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The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin

The fallout of faith

  • 2021 – 2022
  • Ended
  • Documentary
  • ~51m / ep
  • 1 season
  • 6.6/10

Explore how the late Gwen Shamblin Lara, who founded the controversial Remnant Fellowship Church and created the Christian weight loss program The Weigh Down Workshop, rose to fame as a diet guru and church leader.

Latest: Miniseries · 2021

View all seasons
  1. E1. The Kingdom

    Sep 30, 2021 · 47m

    A deadly plane crash draws public attention to the Remnant Fellowship, a Christian-diet-program-turned-church, and its infamous leader, Gwen Shamblin Lara.

  2. E2. A Family Affair

    Sep 30, 2021 · 47m

    Gwen’s divorce and prompt remarriage to struggling actor/musician Joe Lara raise questions about the odd couple’s checkered past – and the church’s finances.

  3. E3. Seen But Not Heard

    Sep 30, 2021 · 55m

    When two Remnant members are charged with murder, Gwen rallies her congregation to defend against claims of abuse. As former church members recount their chilling experiences, another tragedy threatens to upend the future of the church.

  4. E4. Revelations

    Apr 28, 2022 · 40m

    After a mysterious accident claims the lives of Gwen, Joe, and some of their inner circle, former Remnant members grapple with the leader’s complicated legacy, and new voices come forward for the first time.

  5. E5. The Way Forward

    Apr 28, 2022 · 40m

    As the Remnant Fellowship fights to control the narrative, footage of a never-aired reality series pilot surfaces, casting new light on the ways Gwen shaped her image and the lives of those who followed her.

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