HBO announces release date for docu 'The Synanon Fix', the chilling tale of Charles 'Chuck' Dederich
Los Angeles, California (Release): The HBO Original four-part documentary series 'The Synanon Fix', from filmmakers Rory Kennedy and Mark Bailey ('Downfall: The Case Against Boeing') debuts Monday, April 1 (9-10pm ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max, with new episodes debuting subsequent Mondays at the same time.
What is 'The Synanon Fix' about?
Told through first person accounts of former members, 'The Synanon Fix' explores the rise and fall of the controversial treatment center Synanon, which grew from a groundbreaking drug rehabilitation program in the late 1950s into a communal living experiment that would later draw criticism for abuse and cult-like behavior.
Synanon, the brainchild of Charles 'Chuck' Dederich, originated in 1958 as a scrappy Santa Monica-based storefront rehab serving heroin addicts who had no place else to go. With remarkable success thanks to a confrontational talk therapy known as 'The Game', Synanon grew to be a darling of the growing recovery community with numerous locations throughout the United States.
By attracting non-addicts, so-called “lifestylers” in search of community, and funded through donations, Synanon grew into a complex system of self-sustaining businesses and diverse and egalitarian communal living headed up by the charismatic Chuck and his wife Betty. But as the years went on, the radical therapies became increasingly extreme, degenerating into paranoid behavior and cult-like mandates from Chuck, and culminating in charges of child abuse, assault, and even attempted murder. 'The Synanon Fix' explores the organization’s tragic fall from grace as its potential as a revolutionary way of healing spiraled into a profoundly destructive force.
The series showcases wide-ranging Synanon archival material including footage of 'The Game', news footage and extensive audio recordings of Chuck Dederich’s teachings, and exhortations to the community.