Born in Synanon S01E02 - The People-Raising Business
Summary:
Synanon rockets into a multimillion-dollar business. The school is founded, separating children from their parents. Cassidy is born.
Born in Synanon S1E2 Screenshot
TVMAZE INFO v1.5
Title: Born in Synanon
Premiered: 2023
IMDB Link: NA
TVMaze Link: https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/72750/born
Episode Link: https://www.tvmaze.com/episodes/2711870/born
Genre: NA
Type: Documentary
User Rating: NA
Country: EARTH
Language: English
Network: Paramount
Status: Running
Premiered: 2023
Airdate: 2023-12-12
Plot: Born in Synanon chronicles one woman's journey to discover
the truth about Synanon, the experimental community that turned into a
full-blown cult. Cassidy Arkin was born into Synanon. Her earliest memories
are of a happy place with extended family, a portrait that stands in stark
contrast to the abusive hierarchical society into which it evolved and that
her peers vividly recall.What began as a successful drug-and-alcohol
treatment program would become a fully established, racially inclusive
utopian community. But in 1974, the year Cassidy was born, the community's
leaders embarked on a relentless descent into extremism, forging a path
characterized by unparalleled control. They mandated uniforms, shaved
members' heads, required vasectomies and even ordered the changing of
partners to break up marriages - all while acquiring a large cache of
weapons and training a military-like cadre. Tensions escalated within the
community as its members increasingly became isolated from the law and order
of the outside world, which created a crack in the utopian armor driven by
the vision of its charismatic founder Chuck Dederich. While initially
forming Synanon to combat alcoholism, Dederich eventually succumbed to his
own struggles with substance abuse and unchecked bipolar disorder.Over four
episodes, Cassidy and her mother Sandra Rogers-Hare go on a quest to
understand the nature of Synanon both the good and the bad. They reconnect
with former members and share deeply personal experiences, revealing a vast
trove of never-before-seen archival footage. The truth is shocking, leaving
Cassidy unprepared for the startling discoveries that she soon would uncover
