Actress and Ex-Scientologist Leah Remini begins her journey with a trip to Seattle to visit former Scientology executive Amy Scobee. After hearing Amy’s tragic story of being disconnected from her mother, Leah is determined to reveal the truth of what’s really going on in her former Church.
Leah visits the spiritual headquarters of Scientology – Clearwater, Florida – to hear Mike Rinder's personal story. As the head of Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs, Mike Rinder was expected to discredit and destroy critics of the Church. But after leaving the Church, Rinder himself became fair game.
Mary Kahn was an everyday parishioner who ascended to the Church of Scientology’s highest levels of spiritual enlightenment. But as she shares with Leah, the price tag of her experience was extreme – eventually including the relationship with her youngest son.
After the death of Scientology’s founder L Ron Hubbard, David Miscavige emerged as the leader of the Church of Scientology. Leah uncovers the story of Scientology before and after David Miscavige, as told by three former long-time Church members – including Miscavige’s father.
As a celebrity member of the Church of Scientology, Leah Remini attended various gala fundraisers for the Church, many of them organized and produced by the Church's production company Golden Era. Now the former Golden Era event producer, Marc Headley, pulls back the curtain to reveal the shocking truth of these events, and how his disillusionment lead to both his and his wife's departure from the Church.
Aaron Smith-Levin and his twin brother Collin were prodigies at Scientology's spiritual counseling practice known as auditing. But their paths diverged after Collin was dismissed from the program, leading to the painful tragedy Aaron shares with Leah.
After Leah receives a letter from the Church accusing her of provoking hate crimes, she decides to meet with the young man who the Church says she incited. Mike asks Leah to sit down with journalists who have been unrelentingly hounded by the Church for their reporting. And Leah tries to find a new way to take action.
Leah and Mike Rinder host a second Q&A session to answer the many questions posted on social media. They are joined by several special guests: Lawrence Wright, the author of “Going Clear;” Ray Jeffrey, one of few lawyers to take the Church on in court; and Steve Hassan, an author known for his studies in cult behavior and deprogramming.
Leah Remini and Mike Rinder explore the historical relationship between the Church of Scientology and its often vocal critics; guests describe their experiences investigating controversial stories about the Church, and how the Church responded.
Leah talks about the risk and ramifications of doing the 'Scientology and the Aftermath' show.
Ex-Scientologists Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue their mission to expose and give voice to the victims of Scientology practices. Mirriam and Saina, two women raised together inside the Church of Scientology’s now defunct Cadet Org, share heartrending stories of abandonment and sexual abuse. With Leah’s moral support, they both take a courageous step toward achieving justice.
Scientology promises relief from all of life’s ills, but those suffering from depression and suicidal ideation often feel they have nowhere to turn. Hearing the tragic stories of Aaron Poulin, a member of the Sea Org who committed suicide at 21, and Tayler Tweed, who died at only 27, only strengthen Leah’s commitment to continue challenging Church practices.
Liz Gale, a third generation Scientologist, was raised to believe that Scientology had the equation to create the perfect family. Leah and Mike sit down with her to hear how what was supposed to be “happily ever after” ended in abandonment, death and the demise of what could have been the family that had it all.
In Scientology, the goal of every Scientologist is to ascend to the top of the "Bridge to Total Freedom." Ex-Scientologists Leah Remini and Mike Rinder will lead a round table discussion to break down what "The Bridge" is and why Scientologists spend years of their lives and thousands of dollars to reach the coveted top. Mike and Leah will be joined by ex-Sea Org Officer Bruce Hines and Leah's mother who reached the top of the Bridge, plus two former members, who currently still practice Scientology outside the church.
Leah and Mike spotlight David Miscavige, the head of the Church, and sit down with his former body men, including the former head of security at Gold Base headquarters, to discuss how Miscavige maneuvered his way into power and how he continues to be untouchable.
Since Scientology’s inception, L. Ron Hubbard had an obsession with getting celebrities into the Church. Leah and Mike sit down with a former Scientology celebrity recruiter to learn about the Church’s efforts to recruit A-listers. Then Leah and Mike travel to NYC to meet with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis, the first celebrity to speak out against Scientology, for a very candid conversation about his own personal journey.
The Mace-Kingsley Ranches were promoted by Scientologists as educational camps for troubled kids, but former students say they were actually hard labor camps for children. Leah and Mike sit down with two former students who talk about the hardships they endured there, from corporal punishment to challenging living conditions, and for the first time, give voice to the generation of kids in Scientology who were sent away to these ranches.
In Scientology's elite Sea Organization, nothing is considered more important than clearing the planet. Leah and Mike sit down with Mimi Faust and Christi Gordon, whose mothers dedicated much of their lives to the Sea Org. Mimi and Christi share their harrowing stories of neglect and abandonment, having both paid the highest price for "the greatest good."
Scientologists are constantly pressured to pay money to the Church based on a promise of spiritual salvation. But what happens when parishioners ask for their money back? Ex-Scientologists Leah Remini and Mike Rinder will lead a roundtable discussion, examining the contracts that all Scientologists must follow, and how these contracts lock them into financial burdens that can lead to hardship and ruin. Mike and Leah will be joined by ex-Sea Org Member Matt Pesch, leading Scientology blogger Jeffrey Augustine, along with ex-Scientologist Luis Garcia, and his attorney, Ted Babbitt, who are embroiled in a major lawsuit with the church regarding refunds.
In this very personal episode, Leah sits down with two of her childhood friends, Chantal Dodson and Sherry Ollins, for an emotional conversation about their shared experiences growing up in Scientology. They look back on how their friendship helped them to survive during their most difficult times and how they're now trying to heal with each other's support.
Leah and Mike sit down with Leah's childhood friend Chantal Dodson and her mother, Ramina, who decides to leave Scientology after 42 years in the church; previous contributors reveal how their lives have been impacted by appearing on the show.
Leah and Mike lead a round-table discussion about the church's funding of groups that manufacture a positive perception in the public eye and forward a Scientology agenda.
Leah and Mike lead a round-table discussion on the life of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, whose word in the church is law and, if to be believed, will lead the parishioner to personal salvation and total freedom.
Leah answers viewers' questions about the series' second season.
For the very first time, Leah and Mike meet with former members of a different organization - the Jehovah's Witnesses. In this special 2-hour episode, a panel of contributors open up and share their personal stories of growing up in this secretive organization.
How does it feel to lose your entire belief system? How does it feel to come to believe everything you've been told - the foundation of who you are isn't based in truth? How do you let go of the anger? The guilt? The grief? How do you begin to get over it and move on? In this very special episode we'll see Leah, Mike and their closest family members, in ways we've never seen before as they share for the first time the emotional toll leaving Scientology has taken on them and their families and the challenge of unlearning the systems and practices that were engrained in them for decades.
The heavily guarded Scientology compound known as Gold Base in Riverside County, California, houses up to 1,000 members of the church's elite inner core; Valerie Haney tells how conditions at the base led her to contemplate suicide.
Cierra Westerman was recruited out of a Florida private investigator school to spy on critics of the Church of Scientology.
In recent years the head of the Nation of Islam, Minister Louis Farrakhan, publicly embraced Dianetics and the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard and supported their use in NOI Mosques. This formed what many are describing as an unusual bond between The Nation of Islam and The Church of Scientology. In this "Aftermath" special--Leah and Mike have a candid conversation about this strange alliance as they sit down with two special guests--a former and current member of the Nation of Islam--who share their personal feelings about this collaboration. They reveal what they witnessed first-hand since the two controversial organizations came together and in an unexpected twist--Leah reveals the important part she played in introducing the Nation of Islam to the Church of Scientology.
In 2006, Leah Remini attended the star-studded nuptials of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, an event Scientology dubbed "The Wedding of the Century." After Leah remarked on the absence of church leader David Miscavige's wife, Shelly, the question set off a chain of events that ultimately led to her leaving Scientology. More than a decade later, Shelly still has not been seen in public. In this episode, Leah and Mike interview Shelly's childhood friend Janis Gillham Grady, a fellow Commodore's Messenger serving L. Ron Hubbard, and Tom DeVocht, who worked closely with both David and Shelly Miscavige. Together they attempt to explain the mysterious disappearance of the First Lady of Scientology.
Under the leadership of David Miscavige, Scientology has been purchasing large buildings to use as upgraded church locations, celebrated as “Ideal Orgs.” The church claims that the new buildings signal the rapid expansion of Scientology, but former members and critics say otherwise. In this episode, Leah and Mike interview Paul Burkhart, a former Ideal Org architect, and Bert Schippers, a former Scientologist who was a major Ideal Org donor.
Over the past two seasons, we've shown how Scientology is a "pay-as-you-go" organization, but what tactics does the church use to get the money? What about those who can't afford to pay? In this "Aftermath" special -- Leah and Mike sit down with former Scientologists who share the different ways they claim they were made to give the church money they couldn't afford. Their stories range from those who are thousands of dollars in debt, to those who were left financially and emotionally bankrupt. We'll also hear from a former member of the church whose job it was to solicit money from parishioners by what she describes as "any means necessary" -- leaving Mike and Leah to question: is this a church or is this a collection agency?
In a remote corner of Riverside County, Calif., lies Scientology's International Base, a compound that houses the church's most dedicated members. In this episode, Leah Remini and Mike Rinder, a former occupant of International Base ("Gold Base"), speak with four other former high-ranking residents who reveal their shocking stories behind the locked gates.
In 1974, operating under an alias, the Church of Scientology moved into Clearwater, Florida, and proceeded to make the city its spiritual headquarters. In 1977, an FBI raid uncovered the Church's secret plans to take over the city. In this episode, Leah and Mike visit Clearwater and speak to some of the city's most prominent Scientology critics.
Leah and Mike travel to Clearwater, Florida, spiritual headquarters for the Church of Scientology. Speaking with some of the city's most prominent Scientology critics, they explore how the controversial 1995 death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson marked a turning point in the Church's history.
Leah and Mike speak with Jay Wexler, an expert in constitutional law, to discuss the remarkable story of Scientology’s journey to tax-exempt status. Mike and Leah also talk with Lt. Yulanda Williams, a police officer, about law enforcement's community engagement strategies.
Filmed for the first time in front of a live studio audience, Leah Remini and Mike Rinder explore stories of how Church of Scientology policies have hindered members from reporting instances of abuse and sexual assault to the authorities. They will speak to a number of ex-Scientologists who share their stories of abuse at the hands of other Scientologists, and describe how these policies are aimed at preventing the alleged crimes from becoming public. The episode will also feature a panel of legal, psychological and law-enforcement experts, who provide insight into the impact Scientology’s practices have had on its former parishioners and advise how they can seek justice and effect change in the future.
Leah answers viewer questions from her Reddit Ask Me Anything sit down.
