The Deep End
Rape, suicide in dark docu about so-called spiritual leader.
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Based on 2 reviews
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The Deep End
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Deep End is a documentary about Teal Swan, a controversial spiritual leader who claims to help people heal from past trauma. She has garnered a massive online following from YouTube videos and published books, and she has grown a business that includes speaking engagements and retreats where she interacts with her followers. The show deals with heavy issues, including child sexual abuse, mental illness, and suicide, as Swan and her followers unleash traumas from their past. This show is not for kids.
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Must watch for parents of YouTube generation
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Fake documentary
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What's the Story?
THE DEEP END is a docuseries following self-proclaimed healer Teal Swan as she gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at her work in the spiritual field. The show covers her rise to celebrity and her relationship with controversy as she tours the country, meeting her followers at speaking engagements and on retreats. Viewers get an inside look at her inner circle and at who she really is -- or who she wants people to believe she is, as the docuseries is told from her perspective.
Is It Any Good?
As dark as it is, it's hard to turn away from this docuseries that looks and feels more like a scripted drama. The Deep End is not just a peek behind the scenes of the life of a spiritual influencer; it's a social commentary on human behavior. It depicts how desperately some people seek a leader to follow. It makes viewers wonder how vulnerable some people are to succumb to the influence of others. It begs the question how someone with no educational background in this field -- just self-proclaimed extrasensory skills and no regulation of her content -- can sway millions to the point of making life or death decisions. These questions, along with Swan's mystifying persona and eccentricities will have viewers tuning in to unpack the secrets of her world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about vulnerability in The Deep End. How did Teal channel her childhood vulnerabilities into a business? Do you think she capitalizes on the vulnerabilities of others?
Though it is considered a documentary, The Deep End looks and feels like a scripted show in some ways. What elements of the show do you perceive to be factual or real? What elements of the show do you think may be for drama?
Do you consider Swan a spiritual leader or a cult leader? Why? How does the documentary help you decide?
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 18, 2022
- Cast: Teal Swan, Jon Kasbe
- Network: Freeform
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: February 24, 2023
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