Netflix’s New Documentary ‘Trust Me: The False Prophet’ Garners Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Scores
Among Netflix’s latest releases, one documentary has emerged as a critical and audience favorite, boasting exceptional scores on Rotten Tomatoes. The four-part series Trust Me: The False Prophet has achieved a 100% Tomatometer score from critics and a 97% audience score, marking it as one of the platform’s most acclaimed new offerings.
The documentary follows a cult expert and her videographer husband as they infiltrate a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) community in Utah. Their investigation centers on Samuel Bateman, who declared himself the successor to Warren Jeffs after Jeffs’ imprisonment. Bateman claimed Jeffs had died—a false assertion used to consolidate his own following, which eventually included 20 “spiritual wives,” at least 10 of whom were minors at the time.
This narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the FLDS sect’s turbulent recent history. Warren Jeffs was convicted in 2007, had that conviction overturned in 2010, and was later reconvicted in Texas for sexual assault of a minor, resulting in a life sentence. Samuel Bateman was arrested in 2022 and, in 2024, received a 50-year prison sentence for his crimes.
Whereas other documentaries have examined the FLDS—such as Sons of Perdition (2010), Warren Jeffs: Prophet of Evil (2018), and Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey—Trust Me: The False Prophet distinguishes itself by focusing on events following Jeffs’ initial incarceration and Bateman’s rise to power.
The series has maintained a strong presence on Netflix’s top 10 list since its release, outperforming other high-profile titles released around the same time. Its concise format—totaling approximately 3.5 hours of runtime—makes it accessible for viewers seeking a deep yet manageable true-crime experience.
As of late April 2026, the documentary continues to generate significant discussion among true-crime enthusiasts and remains a standout in Netflix’s documentary catalog.