Shows Like How to Become a Cult Leader

If you liked How to Become a Cult Leader (2023), a documentary and crime series, here are 20 shows with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God (2023)
★ 7/10Also documentary
Chronicles the life and death of Amy Carlson, also known as Mother God, a self-proclaimed spiritual savior who built a cult through her online manifestos and live-streaming sessions. As Amy's health declined, her…
2
Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence (2023)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary
A group of bright Sarah Lawrence College students fall under the dark influence of a friend's father, Larry Ray. With unprecedented access to the survivors who lived with Ray, the series follows the cult from its…
3
Trust Me: The False Prophet (2026)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and crime
In this true-crime documentary, a cult expert and filmmaker infiltrate a polygamist sect to expose a self-proclaimed prophet and bring him to justice.
4
Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (2022)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary and crime
Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer confesses to his gruesome crimes in unguarded interviews, offering an unsettling view into a disturbed mind.
5
How to Become a Mob Boss (2023)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary
This darkly satirical how-to guide explores the rise and fall of history's most notorious mob bosses and their tactics for success.
6
Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers (2025)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary and crime
Insider accounts and never-seen-before footage tell the story of the 7/7 bombings on London's transport network in 2005 — and its explosive aftermath.
7
Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult (2020)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary and crime
This four-part documentary series follows the story of India Oxenberg's perilous journey through the dark and criminal world of the notorious self-help-group-turned-sex-slave-cult NXIVM.
8
Arnold (2023)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary
This intimate docuseries follows Arnold Schwarzenegger's multifaceted life and career, from bodybuilding champ to Hollywood icon to politician.
9
Sean Combs: The Reckoning (2025)
★ 7.3/10Also documentary and crime
A revealing look at Sean 'Diddy' Combs' journey from music mogul to high-profile sexual offender, featuring footage and insider accounts that expose both his groundbreaking success with Bad Boy Entertainment and the…
10
Death of the Pastor's Wife (2026)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary and crime
What happened to Mica Miller? This documentary series retraces her promising life, toxic marriage and the mysterious circumstances of her death.
11
Killer Sally (2022)
★ 6.7/10Also documentary and crime
Interviews with friends, family and Sally McNeil herself chart a bodybuilding couple’s rocky marriage — and its shocking end in a Valentine's Day murder.
12
Cursed Films (2020)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
A documentary series exploring the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously “cursed” horror film productions. From plane accidents and bombings during the making of The Omen, to the rumored use of real…
13
Eli Roth's History of Horror (2018)
★ 6.4/10Also documentary
An in-depth look at the history and pop cultural significance of horror films.
14
Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields (2022)
★ 6.5/10Also documentary and crime
An overgrown field and a stretch of highway connect a series of grisly murders spanning several decades as grieving families search for answers.
15
Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story (2021)
★ 6.2/10Also documentary and crime
A lifelong showman, Bhagavan “Doc” Antle has built his various careers on theatrics, attracting a slew of admirers along the way. But beneath the eccentric, animal-loving facade lies a predator far more dangerous than…
16
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV (2024)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary and crime
Discover the untold story of the toxic and abusive environment inside '90s kids' TV. Hear harrowing accounts from former child stars and crew who probe the balance of power in the industry and reveal an era that…
17
Wild Wild Country (2018)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary and crime
When a controversial cult leader builds a utopian city in the Oregon desert, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal.
18
History 101 (2020)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
Infographics and archival footage deliver bite-size history lessons on scientific breakthroughs, social movements and world-changing discoveries.
19
American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing (2023)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and crime
Archive footage, chilling reenactments and exclusive interviews shed new light on a tragedy — and two brothers — that suspended a city in terror.
20
Last Chance U (2016)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
In a docuseries set at one of NCAA football's most fertile recruiting grounds, guys with red flags seek to prove their worth on the field and in class.