Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult

Wow, this one was totally binge-worthy! "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult" is an engaging and informative Netflix documentary that dives into the unsettling world of a management firm with ties to a church. The story follows TikTok dancers as they join the firm and uncover disturbing truths about the founders' sinister agenda. The documentary kept us hooked from start to finish with its compelling storytelling and shocking revelations about how easily vulnerable people can be manipulated.

The damage inflicted by these greedy individuals, who see themselves above God, is both alarming and heartbreaking. As we learn more about their grooming tactics, it's clear that we need to reassess what is allowed to happen to vulnerable people in our society. This is a must-watch for anyone who loves cult documentaries, as it provides a thorough and chilling look at the lengths some will go to exploit others for their gain.

As many people point out, the story is too short to be made into a series, if it was an 1 hour and half documentary it would have been a lot more consistent. The story is necessary to be told, I myself didn't know about it, and it's hard to understand how people subject them selves to this kind of cult, particularly Miranda, who looked like had everything, a supportive family,a loving sister. Why she would abandoned them and everything to live with a crazy old man with a history of abuse, it's hard to understand.

I agree that people have the right to choose their own paths, even to follow crazy religions , but if there are evidences of sexual assault, as it seems to be the case here, so there should be intervention and investigation, because there are victims. Many victims of sexual abuse don't get away of it because they are too afraid, or because they are threatened, so this is when the police should take a step, which doesn't seem to be the case here. At least they show as if the police couldn't care less about the situation, which is really sad The worst from this miniseries is how they put aside the most serious case involving the cult, the Korean sisters who were actually abused, the series show a little or almost nothing of what happened to them or others like them and this is really frustrating Miranda's sister seem to be the one who suffers more, I really feel sorry for her, and I agree that the parents must not ignore the facts only to be able to see Miranda a little while every year. Miranda's time with the parents at the end is clearly completely superficial, you can see how uncomfortable she is, and how everything seems fake, and her sister is the only one who seems to understand this. All we can hope for is that one day this evil leader may be punished, so he won't hurt anyone else.

You may be forgiven for thinking this is just another Netflix cult story, and for the most part, it is just exactly that, it's another Netflix cult story.

Parts one and three dragged on a bit, the second episode however was interesting, with some surprising and revealing information.

Part of me still struggles to see how these young people and up falling for such nonsense, and landing up in cults, but it seems to keep on happening. Is it my British cynicism striking once again?

Sometimes it feels so artificial, too much is done for the cameras, and as such it feels artificial.

Gen Z is definitely not shown in a great light, Miranda's life through social media is quite tragic to watch, everything she does seems fake and insincere, tragically she looks dead behind her eyes.

Overall, it's watchable enough, but I do wish Netflix had condensed it down to two episodes.

6/10.

As Episode 1 of "Dancing For the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult" (2024 release; 3 episodes ranging 49-38 min each) opens, we are in "Detroit, MI" and a woman named Melissa laments "I miss my sister so much". That would be Miranda, whose dance videos, made by 7M, have gone viral on TIkTok. 7M happens to be run by a pastor of the Shekinah Church in Los Angeles. Miranda has severed all contact with her family... At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from director Derek Doneen ("The Price of Free"). Here he digs into the situation at the Shekinah Church in Los Angeles which also runs the "talent management" company called 7M. The documentary's talking heads are primarily former members who have left. We are given ample evidence of financial shenanigans and worse. A man who claims to be "Man of God" and manipulates people into believing that if they please him, they please God directly. Hmmm, where have we heard this before? It is your classical cult. It never fails to amaze me how people still fall for this, time and again. At 3 episodes, this clips by in no time.

"Dancing For the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult" premiered on Netflix earlier this week. I watched all 3 episodes in a single setting. If you are intrigued how people get sucked into a cult, whether they realize or or not, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Typical Netflix doc.

First episode is interesting, telling a tale of the TicTok dance craze phenomenon that kids seem so entranced by, personally I don't get it, but the story is about the manipulation by a "Man Of God" who in the time honoured tradition of presenting himself as an artist's manager and Christian church leader proceeds to rip off his young artists/followers.

After the first episode it just starts to drag out people's stories over the next 2 episodes, with no particular resolution. I guess they're rather hoping that eventually there'll be enough for a follow up further 2 or 3 episodes. This could have been a succinct 1 hour, 8 star programme, however as it is, it's a bloated 5 stars, tops.