Now streaming on Hulu, “Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown,” recalls November 18, 1978, one of the darker days in American history.
A generation ago, a charismatic preacher named Jim Jones cultivated a large congregation in Northern California. Like many such bamboozlers, he succeeded by offering a kind of word salad of uplift and empowerment for the poor and the striving, the confused and those seeking answers and a sense of belonging.
With his large following and apparent good works, Jones cultivated some political connections. But at some point, he felt that California was not the place for his congregation and moved them to the remote jungles of Guyana. Isolated from scrutiny, his behavior grew more dictatorial and erratic.
In November 1978, California congressman Rep. Leo Ryan took staff members and a news crew to investigate allegations that former constituents were being abused. In an act that still shocks, Jones had Ryan and members of his delegation, including an NBC reporter, murdered at a Guyanese airstrip.
After this violent act, Jones’ paranoia overwhelmed him and he cajoled and bullied his vast following to commit mass suicide, leaving more than 900 dead.
“Cult Massacre” does not make for pleasant viewing. But like many histories, it offers an enlightening antidote to the steady drumbeat from some quarters of the media that tells us that things have never been so bad, so strange or so out of control.
When news of the mass suicide emerged, it shocked the entire world. But it was particularly hard felt in Northern California, home to Jones and so many of his victims. On Nov. 24, 1978, just over a week after the gruesome news, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and city supervisor Harvey Milk were assassinated by a former colleague.
So, when the folks at Fox and Sinclair networks spew their denigrating unpatriotic propaganda of doom and despair, alleging things have never been worse, think of November 1978. And change the channel.
“Cult Massacre” will air on the National Geographic Channel on Aug. 14.
— Another example that, yes, things have been stranger than they now seem: On this day 30 years ago, June 17, 1994, coverage of the NBA finals was preempted by news reports following football star and accused murderer O.J. Simpson fleeing justice, driving a white Bronco down a Los Angeles freeway.
— In kinder, gentler news, Pluto, the Free Advertising Supported Television (FAST) platform, is now streaming more than 300 episodes of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Culled from more than 30 years of programming, they can be enjoyed “live” or on demand.
— Acorn streams the fourth season of the gentle mystery series “My Life Is Murder,” starring Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess”).
— TCM continues to devote Mondays to the impact of musical composers on cinema. Released in 1978, “Superman: The Movie” (10 p.m., TV-14) is perhaps best remembered for launching the career of Christopher Reeve and convincing audiences that comic books could inspire A-list major motion pictures. John Williams’ stirring score was essential to separating it from campy B-movies and TV kids’ stuff, long associated with comics.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— U.S. Olympic Trials (NBC) feature swimming (8 p.m.) and diving (9:15 p.m.).
— A woman inspires a disenchanted artist to renovate a derelict dwelling for a young couple in the 2023 romance “The Wedding Cottage” (8 p.m., Hallmark, TV-G).
— The Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals (8:30 p.m., ABC).
— “The Great American Recipe” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-G, check local listings) returns for a third season.
— A Navy tub bound for detonation harbors three dead bodies on “NCIS” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).
— Training day fatalities on “NCIS: Hawai’i” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).
— The 49th AFI Life Achievement Award (10 p.m., TNT, TV-14) salutes the career of Nicole Kidman.
— Taylor Tomlinson’s “After Midnight” (12:35 a.m., CBS) has been renewed for a second season.
CULT CHOICE
Satanists turn a vintage doll into a portal for evil in the 2014 shocker “Annabelle” (9:55 p.m., Syfy, TV-14), an installment in the highly profitable “Conjuring” movie franchise.
SERIES NOTES
On two episodes of “The Neighborhood” (CBS, r, TV-PG): baby shower drama (8 p.m.); leaking the baby’s name (8:30 p.m.) … “Name That Tune” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) … NBA Countdown (8 p.m., ABC) … Patton Oswalt hosts “The 1% Club” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) … “Weakest Link” (10 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG).
LATE NIGHT
Jimmy Fallon welcomes Eddie Murphy, Matty Matheson and Diljit Dosanjh on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Ayo Edebiri, Luke Wilson and Michael Marcagi visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC).
