Plot Synopsis

Directed by Marian Mohamed, CULT MASSACRE: ONE DAY IN JONESTOWN is a three-part documentary that tells the story of an idealistic religious organization led by the infamous Jim Jones, who set out to establish a utopian community in Guyana. What began as a peaceful movement seeking social justice ultimately spiraled into a mass casualty that left 918 dead. Told by survivors and eyewitnesses, along with rare footage and rare recordings of Jones, the powerful series takes an immersive look into the final harrowing hours leading up to one of America's darkest chapters. CULT MASSACRE features first-person accounts from former Peoples Temple members, including Thom Bogue, Leslie Wagner Wilson and Yulanda Williams; former member of Congress and aide to U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan Jackie Speier; former Washington Post foreign correspondent Charles Krause; former Special Ops Air Force Sgt. David Netterville, who was among the first of three U.S. service members to enter Jonestown in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy and has never spoken about his experience for a documentary before; and Jim Jones' son, Stephan Jones. All three installments of CULT MASSACRE: ONE DAY IN JONESTOWN dropped on Monday, June 17, 2024 on Hulu:

"The Promised Land": In the tumultuous 1970s America, Jim Jones is a charismatic church leader, preaching social justice to his growing, diverse congregation. To escape the inequities of the U.S., he sets up Jonestown, a utopian commune in the Guyanese jungle, but shocking rumors of abuse make their way to California's Rep. Ryan and reporters. Within 24 hours of visiting, they discover their presence is unwelcome.

"How Very Much I've Loved You": Tensions in Jonestown are at an all-time high after a knife-wielding Temple member attacks Rep. Ryan. Fearing more violence, the congressman and his group hurry out of Jonestown as quickly as possible. Some Temple members come forward to leave with the visitors, desperate for safe passage out of the remote commune. As the group attempts to leave, Jim Jones has other sinister plans.

"Paradise Lost": Shocking news of the mass murder-suicide in Jonestown reaches the U.S. The White House dispatches the Special Forces to stop the unfolding crisis and locate Jim Jones. Upon arrival, a scene of unimaginable horror confronts them, but hundreds of Jonestown residents are missing, prompting a desperate search for survivors who may have fled into the jungle.
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CULT MASSACRE: ONE DAY IN JONESTOWN made its linear television debut on Wednesday, August 14, 2024 from 8-11pm ET/PT on National Geographic Channel, which aired all three episodes back to back.