Created by Elise McCredie and Matt Cameron from the 2019 book “In the Clearing” by JP Pomare, “The Clearing” is a psychological thriller series from Australia that can be found on Hulu (Disney+ globally). The plot centres around Adrienne Beaufort/Maitreya (Miranda Otto) and Freya Heywood (Teresa Palmer). Freya was a member of an Adrienne-led cult when she was much younger, and the experience has still traumatised her. Freya starts to believe members of the cult are to blame when a girl goes missing in rural Victoria in the present.
The series’ story weaves a complicated tale of justice, trauma, and atonement as it alternates between the past and the present. Here is a list of suggestions that may be to your taste if you have watched and like the series. ‘The Clearing’ and the majority of these other programmes are available on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
America Horror Story (2011-)
American Horror Story: Cult is another name for the show’s seventh season. The plot, which is set in the fictitious Michigan neighbourhood of Brookfield Heights in 2017, centres on members of a cult terrorising the locals after Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 US Election. Although the cultish behaviour displayed by the show’s protagonists tends more towards surrealism and horror, it is nonetheless brought on by actual events like Trump winning the presidency. ‘American Horror Story: Cult’ is a response to reality, whereas ‘The Clearing’ is more grounded in fact. However, both programmes portray the ways in which cults operate, torture, and terrorise its members.
Devil in Ohio (2022)
A frightening cult is at the heart of the story in “Devil in Ohio,” just like in “The Clearing.” Furthermore, both shows use the relationship between a woman and a mother figure as a crucial story mechanism. The protagonist of “Devil in Ohio” is hospital psychiatrist Dr. Suzanne Mathis, who runs into an unnamed young woman at work. After Suzanne soothes the girl, they begin to bond. The girl eventually says her name is Mae.
Because she has no other family to care for her, Suzanne brings Mae to her house to meet her family. It becomes clear as the series goes on that Mae once belonged to a cult that worshipped the devil. Suzanne grows further distant from her family as she dedicates herself to keeping the girl safe.
Servant (2019-2023)
With M. Night Shyamalan working as executive producer in addition to Tony Basgallop as the film’s creator, “Servant” consistently keeps the viewer in suspense over the existence of the paranormal in its story. The story centres on an urban Philadelphia couple whose little boy appears to die in a horrible accident. Sean buys his wife Dorothy a reborn doll to help her cope with her trauma. Sean employs a nanny when she develops too attached to it. The nanny, or Leanne, is hiding from a cult, but the others are unaware of this. The Church of Lesser Saints in ‘Servant’ holds doomsday-centered beliefs, just like the Kindred. Both groups consider their own leaders to be the Messiah.
The Family (2019)
The Family, an Australian cult, is the subject of the fictionalised account “The Clearing.” The Family, on the other hand, is a documentary series on the Fellowship, or The Family, a conservative Christian organisation. It is a nonprofit, political and religious organisation with U.S. headquarters, but it purposefully avoids the media, therefore much of its existence is cloaked in secrecy. Since its founding by Abraham Vereide in April 1935, the organisation has played a significant influence in US politics, as the series examines.
vil: Watching Amy Lord details the savage murder of 24-year-old Amy Lord in South Boston, Massachusetts, in July 2013. Even though the killer was apprehended by the police hours after the murder, they were horrified to learn Amy was one of the victims. We’ve got your back if you’re curious to learn more about the case, including the name and location of the murderer. So let’s get started, shall we?
The Leftovers (2014-2017)
The majority of the Kindred’s founding ideas are set in a post-apocalyptic world. They are preparing young children to survive on that altered Earth and save humanity from annihilation out of fear that humanity will destroy itself in World War III. After a near-apocalyptic incident in which 2% of the world’s population vanished overnight, the cults in “The Leftovers” came into being. As a result of the old ideas’ inability to offer a plausible explanation for what occurred, they are seen as being out of date. In the absence of traditional beliefs, cults establish themselves in peoples’ daily lives.
The Third Day (2020)
The Third Day, a film by Felix Barrett and Dennis Kelly, depicts the tale of a man and a woman who arrive to Osea Island at different periods and become caught up in the peculiar local traditions. Later on, it is revealed that Sam (Jude Law) and Helen (Naomie Harris) have a common past. In the summer and winter, they come to the island in search of various things. A third installment in the series, titled “Autumn,” links “Summer” and “Winter” to finish the story. Similar to ‘The Clearing,’ the majority of ‘The Third Day’ takes place in a rural setting where the cult rules over every aspect of daily life.
Welcome to Eden (2022-)
Image Source: Netflix/Lucia Faraig The Spanish television series “Welcome to Eden” emphasises that cults target the impressionable and aimless young people, grabbing them before their own particular philosophy takes shape, just like in “The Clearing.” A group of youthful partygoers receive wristbands when they arrive on an enigmatic island in the movie Welcome to Eden. Later, some bracelets begin to glow, and the individuals to whom they belong are given a beverage called Blue Eden. The boat has left without them when they awaken the following morning. The island’s owners invite them to stay there while the boat is away, but soon events take a dark turn and the young people begin to suspect they are being initiated into a deadly cult.
