The Deep End is a Feeform limited series that sheds a light on the cult-like following of Teal Swan. While interesting, it should have been a film.
Teal Swan is a controversial spiritual leader and to be totally honest, I didn’t know much about her or the cult-like following she has before watching this limited series, The Deep End. Because of that this story was pretty much all new to me. Coming at this series as an outsider, it hooked me from the start. However, the longer it went on, the less interested I became. The series finishes off strong, but I can’t help but wonder if it would have been better to stick to a two hour long film instead.
There are four episodes in this series and like I said, the first and final are by far the best. This could be due to the fact that I immediately made up my mind about Teal Swan. I judged her from the moment she opened her mouth, not being able to believe a word she says. Swan rubbed me the wrong way so any time that was spent inside her circle of people who are extremely devoted to her, made me want to shake them all to open their eyes.
While the limited series tries to a good job of showing believers and non-believers, I just could never change my mind after making it up. This causes the middle two episodes to drag on quite a bit, and I was often taken out of the story. If The Deep End was a two hour long documentary, it would have flowed much better, in my opinion.
All that being said, the story itself is quite interesting. It shows the lengths that people are willing to go through to get help, to feel a connection, and to just believe. I honestly don’t think the majority of these people mind having the wool pulled over their eyes, because it makes them feel better in the long run. Seeing the “business side” of Teal’s work makes it feel like it is all about the earning potential. I just didn’t like her team talking about growing her audience and online presence, when she supposedly only cares about helping people.
For those who have been following her story, or support her, I cannot say how this limited series will come off. But for a skeptic who doesn’t trust a bone in her body, it falls a bit short and is mostly just aggravating to watch.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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About The Deep End
“The Deep End” is an arresting and provocative exploration inside the world of one of today’s most controversial spiritual teachers and her dedicated followers. Filmed over three years with unprecedented access, it is an unflinching portrayal of an unregulated wellness industry, and the incredible lengths people will go to in their search for connection.
The four-part docu-series is directed by Jon Kasbe (“When Lambs Become Lions”), produced by Bits Sola (“The Vow”), and executive produced by The Documentary Group’s Tom Yellin and Gabrielle Tenenbaum (“Cartel Land,” “Amend”).
“The Deep End” will premiere on Freeform Wednesday, May 18, at 10 p.m. EDT.
