It’s hard not to sensationalize anything that stands out as one of the most shocking events in modern history, which put Netflix in a predicament when the streaming service announced that three-part documentary series Waco: An American Apocalypse was in the works.
As one of the most well-known and heavily-retold real-life tragedies to have occurred in the last 30 years, questions were asked about why the harrowing tale needed to be told again. There’s always a tonal tightrope to walk when it comes to dealing with something like Waco – especially when it’s been covered so extensively – but the true crime element and the jaw-dropping details have managed to enrapture subscribers all over again, regardless of how many times they’ve heard the specifics.
Per FlixPatrol, Waco: An American Apocalypse has instantly debuted as the number one top-viewed episodic offering among audiences in the United States, in addition to cracking the Top 10 in almost 40 countries around the world. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the tragedy, filmmaker Tiller Russell uncovers unseen and exclusive footage both past and present to create an immersive deep dive.
Cult leader David Koresh found himself in a 51-day standoff with the federal government – which began with the biggest gunfight on American soil since the end of the Civil War – and ended in nothing but widespread tragedy. The subject matter is as startling today as it was back in 1993, leaving Waco: An American Apocalypse as a riveting and worthy addition to a canon of content that’s been offering new insights for the last three decades.