'The Vow' Episode 4 Preview: How 'Dynasty' actress Catherine Oxenberg got involved in fight to take down NXIVM
HBO's 'The Vow' is a chilling look into Keith Raniere and the organization he founded, called NXIVM (Nex-e-um). These names are better known if you think of "sex cult" and 'Smallville' actress, Allison Mack. A few years ago, it was discovered that a secret organization existed within NXIVM, called DOS — "Dominant Over Submissive" in Latin — which operated under the guise of women empowerment. However, DOS's actual purpose was to recruit women as sex slaves for Raniere. After a six-week trial in 2019, Raniere was convicted in June 2019 of charges, including racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and attempted sex trafficking.
'The Vow' features former members, including actresses Sarah Edmondson and Bonnie Piesse, as well as Piesse's spouse, filmmaker Mark Vicente, in the first few episodes as they describe their experiences joining NXIVM, meeting Raniere and their subsequent departures from the group. Piesse was the first to leave, followed by Vicente and then Edmondson. Of the three, Edmondson was recruited into DOS and branded a symbol, which she later learned contained both Raniere's and Mack's initials. However, the people we have met so far had realized themselves of the dangers of NXIVM and how Raniere was exploiting them. However, there were still many vulnerable women whose secrets and insecurities were being used and weaponized by Raniere and those in DOS. One such woman is India Oxenberg, the daughter of 1980s soap opera, 'Dynasty' actress Catherine Oxenberg. The Oxenberg women are also related to British royalty, with Catherine being 3936th in the line of succession to the throne of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Realms.
Catherine was the first to participate in NXIVM's Executive Success Programs (ESP) which were marketed as self-improvement programs. Knowing her daughter needed guidance at the time, it was Catherine who suggested that India attend the ESP programs. However, while Catherine's involvement was restricted to that, India's personality made her vulnerable to those who had malintent for her. Catherine did not know of the problems her daughter was facing until India was already well entrenched in DOS. While India still spoke to her mother, conversations were limited. Catherine had learned that India was losing weight, having health problems, and was no longer getting her periods at just 27 years old. While Catherine tried to speak to India to convince her to leave the group, it was not so easy.
Thus began Catherine's crusade against Raniere and NXIVM as she embarked on a quest to save her daughter. This week's episode, the fourth episode of the series will begin Catherine's journey through that fight. While we learn more about India and the inner workings of DOS, we do not see India directly.
'The Vow' airs on HBO on Sunday nights at 10/9c.