If you're a fan of true crime documentaries then The Vow season 2 is just for you. The second installment comes after The Vow season 1, which was released back in 2020, and followed the members of a so-called self-improvement group called NXIVM.
However, it soon transpired that NXIVM was more than just a self-help company, it was actually a criminal organization that turned out to be a secret sex cult run by a man called Keith Raniere. But his crimes went even further than that because eventually he was convicted of sex trafficking, racketeering, conspiracy and more.
The Vow season 1 gave viewers an insight into how Keith Raniere drew people into his cult, making them take a "life-long" vow of obedience and somehow gaining himself a shocking amount of power over people who were trying to turn their lives around. Instead of making things better for themselves, those drawn in found themselves caught up in a cult that operated physical branding and sexual abuse.
In another shocking twist, Smallville star Allison Mack was also arrested alongside Raniere and co-founder Nancy Salzman as one the leaders of the criminal organization. After initially being relatively unknown, the cult soon became talked about all around the world.
So if you're a fan of true crime documentaries like The Girl in the Picture, I Just Killed My Dad, The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes and The Staircase, you need to add The Vow to your watch list.
Here's everything we know about The Vow season 2...
The Vow season 2 release date
The Vow season 2 is now available on HBO Max. The first episode landed on Monday, October 17, 2022. The second episode airs on October 24 and all episodes will air weekly. You can also catch up on all nine episodes of The Vow season 1 on HBO Max now.
Viewers in the UK can also watch episode one of The Vow season 2 on Sky Documentaries and Now. The first episode landed on Tuesday, October 18, and the second airs on October 25. All episodes will drop weekly. The Vow season 1 is also available to watch on Sky Documentaries right now.
Is there a part 2 of The Vow?
Yes! The Vow season 2 picks up after the first season, once again giving viewers an insight into what went on behind the closed doors of the NXIVM cult and picking up at the start of the trial against Keith Raniere as he takes to the stand for his sickening crimes.
As well as exclusive phone interviews with Keith Raniere from prison, NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman also talks about her role in the organization and how she came to build up a company that had such much wrong at its core.
The official synopsis from HBO states: “It follows the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters, and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light, while federal prosecutors and defence attorneys engage in a trial in the national spotlight. Five years after Keith Raniere’s arrest in Mexico, amid rumours of a secret sex sorority within his self-help company NXIVM, The Vow season 2 reveals the manifold ways that Raniere and a trusted inner circle of acolytes conspired to induct women into a female only sect called DOS, a name derived from a Latin acronym meaning ‘Master of Obedient Women’.”
The Vow season 2 episode guide
Season 2, Episode 1 — Tests of Loyalty (October 17 in the US and October 18 in the UK)
Prosecutor Moira Penza and defense attorney Marc Agnifilo prepare for trial after the arrests, Nicki Clyne and Michele Hatchette offer a different perspective into NXIVM, and Nancy Salzman, under house arrest, sits down for an interview.
Season 2, Episode 2 — Rapport (October 24 in the US and October 25 in the UK)
Nancy Salzman looks back at her professional and personal relationship with Keith Raniere and defends her intentions with the company, which were to help people achieve lasting, personal growth. Plus, the first witnesses are called to the stand.
Season 2, Episode 3 — Stimulus and Response (October 31 in the US and November 1 in the UK)
Marc Agnifilo presents his case for the good work of NXIVM, Marc Elliot remains loyal to Keith Raniere after he claims the symptoms of his Tourette's syndrome were reduced by Nancy Salzman and Lauren Salzman takes the stand for the prosecution.
How long did Keith Raniere go to prison for?
In June 2019 a jury found Raniere guilty of crimes including sex trafficking of children, conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit forced labor, all related to a secret society within NXIVM known as DOS, or The Vow. After hearing 25 victim impact statements, the judge then sentences Raniere to 120 years in prison.
What happened to Allison Mack and co-founder Nancy Salzman?
Smallville star Allison Mack was sentenced to three years in prison and was given a $20,000 fine after pleading guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges related to the NXIVM cult. She is currently serving time in FCI Dublin in the East Bay area outside San Francisco.
Nancy Salzman pleaded guilty to her role in the NXIVM group and was sentenced to 42 months in a federal prison camp in West Virginia and made to pay a $150,000 fine — she is still in jail. She claimed that she was also a victim of Keith Raniere's brainwashing and said that at the time she didn't know if she could ever forgive herself.
Is there a trailer for The Vow season 2?
There is. The trailer for the second season sees women speaking out about their horrific experiences within the cult, as well as seeing Nancy Salzman talking about how much her life has changed since Keith's arrest... “My whole company was destroyed and my whole life fell apart.”
But as she wonders where the women are that the cult allegedly helped, others ponder whether Nancy is truly a changed woman, or whether she is turning against the cult in a bid to protect herself... "I wonder if she is really waking up, or if she is merely trying to save herself...?"
If you need a refresher on what happened in the first season, here is the trailer for The Vow season 1...
