The Vow: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

72%

Tomatometer

29 Reviews

62%

Audience Score

100+ Ratings

Following the experiences of people deeply involved in the self-improvement group NXIVM, an organization under siege with charges including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy brought against its highest members and founder Keith Raniere.

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Where to Watch

The Vow — Season 1

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Max

Watch The Vow — Season 1 with a subscription on Max, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

The Vow — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Though The Vow's scope at times exceeds its reach, its empathetic approach to unpacking NXIVM's manipulations and the consequences therein make for necessary, difficult viewing.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (29) Critics Reviews

Alessa Dominguez

BuzzFeed News

You must be very trusting, says one young woman. Not anymore, they reply. And in some ways, despite nine hours of television, that’s as deep as the documentary’s insight gets.

Apr 7, 2022

Full Review

Sophia Stewart

Bitch Media

The documentarians behind The Vow are most interested in the shame and responsibility that NXIVM's whistleblowers feel. They're also uninterested in: coherent timelines; the complicity of Edmonson, Vicente, and others.

Mar 17, 2021

Full Review

Sophie Gilbert

The Atlantic

Without external voices in the mix, The Vow becomes less a documentary series than an artfully made exercise in spinning a story.

Nov 9, 2020

Full Review

Charlotte Harrison

Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies

What this series does so fantastically is destroy the myth of people who believe they're 'too smart' to 'fall for' a cult.

Dec 2, 2020

Full Review

Dave Nemetz

TV Line

The pace at times is agonizingly slow, with lots of footage of Vicente scrolling through his email or Edmondson on the phone. But with all that overkill, it's also badly muddled, missing the big picture story of NXIVM by getting too far in the weeds.

Nov 12, 2020

Full Review

Ian Thomas Malone

ianthomasmalone.com

The Vow provides an illuminating front row seat to the unimaginable, navigating the murky waters of a cult with dignity toward its subjects.

Oct 14, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (45) audience reviews

Mike L Felt more like a show that tries to justify this cult. Those involved dont come across as much more than still enamored by this group Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 05/09/24 Full Review Patti H Riveting and shockingly absurd that this stuff still goes on. Looks like a rerun of Manson before murders began. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/11/23 Full Review Thorkell August O I think people misunderstand this series. If you want the sensational aspect of the case and the facts then watch Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult. If you want to understand why anyone would fall for a cult leader and how someone can get so much control over people then this is as good as it gets. I prefer the latter but then again as a theologian, I'm interested in this question.The Vow does not spoon-feed you. It does not tell you how to feel about any of this. You get different perspectives, even very positive information about NXIVM. It looks like this irritated many people but I think it was very important. How are we going to understand why people fell for this if we don't show the good also? It's not like people join a cult because they believe it is evil. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/02/23 Full Review Mark C Riveting documentary series. One of the best I've seen - up there with The Jinx and The Staircase. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/13/22 Full Review Julie B If it's based on true story, a documentary involving real people involved, I'm watching it. Although long series (including S2), I found it fascinating. Just amazing anyone falls for this stuff, but all come aboard with a fatal flaw. Kudos to the few people who saw early on it was bad situation, and brought attention to it. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 11/24/22 Full Review Audience Member "The Vow" is an incredibly compelling documentary. It a fascinating look into a dark underbelly of society with a malignant narcissist pulling the strings, while being protected by the true believers who were either complicit in or unable or unwilling to see his truly evil nature. The way the story and characters are developed, and bits and pieces of the sordid tale revealed, kept me glued to the screen. It's like being along for the ride in real-time.There is a treasure trove of primary source videos and audio recordings going back almost 20 years, which makes everything so much more real. The series gives a front row, and in-depth view into how cults function, flourish and the damage it ultimately does to so many left it its wake."The Vow" is a brilliant docuseries and highly recommended. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Vow — Season 1

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Jehane Noujaim Director Karim Amer Director Karim Amer Executive Producer Jehane Noujaim Executive Producer Geralyn White Dreyfous Executive Producer Mike Lerner Executive Producer

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Aug 23, 2020 The Science of Joy Mark Vicente and Sarah Edmondson, high-ranking former NXIVM leaders, describe the dream and mission of NXIVM to build a better world; Bonnie Piesse, Mark's wife, tells him she is worried about the organization and leader Keith Raniere. Details Episode 2 Aired Aug 30, 2020 Viscera After seven years, Bonnie leaves NXIVM for Los Angeles and tries desperately to get through to Mark, who reassures her all is well; Mark remains loyal to Keith and NXIVM, but a series of phone calls begins to sow doubt within him. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 6, 2020 At Cause Sarah confides to Mark about DOS, a secret group involving "masters" and "slaves," and struggles in her relationships with NXIVM, her husband and her best friend; Sarah and Mark lament how many members they've recruited and question what to do next. Details Episode 4 Aired Sep 13, 2020 Building Character Mark, Bonnie, Sarah and Nippy strategize with Catherine Oxenberg about how to get her daughter, India, out of DOS, even though she wants to stay; "Jane," India's close friend, describes the appeal of the organization and why she left it all behind. Details Episode 5 Aired Sep 20, 2020 Class 1 Data Catherine believes her daughter is in danger and wants her to come home; when she and the former members are unable to get the attention of the authorities, they approach the New York Times; Mark reflects on his time at NXIVM. Details Episode 6 Aired Sep 27, 2020 Honesty & Disclosure Sarah, Mark and Nippy contact additional news outlets to provoke outrage and pressure law enforcement to pay attention; Barbara Bouchey, a former board member and early defector, reflects on her time in Keith's inner circle. Details Episode 7 Aired Oct 4, 2020 Blame & Responsibility Catherine meets with Frank Parlato to build a dossier of evidence for the New York Attorney General's office. Details Episode 8 Aired Oct 11, 2020 The Wound As the group prepares to testify to the FBI, it reflects on its beliefs regarding the SOP and JNESS curriculums. Details Episode 9 Aired Oct 18, 2020 The Fall Keith hasn't been seen in Clifton Park, N.Y., for weeks; Catherine meets with India; Mark and Bonnie return to Clifton Park for the first time since leaving NXIVM; Sarah, Bonnie, Mark, Nippy and Catherine face a development in the case. Details

More Like This

View All Popular TV on Streaming

98% 26% Leaving Neverland 97% 92% I Love You, Now Die % 100% Unveiled: Surviving La Luz del Mundo 100% 86% Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York TRAILER for Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York 96% 69% I'll Be Gone in the Dark TRAILER for I'll Be Gone in the Dark Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Videos

View All videos

The Vow — Season 1

The Vow: Season 1 Trailer

2:49

The Vow: Season 1 Teaser

1:05

View more videos

Photos

View All The Vow — Season 1 photos

The Vow — Season 1

The Vow

View more photos

Season Info

Director: Jehane Noujaim, Karim Amer
Executive Producer: Karim Amer, Jehane Noujaim, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Mike Lerner, Nina Fialkow, Lyn Davis Lear, Regina K. Scully, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller
Network: HBO
Rating: TV-MA
Genre: Documentary, Crime
Original Language: English
Release Date: Aug 23, 2020