of longevity, not because they were soul mates. Xander was one of the most genuine people I have ever seen on a reality program. Since both she and Vanessa came out while they were with their high school boyfriends, I think Xander didn't have much experience and stayed with Vanessa because it was a comfort zone. I totally agree with Lexi's assessment that Vanessa went into this thinking Xander would hang back and have nothing to do with anyone and would come back to Vanessa. You could see how uncomfortable Xander was initially in the show on dates. But once she loosened up and saw that there were others out there that should could gravitate towards, she found herself. Vanessa did not like that. Vanessa was such a phony, toxic person. I wish Xander happiness. She genuinely seemed to experience so much growth throughout the season. I can see the two timing element she engaged in, but I really don't think she did anything with malice but was naive and just inexperienced.

I know this is an old post but the new one got me here so I scrolled up a little, saw this, and immediately heard in my head: FOOOOOFY FOOOOOOO!

I watched all three episodes today. Hated the rapper. The three of them were just embarrassing to watch. Their performances were cringeworthy in the extreme. There was a lot to this documentary but the biggest takeaway was that it's a rigged game. Robinhood, the company that was sold as an onramp for investing for the little guy, was beholden to Citadel. They and other brokerages that halted the ability to buy GameStop stock and caused it to crash were engaged in market manipulation. And what happened to them for doing that? Nothing.

Is it the pretty guy from last season who had the super secret locked closet that no one was allowed to enter? I'm torn on watching this. I usually enjoy season 1 of these types of shows because they are more real. Once they get noticed on season 1, the thirsty fame whore button is pressed and subsequent seasons just feel as though there's a whole lot of acting going on. Not surprised in the least to read here that Aparna hasn't changed a bit.

I am going to watch this as soon as I can. Before doing that, I have to say that while watching that situation unfold at the time, all I could think of was if this happened in America, you'd have people screaming into television cameras in hysterics demanding that the authorities do their job, would "cancel" the coach and demand his head, and would have lawsuits against anyone and everyone. What I saw when watching this unfold were parents who let the rescuers do their job and didn't decide that they should win the lottery because their kids acted like, well, kids... Maybe these programs will show hysterical parents but at the time I remember being in awe of their ability to be civilized: something we don't see much of here. I remember reading that the coach taught the kids to meditate to get through it. As soon as the first rescuers arrived, the kids said, "Thank you for coming for us," or "saving us." Somehow, I can't see a group of American 12 year olds being similar in any way to these Thai kids.

She seemed completely strung out during the whole series. I found it interesting that she had no clue what was going on there and no idea that there are "hidden" FB messages. Okay. Sounds like she loved the attention of being with someone worshipped by so many. I know it's a tender subject and I feel for all of these women, but the affect of a lot of them just seems kind of eerie to me.

Just finished watching this and am still processing but was very disappointed to read at the end that there is no federal law regarding stealing these types of images and posting them online.

Finally got a chance to watch this today. Generally, I don't like things that hop back decades and then return to the present and prefer straight line past to present type docs. Also, I am a very fast reader, but some of the black screens of text (I'm sure there is a name for them but I don't know what it is) went off the screen so quickly that I was unable to finish reading what they said. This was especially prevalent during the early interview with the two people who ran the church in Kiev. I learned everything I needed to know about Lentz (and other pastors of these types of places) from the preachersnsneakers guy. When the pastor walks around in outfits that cost more than many parishoners' total net worth, something is going on there. The image of him walking with Bieber also tells you all you need to know. People need to believe in something. Vulnerable people want to feel like they belong. Others just want to belong to the latest fad because they have nothing else to do. Some people are involved in celebrity worship and get off on the "so and so goes here so I am too" type thing. Throw a lot of longing faces-- for various reasons-- into a room with a narcissistic megalomaniac that can see that these people will do anything he demands and it won't take any time at all for the fleecing of the flock to commence. The below covers it all.

My avatar is waving at you. "Get my keys Oveda!" Love it! I saw this episode many years ago and was lucky enough to DVR it but that DVR is long gone. I bought every season of this show on Apple TV and unfortunately that ep was not included. I missed this message so hopefully they will run it again somewhere and I'll get it. I loved the furious guy that dropped a wad of cash on the stairs and said, "I make your paycheck in a day, bitch" to Garfield and Sherry. So many great ones.

I so agree with you. This idea that women are "passed along" to someone else is so disturbing on many levels. They are chattle to be used in any way the elders see fit. "Your husband is no longer here, this is your husband now. Bow to him and keep sweet." I need a shower. It's impossible to believe that the real world does not creep into these religious sects that live off the grid in their own way as people defect from them all the time. These women, like other religious women who have a dozen kids, lack social skills in the real world, and having no resources, are trapped. They fear repercussions if one of their children bails so they discourage it. It's almost like the crabs in the bucket thing. Law enforcement and whomever is responsible for giving law enforcement the power to smash these things up carries a lot of the blame here. If you are allowed to do something in plain sight of the authorities and it's allowed to slide, you up the ante and go a step further, and then even further. This situation did not end with Jeffs imprisonment. It's probably business as usual there and many elders are likely happy that Warren is out of their way. These types of documentaries stay with me for a long time as I sit here sipping tea and thinking that right now, somewhere out there, this is going on.

Did anyone else see the documentary Sons of Perdition from 2010? It was about boys from Short Creek that got thrown out. It was quite compelling. I have to say how impressed I was that these young men were just so incredibly talented construction workers and knew how to operate just about everything. That will serve them well in their careers but the forced labor they likely endured as children makes me very sad. I hope they found happiness. Here is a link about the doc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sons_of_Perdition_(film)

Sam Brower was in this series and his book was excellent. I read it several years ago: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11489698-prophet-s-prey

I've watched and read so much on these people that I didn't learn anything new, but it is a situation in which you cannot look away. There was a scene in which an older woman said she had never heard of very young girls being married and in the next frame was a pic of her after having delivered a baby, the mother of whom looked to be about 12. I get the whole idea that these people are brainwashed at birth, but if you deny something is happening, then you know it's wrong. If this is your belief system, then own it. Say nothing but outright lying elevates you from victim to someone who is aiding and abetting child rape. Warren Jeffs, raped a 12 year old girl on a bed in the "church" in front of the congregation and recorded the audio of it, probably many times. They did not include in this program (unless I missed it) the part of the audio in which the little girl says "Thank you" in answer to some question he asked her while he was doing that. I cannot get that out of my mind. I don't care what your wiring is, you cannot possibly be unaware that that is beyond wrong and claim you don't know any better. They prep their daughters for this life and have no reaction when they cry and beg and plead not to be handed off at 12 to some 60 year old pervert.

I think Kylen's attitude towards her parents throughout the season was designed to signal to Jason that he's her number one and it's them against the world, she only needs him, etc. She can't let on at all that she cares about her parents (or anyone) because Jason views devotion/love/whatever as a zero sum game. She has none of her own thoughts, views or opinions anymore. She just reacts to situations based on "What would Jason want to hear?" or "What should I say to avoid the wrath of Jason?" So sad for such a young woman to think that is the way to live.