The Wildest Scientology Shockers Of 2017

Don’t get me wrong – no one is saying Elisabeth Moss didn’t deserve the Emmy for her incredible work on The Handmaid’s Tale, because she totally did. It was far and away a stellar performance, one that stuck with me long after the first season ended. Her win at this year’s awards, however, came as a little bit of a surprise, especially since Leah Remini had just nabbed an Emmy for her docuseries exposing the alleged evils of the Church. It initially seemed as though Remini’s win might have hinted at the ATAS condemning Scientology, but Moss’ win evidently trashed that theory (and her speech spawned a whole other batch of Scientology-related theories in the process).

There’s also the poetic twist of Moss, a Scientologist, winning an award for The Handmaid’s Tale, a series that sees the toxic effects of a cult-like society and its people denied religious freedom and rights to their own bodies. (Scientology has been accused of a slew of human rights violations, including forced abortions).

Stream The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu

Back in 2016, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office started their investigation into claims of whether or not The Ranch actor Danny Masterson had raped at least four women. Despite “overwhelming evidence”, the case has stalled, and Scientology has seemingly protected Masterson for years by submitting affidavits intended to disprove these women’s claims. For a while, it appeared as though no action would be taken on Netflix’s part when it came to removing Masterson from the platform’s sitcom – but after an exec from the streaming service told one of the accusers that Netflix didn’t believe the accusations, the company moved pretty darn swiftly to distance themselves from both Masterson and the executive.

It’s shocking that it took so long for any action to be taken on behalf of Netflix (the accusations have been public for some 9 months), and even more baffling that Scientology has been covering up for the actor for so long. It’s definitely not the last we’ll hear about this strange case.

Stream The Ranch on Netflix

This technically began last year, but the multi-episode investigation of podcast duo Ross Blocher and Carrie Poppy on their show Oh No Ross and Carrie into the Church of Scientology is some truly bonkers stuff. From taking auditing courses to getting kicked out of events once their intentions are discovered, the 9-episode arc delivers quite the experience – with a touch of humor for good measure.

Since getting the boot from the Church for their podcasting ways, the pair has interviewed My Scientology Movie‘s Louis Theroux, former Scientologist Chris Shelton, and even returned to the Church earlier this month for another round of excitement. What’s wonderful about Oh No Ross and Carrie is just how personal it is – you don’t feel like you’re getting a regurgitation of facts you’ve already heard, and the twists and turns throughout the investigation are nerve-wracking and suspenseful! (Plus, you immediately feel like you’re best friends with them. And Ross sounds exactly like Adam Scott.)

Listen to Oh No Ross and Carrie 

With so many Scientology documentaries out in the world, it seemed impossible to make one that might shake up the formula, but with My Scientology Movie, Louis Theroux does just that. After realizing that he’s not going to get anywhere with gaining access to the Church, Theroux decides to do his own thing. With the help of former Inspector General of the Church Marty Rathbun, Theroux embarks on an investigation of his own, casting actors as key figures from the Church and reenacting some of the most horrifying alleged tales of abuse out there.

It’s painful to watch Rathbun reckon with all the pain he’s caused and the abuse he’s still suffering, and a necessary reminder of the alleged skeletons in the Church’s closets that still haunt their former members. There aren’t any particularly new revelations that emerge over the course of My Scientology Movie, but watching Theroux, Rathbun, and the rest of the crew be harassed by member of the Church is simultaneously chilling and infuriating. From scene to scene, the film is remarkably compelling – and adds a much-needed layer of humanity to the experience of those who have been victimized.

Where to Stream My Scientology Movie 

It’s hard to pinpoint any one moment from the second season of Leah Remini’s award-winning docuseries, because so much of it was so massively important. With her co-host (and former Executive Director of the Office of Special Affairs in the Church of Scientology) Mike Rinder, Remini interviews all kinds of former Church members, and and it’s incredibly harrowing. From sexual abuse and parental negligence to violation of child labor laws and separating families, the way Remini shines a light on these horrific acts manages to remain sensitive and responsible, a rare feat on a series of this kind. It’s jaw-dropping stuff, the kind of thing that you hope only happens in fiction – but hearing the words come out of these survivors’ mouths couldn’t make it more real.

Remini stated at the end of the first season that she was tired of just documenting things and wanted to take action, and the second season only sees her progress down that path. While we cannot be made privy to most of what happens behind closed doors due to legal reasons, Remini’s persistence and refusal to stop speaking out has ensured that this “cult” and its alleged abuses remain part of the zeitgeist.

Where to Stream Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath