It feels like documentary fans have been waiting through a bit of a quiet period on Netflix since the release of the last docuseries or two that really got everyone talking. But that’s certainly over now, with not one but two such titles currently dominating the streamer’s daily Top 10 chart in the US — and they’re both doozies, covering the cult-like group behind certain TikTok personalities as well as an infamous website that enables extramarital affairs.
Strap in, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about these two new docuseries, starting with the title that’s currently the top-ranked Netflix TV series in the US at the moment.
Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult (#1 on Netflix)
This first Netflix documentary series is actually #1 on the streaming giant in the US as of this writing. And it has a connection to TikTok, in that it includes dancers who garnered a big following of the platform. It also features allegations of brainwashing and extreme religious teachings — which might explain why this series has picked up so much viewership that it’s dominating Netflix more than any other TV show right now.
From the official Netflix summary: “After TikTok dancers join a management company and its associated church, unsettling details and their dark realities come to light.”
According to a report from The Daily Beast, the company 7M Films that the documentary’s title makes reference to has a pastor who teaches about preparing for the “end of days” and who also owns several related companies, including one responsible for a Meghan Markle movie.
At the center of the story here are the Wilking sisters, Miranda and Melanie — both of them passionate dancers since childhood. They found success on social media, saw their TikTok follower count shoot sky high, and eventually the lucrative brand partnership offers started rolling in. “In 2019, however, Miranda started spending more time with members of the church-affiliated talent-management company that represented her, pulling away from her close-knit family,” Netflix explains.
“Eventually, she cut off contact with them, leading her loved ones to believe there was more happening behind the scenes.”
Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal (#9 on Netflix)
Next up is a look at the scandal around the infamous Ashley Madison website, which rose to prominence for its focus on facilitating extramarital affairs.
The entire business model of the site was built around a six-word mantra: “Life is short. Have an affair.” Thanks to media attention and the salaciousness attached to the brand, the business eventually started raking in millions of dollars — before it abruptly came crashing back to earth. In the new Netflix docuseries, interviews with former employees and clients explain what happened after a leak exposed millions of the site’s secrets.
“We all know infidelity can be incredibly destructive and hurtful, but at the same time, the fact that Ashley Madison had 37 million members tells us something else we all know — that committing to one person for the rest of your life is really hard,” series director Toby Paton told Netflix. “Rather than berating people who joined Ashley Madison, we were much more interested in exploring why they were drawn to the site. What were they looking for? What was going on in their relationships? And, crucially: What was their partner’s side of the story?”
