User reviews

I binge-watched this from beginning to end (s02 e13). I was fascinated at the beginning, learning the story of this particular "movement". The entire first season developed well, was entertaining, suspenseful, and I looked forward to each new episode. Things were revealed and the actors portrayed the characters well. It was a pleasure to see Aaron Paul again; this even seemed like an adult version of Jesse Pinkman. His Eddie has a mysterious past and some of his emotional reactions reminded me of his former character. It was believable and things were moving along well.

Then came season 2. As it progressed, problems with the story and actors emerged. Cal was the worst, and I thought his portrayal unraveled when I noticed that he reacted the same way to every situation. A scene opens, Cal sees or learns something, and we see panic and a brain moving almost out of control. Even when he states a fact he seems to lie. I don't understand how these people could trust & follow him. All his head and eye movements screamed DECEPTION, in every scene and situation. It would have been more authentic if the actor had added some variety to his character; even just a wee bit of development would have been applauded. But man, he could have seamlessly stepped from the pilot episode to the season 2 finale in the same workday. You could wind him up like a toy robot and there he would go, head jerking about, eyes avoiding & searching, stammering, etc. It got real old.

Ditto for Eddie. At first, I understood his character and how he played him. Season 2, though, it seemed that he had the same facial reactions in just about every situation. Good news, bad news, nice conversation, threatening conversion, and we got the same thing. Opens his mouth a little, rolls his tongue into his lower cheek, turns his head, looks down, looks up, then utters some disappointing line. Episode after episode of this. You could turn it into a drinking game. Will he look up or down after sticking his tongue in his cheek and turning his head?

After interesting developments in season one, season two started telling us circular stories. All the main characters went through some stressing event or situation; they changed, the story turned, then somehow they're right back in their original "configuration". Sarah was the worst. Her motivations & feelings would change almost from scene to scene. She trusts Eddie, she hates him. She trusts Cal, she can't believe what he did, trusts him again, turns to Eddie, back to Cal, etc. Some scenes I couldn't understand why she was frowning instead of smiling. I'm not spoiling anything here. It gets difficult to follow because it appears that the characters, their motivations, their subsequent actions, are almost random. Did the script writers draw all these things blindly out of a bowl? I had to consult a TV script service to make sense of certain scenes. Why, why, why? Hawks feelings toward Eddie lack logic and are on a merry-go-round. You never know what you'll get.

Lastly, if this is a movement based on truth, transparency, and The Light, why are people cussing so profusely? Are they members of a faith movement or drunks in a pool hall? There are so many lies among these people you'd think they were double-agents involved in counter- espionage. Why would any "believer" fall for their numb explanations of odd events? And it didn't get better. When the loopy lunacy mercifully ended with episode 13, I was relieved. Not because anything plot-wise was resolved or satisfied, but because I need at least a year's break before considering watching a subsequent episode.

Meyerism is a new age movement founded by Dr. Stephen Meyer back in the 70's viewed by the outside world as a cult. Its main concept is to climb a ladder to the top to receive the universal truth. Cal Roberts (Hugh Dancy) is an ambitious leader of the movement. Sarah (Michelle Monaghan) is a committed Meyerist married to doubting Eddie Lane (Aaron Paul). Their teen son Hawk (Kyle Allen) struggles to find his place. Mary Cox (Emma Greenwell) is saved by the Meyerists after a tornado and becomes infatuated with Cal. There are old guards, seeds of doubt, suspicion, and deceit as the movement faces challenges from outside and within. Rockmond Dunbar is an undercover FBI agent in the first two seasons and the show is cancelled after three seasons.

The first season promises some interesting intrigue within a secret society. The leading trio are all terrific actors and the characters are fascinating. It starts a little rocky. There are narrative issues but the great actors are always compelling. The second season adds its own issues. I really dislike the water plot device. I appreciate the purpose of it but I don't like the side road it takes the show onto. This is a show of intriguing potential and good actors. It does struggle to maintain the narrative at times. The triad leads probably diffuses the protagonist intensity. The rocky flow keeps it from being a great must watch.

Yes, Cal looks and acts like a nervous chihuahua. Yes, Eddie whispers 90% of his lines. Yes, Sara's wardrobe was borrowed from Karen Carpenter's closet. But I can't stop watching this damn show! Maybe it's the anticipation of the ridiculous plot twists. Maybe it's my desire to watch the whole cult implode. Idk. Season 3 is an improvement over 2, which just got too random and weird. Kinda like this review.

The Path is an excellent rendering of a contemporary cult and the machinations, lies, delusions and outright corruption engaged upon to ensure its survival. If one studies cults and how they lure in followers, and how they manipulate them into buying into their ideas and eventually losing touch with their own sense of reality, self determinism and free-will, the Path brings all of that out into the open. Sometimes it is actually painful to watch if you have ever known someone, especially someone close to you, who has been caught in the maws of a cult. Moreover, the producers did a great job of showing just how such a cult as The Path, can hide behind the mantle of religiosity, and using peer pressure, and more importantly, peer-mentality, cover up all manner of abuses, violations of human rights and corruption. Although the characters, in some cases, appear to be extreme, it can only be said that until one has experienced the reality of life inside the inner sanctum of a cult, that it is hard to believe that people can become, literally, another person altogether once they have turned over their loyalty to the cult. Normal people become abnormal. Kids disconnect from their families and loved ones. And social personalities become toxic - all in the name of the pursuit of spirituality. The contradictions are well played in this series. Definitely worth watching.

With Actors Lke Aaron Paul & Hugh Dancy The Path builds one hell of a foundation for seasons to come. It demonstrates the potential to grow deeper and more rewarding as it matures, like any drama Katims has been associated with. The Path begins with Eddie already suspicious of his faith, following an encounter with a defector and his own personal revelations about the group's leadership following a trip to a healing center in Peru. In the episodes that follow, a great deal of the dialogue centers on his uncertainty in relation to whether or not to defect himself. It's a big decision, to be sure, but the writing offers little in the way of nuance or original ideas each time Eddie is volleyed back and forth between the spiritual and philosophical certainty of Meyerism and the depressing yet liberating instability of "the real world." The Path is unfortunately content to focus on a variety of rote melodramatic byways that give little insight into the fight between faith and personal desire, or the psychological relief and societal bliss that believers expect from their chosen religions.

Pretty entertaining. There were no scientologist harmed during the making of The Path.

This show is fantastic for anyone who like a tense slow burn character piece. There are definitely huge moments here, but they a few and far. This is a series best enjoyed as a whole. All of the main characters have huge, impactful arcs, that have them completely evolve by the time the credits roll on the finale. Beyond that it is a wonderful musing on religion, spirituality, and family. Definitely a must watch if you are a fan of slow but rewarding drama. I've seen a lot of reviews where the critic has given up after the first episode. All reiterate, this is a slow burn that needs to be experienced in full. Each episode carefully expands and twists on the last. The first episode serves to put all of the pieces into place, instead of lighting an explosion to draw you in. After 3 episodes I couldn't stop watching and now, I'm counting the days until it returns for season 2.

As a couple who got out of a cult like scenario ourselves, my husband and I like certain aspects of this show and dislike others. Having been in a similar situation with a "religion", we relate to the two main characters a lot. However, there's various details about the show that irritate us on a logical level. Certain decisions characters make simply don't make sense at times if we are to believe they really are/were super into "the movement". Certain scenes don't make sense with the flow of the show too (especially a few of the random sex scenes in random places - and that's coming from people who are not offended by sex scenes, these ones just happened to be very weird in terms of placement in the show). Overall, the various plot lines and characters are gripping enough to carry the show and hold your attention, flaws and all. I see this as a mid to high 6 when compared to other shows we enjoy and rounded it up. We did get sucked in enough to finish season one and will watch season two when it comes out.

This show is great. If you just don't think of it from a religious stand point, you'll get it. Seems to be about people with moral and unmoral things that cause conflictions, major burdens, community issues, unsolved emotions and those who are insecure wanting something more to believe in more than anything. Gave it a 9, maybe would be an 10, if new episodes wouldn't show previous situations that was not envovled in last episodes. Showing new unseen footage at the beginning of new episodes as if we saw them in details previously makes for confusion. Can't wait to see what happens with Eddie in the near future. Great characters, great acting, great script and a sort of slow burner with cliffhangers. Probably better as binge worthy if impatient.

I've never been a joiner, so I've never had much sympathy for people who get drawn into cults - or even serious religion.

This show really examines the things that make people join cults, and makes some of the behavior a bit more understandable. I find it absolutely riveting.

"Meyerism" is sort of a mix of Scientology and a hippie commune. The central character is Eddie, who joined the cult when it helped to straighten out his life. He's been a star pupil, but is starting to have doubts. His wife grew up in the cult because her parents were founding members, so her obedience is a lot stronger, but events happen that eventually challenge her beliefs as well.

Well written and very well acted, this is a very addictive show.

I guess I just "want to believe" in this new cult themed series but after just watching the pilot episode I can't say that I was overly impressed. The series two star anchors are the husband and wife team of Eddie Lane (Aaron Paul Emmy winning supporting actor for Breaking Bad) and his wife Sarah Lane (Michelle Monaghan) who are two twenty something senior leaders of a cult like church called Meiyerism. Eddie has just returned from a religious retreat from Peru where their church leader is in the process of climbing the last three rungs of the church leader's self-appointed storybook Meiyerism church ladder.

There is a third wheel on this bicycle of faith whose name is Cal Robertson (Hugh Dancy who played the very troubled Will Graham in the TV series Hannibal) who is perfect for his part as the sheep herder who just happens to still be in love with Sarah Lane even though he knows that Sarah has married Eddie. Sarah makes it clear to Eddie that she alone had chosen Eddie, and so Eddie asks the obvious question of Sarah, "Do you mean you chose me over Cal?" Mmmm.....is this a love triangle?.....I think so.

So we have these three twenty something year olds in charge of this huge compound which has a locked front gate and a security guard to protect their faithful from outsiders, or is the locked gate to keep the herd of followers from getting out?

The main characters all seem to be harboring secrets which I assume will be divulged over the first five scheduled episodes. I am not a fan of the TV series chosen suspenseful themed music that is piped in continuously in an effort to build suspense and I hope that in future episodes this attempt at suspenseful music will become less noticeable and the storyline more palatable. Time will tell if The Path will continue or come to a dead end after the first five spring episodes have aired. I give the pilot episode a 6 out of 10 rating for trying hard to please a younger audience on The Path.

I liked this show from the start because it's different from most TV fare and the acting is superb, especially Hugh Dancy as Cal. Now it's really growing on me as the hidden secrets of the cult leaders and followers start to slowly come out and the clash with the outside world becomes inevitable. Although some of the contextual scenes are over the top and do kind of spoil things sometimes, it's a small thing to complain about and the overall production values are great.

I'd recommend this show to anyone and the good news is that it seems Hulu and their US viewers agree as it's just been renewed for a second season!

The Path, is definitely worth sometime, and... if you're willing to grant forgiveness for it's flaws. There's a roughness to the characters, some mark missing climactic points, and an unusual amount of sex for the pace and content of the show. Is The Path to the base of The Ladder?- a few terminology mismatches.

However, As someone prone to material that explores humanity and the way we get by in the world, I'm always down for watching an imagined way this can manifest. Drawing on organisations within Christianity, TM and Scientology - the Meyerist Movement presents us with an example of how grouped belief provides an escape from the isolating and confusing vortex of existence. It presents the fictional imagining of the dangers associated with trying to beat the game of life. Elevating oneself above the seemingly chaotic world creates its own problems, as the members cling so tightly to their created world that they strangle it. We watch these crude characters explore this all in their own way. Bring on season 2~lets have faith the writers settle in, and go further with the potential for this show.

"The Path" will appeal to anybody who has ever attempted to start their own religious or spiritual path, which indirectly involves every person in some way or another. The acting is fantastic. Aaron Paul & Michelle Monaghan are always very good, so no real surprise there. But they also co-produced this, & I think they did outstanding work. The show is one of those with very complex characters, real life people who you can identify with their pain & struggles. The star though is Hugh Dancy who plays Cal, the leader of "Meyerism." I've never seen him before, but he totally kills it and steals the show. I would give him an Oscar for best actor, hands down. Bravo Hugh!

I just found this show. It's already on the third season. It's surprisingly good. The actors are all top notch. It's up there good with Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy, Stranger Things - you name it. Don't miss this one. It really heats up in the second season - in shocking ways. I'm watching it on Hulu, and I prefer the way Netflix puts out their own shows - a whole season at a time. Giving us one episode a week makes me feel like a child. Usually I love anticipation - but this time I want it all.......

There is no lack of transparency about the unnecessary leftist SJW narrative, which gets in the way of what could be a very good story.

I watched this over the course of several days on Hulu, and I enjoyed the gripping drama, but I had to suspend quite a lot of disbelief. As other reviews have pointed out, quite a few logical inconsistencies show up in the series, from some unbelievable character choices to some established facts being contradicted in later episodes. The writers did a wonderful job of keeping my interest in the struggles of these characters to get their crazy lives together. Unfortunately, by the end, it's clear none of them has, and most who seemed to have had some backbone at some point ultimately dropped their spines for the sake of some magical mumbo jumbo. And that's where the real problem of the show comes out. Though the series does a great job of depicting the corrupt and amoral workings of a cult's leadership, the plot's final verdict seems to be that if a cult is nice to people, everything is okay. It's not. Cults are destructive, evil things that should be avoided, ridiculed, and shunned by society at large. Any organization or person who offers magical answers to real life problems is dishonest and cannot be trusted.

Season 1 was OK with some brilliant moments in between. Until the end of season when there were some illogical behaviours (aka assigning an event to a character not bothering to make it believable)... But all in all it was OK.

Season 2 went downhill very very fast. It's become obvious that they have no idea what they are doing and how to develop characters. They are just throwing stuff at us that make no sense half the time. This in turn undoes the characters believability. The series are supposed to be a drama and all about why people does this and that... But what I see is people just doing random stuff... It's very lazy script writing and not even the actors can help it any more. They gave it a good try but there is just so much they can do with what they are given.

Where I left it was also very obvious they want to keep things mysterious and undefined in order to make the show last longer. It's also obvious that when they have no plot they just create some situation/conflict without giving it much thought to (try) distract and entertain (poorly) the viewer.

I fear they will drag on until canceled and everyone who stuck with it in hopes to reach a conclusion will be disappointed. And that's why I just gave up. I have no wish to see the characters devolve more and more into the ridiculous, knowing I'll probably never get any satisfying ending. IF this ends not being canceled and feedback about its ending is positive I MIGHT come back to it. But I think it won't happen and only positive reviews will be motivated more by people being a fan of one of the 3 leads than because the story itself was worth anything.