Ep 1. The Awakening

Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults is a compelling four-part docuseries that delves into the notorious, ill-fated religious group that committed a mass suicide in 1997. The first episode of the series, titled "The Awakening," introduces the audience to the birth of Heaven's Gate and its enigmatic leaders, Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles.

Through insightful interviews with past members, family members, scholars and archives of audio tapes and video footage, the episode takes a deep dive into the group's background, from its inception in the 1970s to the mass suicide in the late 1990s. Viewers are introduced to the beginning of the cult, where troubled members sought meaning and guidance from a higher power.

The Awakening explores the improbable relationship between charismatic and manipulated leaders, Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, the duo who started Heaven's Gate. Little is known on how Applewhite and Nettles met and started the cult, but the episode presents scintillating details about their personalities and relationship.

The documentary reveals that despite Applewhite's initial authority, Nettles was the true patron of Heaven's Gate, introducing the entire concept of seeking otherworldly beings and extraterrestrial life. Despite the religious aspect of Heaven's Gate, the cult's beliefs were not based on Christianity or any other world religion.

"The Awakening" focuses in detail on the group's early beliefs, including the idea that humans are incarnations of "aliens," and how they will be "picked up" by a UFO and then ascend to a higher plane of existence. All members were also expected to give up all desires of the world, including their possessions, friends, and family.

Audience members are taken through the evolution of the group's teachings, the strict regulations on its members, and the group's struggles. The episode shows the leaders' total control over their followers, and the members' willingness to carry out any instructions from their spiritual guide or authority without question.

Viewers are introduced to some of the committed Heaven’s Gate members, including Mark and Sarah King, Rio Di Angelo, Gary Wright, and Frank Lyndon Marshall. The episode shows a remarkable insight into the perspective of those inside the group, limited communication with those outside, and how the group was both a community and a family for people who had lost their way in life.

"The Awakening" does an outstanding job of setting the stage for the rest of the series. The episode ends with a countdown clock indicating the days left until the group's mass suicide. It also shows up-to-date footage of the group's former site in San Diego, which is now being utilized by another group.

Overall, Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults season one episode one, "The Awakening," is a gripping introduction to the extraordinary story, and an excellent place to start for people interested in the sect's history. The episode skilfully fills viewers in with enough background information and context to inform the rest of the series, building suspense and intrigue for a story that captivated the nation and the world.