The Path (TV series)
The Path is an American drama streaming television series created by Jessica Goldberg, and starring Aaron Paul, Michelle Monaghan, and Hugh Dancy. The show portrays members of a fictional religion known as Meyerism. The series was ordered by Hulu in March 2015, with a straight 10-episode order, and debuted on March 30, 2016. Its original title, "The Way", was changed to "The Path" in September 2015, due to its similarity to that of the real-life ministry and alleged cult, The Way International. On May 4, 2016, Hulu renewed the series for a second season , which premiered on January 25, 2017. On April 12, 2017, Hulu renewed the series for a 13-episode third season, which premiered on January 17, 2018. On April 23, 2018, Jessica Goldberg announced via Twitter that "The Path" would not be renewed for a fourth season. Premise. Eddie Lane lives in Upstate New York with his wife Sarah and their two children, Hawk and Summer. They are all members of the Meyerist Movement, which combines aspects of New Age philosophy, shamanism, Scientology, Christian mysticism, and Utopianism with a few elements from the Shakers, Sufism, Tibetan Buddhism, Jehovah's Witnesses and  Freemasonry rituals. Eddie returns from Peru, where he had undergone a spiritual retreat designed to advance him further up Meyerism's spiritual ladder. Unbeknownst to his family, Eddie experienced a revelation while in Peru which causes him to question his faith in Meyerism. Meanwhile, Cal Roberts, a friend of Sarah's and one of Meyerism's top leaders, is looking to expand the group's influence and deal with the imminent death of their founder, Doctor Stephen Meyer. Meyerism. Meyerism is a fictional movement founded by Stephen Meyer. In the show's mythology, on October 28, 1974, Meyer literally climbed  a ladder of burning light atop Huayna Picchu to receive the message of universal truth. He then gave to his followers the instructions for their spiritual development, written in the first book of Meyerism, "The Ladder". Meyerists believe that all people are damaged, which is the cause of the world's suffering. Through personal enlightenment, they seek to become aware of suffering in themselves and others, and to heal the world, caring deeply about family, humanity, and the environment. In this way and others, they create here on earth the heavenly Garden of Meyer's vision. However, "The Ladder" foretells  that their efforts will be thwarted by non-believers or Ignorant Systemites (I.S.), whose selfish actions will result in an apocalypse; but those who ascend The Ladder of Enlightenment will live forever in The Garden. The Movement claims 6000 members and has facilities located in San Diego, California, and Parksdale, New York, and a retreat center located in Cusco, Peru. Throughout the series, particularly emphasized in season 3, the movement expands to additional cities and countries. Most members practice Meyerism in their everyday lives and live off-site, while others live in Meyerist compounds, have taken vows of service, and  dedicate themselves to counseling, recruitment, and outreach programs. However, the founder Stephen Meyer warned against media attention, and advised that the movement should remain small and publicity should be kept to a minimum. Spiritual progress is evaluated on an ascending series of rungs from 1R to 10R, and many decisions are made by the senior membership (i.e., Upper Rungs (U.R.'s)). Meyerists practice meditation, and use biofeedback devices and drugs—including ayahuasca and cannabis—to aid in reaching deeper levels of consciousness. They put considerable stock in visions and intuition, which are believed to be The Light communicating with them . A "Vanity Fair" analysis of the show's first episode describes Meyerism as "inspired by a grab bag of religious practices and cult beliefs". The show's creator, Jessica Goldberg, specifically refutes comparisons to Scientology. Production. The Path was shot at Haven Studios NY, located in Mount Vernon, New York. The Meyerist compound was shot on location in Nyack, New York, re-dressed with influences from kibbutz living, collective farming, and production designer Russell Barnes's experiences being raised on an island with limited resources. The two-story Lane home was built on a soundstage. Almost all of the Peru  scenes were shot in the area, including a New York state park used for a mountaintop scene with subtropical plants concealing uncleared snow. The City Center is "played" by the Church House of the Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church Complex. The New Brunswick scenes in "Mercy" were filmed in Greenport, Long Island. Jean-Paul's palatial home and estate in "The Gardens of Giverny" were "played" by the Oheka Castle on Long Island. The Eye symbol, central to Meyerist branding and given dominance in many interiors, was based on tribal, Egyptian, and modern art, with a rising sun overlaid to show  hopefulness for a new day. Series creator Jessica Goldberg describes the Eye's symbolism as a duality of enlightenment and paranoia, meaning on one hand "your eyes have been opened, and now you've seen the truth", and on the other, "you're always being watched". While preparing to shoot a scene in a Westchester County storefront dressed as a Meyerist recruitment office, passers-by would come in—curious about the Eye on posters, books, brochures, etc.—wondering what the movement was and how they could join. Reception. The first season of "The Path" has received positive reviews from critics. On  the review aggregator, Metacritic, the first season scored 70 out of 100, based on 33 reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, season 1 has an approval rating of 78% based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 7.26/10. The website's critical consensus is, "With strong performances, deep writing, and skilled direction, "The Path" offers an absorbing observation of the human condition, even if a rushed pace occasionally blunts the impact." The second season also received generally positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the season scored 64 out of 100, based on eight reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, season 2 has an  approval rating of 75% based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 7.22/10. The website's critical consensus is, ""The Path" struggles with occasionally logy pacing in its second season, but an expanded canvas and heightened stakes – along with overall solid performances – make the end results worth watching." Tim Goodman of "The Hollywood Reporter" reacted positively to the series, writing: "There's a lot to like about "The Path", from the strong visual sense of place that director Mike Cahill established in the first two episodes to its theoretical take on faith, and of course the exquisite acting and  deft writing." Hank Stuever of the "Washington Post" wrote: ""The Path" works best as an intense psychological study of an extended family whose members equate faith and loyalty with happiness." Alan Sepinwall of HitFix had a more critical reaction to the series. He called the show a "dry, claustrophobic show, with not enough of a narrative hook to pull the viewer through hour after hour of it." Controversy. Residents of Marysville, Washington called the show "insensitive" for "exploiting" the October 24, 2014 shooting at Marysville Pilchuck High School. Episode 2 referred to the shooting in order to develop Sean's  backstory. The insult, they say, was that the show's writers changed the real events by giving the shooting a racial motive (the character stated that the shooting was due to "the color of their skin"). In reality, however the murder-suicide of the Tulalip Native American student Jaylen Fryberg was personally motivated and did not involve African Americans. , Hulu and the show's writers had not responded to this. In April 2017, following the announcement that Hulu had picked up the show for a third season, actor Rockmond Dunbar was abruptly told that his contract would not be renewed . Speaking about it with "The Hollywood Reporter", he called the decision "not a healthy way to do business".