How to watch Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown at home? Streaming details explored 

Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown, a three-part docuseries by the award-winning director Marian Mohamed, was released on June 17, 2024, in the United States. It follows the cult leader Jim Jones' origin story and documents how he orchestrated one of the largest mass deaths in American history on November 18, 1978.

The official logline from Hulu reads as follows:

"Survivors and eyewitnesses tell the immersive story of Jim Jones' idealistic organization's final hours that spiraled into a mass casualty event."

Viewers can get in-depth insight into Jim Jones, his Peoples Temple cult members, and their horrific murders by streaming the Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown docuseries on Hulu.

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Where to watch Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown from home?

A still from the docuseries Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown (Image via Instagram/Natgeotv)

The Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown documentary is available for streaming on Hulu. Viewers can purchase a subscription starting at $7.99 per month. Furthermore, new users will get to enjoy the first 30 days absolutely free.

To get more value for money, viewers can avail the Disney Plus bundle, which gives access to the entire library of shows and movies on Hulu and Disney Plus for the low price of $9.99 per month. Lastly, cable users will get to watch Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown on television in the next few months as it is set to air on National Geographic on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.

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True story behind the Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown documentary

The charismatic religious leader Jim Jones started his congregation called Peoples Temple in 1960 in the United States. However, he relocated to a remote, agricultural township in Guyana in 1977 and called it Jonestown. He was joined by hundreds of his followers from the United States.

The U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan traveled to Guyana in November 1978, to personally inspect the Jonestown compound after hearing multiple stories about their cult-like activities. The Peoples Temple members were reportedly being held against their will and were physically and psychologically abused.

Ryan arrived in Jonestown with members of the press on November 17, 1978. The next day while returning, several Temple members jumped into his delegation’s truck, wanting to leave with them and return to the United States.

This enraged other members, who open fired at them as they were heading for the airstrip. Furthermore, certain Temple members attacked the airstrip and killed five people, including Ryan and members of the press, and wounded 11 others.

But, the worst was yet to come as Jones ordered Temple members outside the compound to commit suicide. The members followed through on their pre-meditated suicide plan and collectively drank a fruit drink laced with tranquilizers, sedatives, and cyanide.

According to their plan, the drink was to be first administered to babies and young children via syringes and then consumed by adults. As for Jones, he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. The tragic incident led to the deaths of 918 people, including around 300 minors.

Less than 100 Temple members survived, and the ones who did were either in Georgetown or had defected that day. Officials found a cache of firearms, half a million dollars, and hundreds of passports at the compound. All of this is covered in detail in the Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown docuseries.

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What to expect from Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown?

Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown is spread over three episodes titled The Promised Land, How Very Much I've Loved You, and Paradise Lost, all of which were released on the same day. Each episode is 45 minutes long and features interviews with survivors, journalists, as well as Stephan Jones, the leader's son who once lived in Jonestown.

Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown takes a deep dive into events of that fateful day with never-before-seen footage, first-person accounts from former members like Leslie Wagner Wilson, Thom Bogue, and Yulanda Williams. Also, sharing their personal accounts are several reporters, former members of Congress, and aides to Congressman Ryan.

Viewers also get to hear from the Special Ops Air Force Sgt. David Netterville, who was among the first American service members to enter Jonestown immediately after the mass murder-suicide incident. Netterville recounts his side of the story for the first time in the documentary.