The Vow S1

Series premiere. Mark Vicente and Sarah Edmondson, high-ranking former NXIVM leaders, describe the dream and mission of NXIVM. Bonnie Piesse, Mark’s wife, tells him she’s worried about the organisation and Keith Raniere, NXIVM’s leader and Mark’s mentor. Mark believes there must be a misunderstanding – how could tools to make a better, more ethical world be misused?

After seven years, Bonnie leaves Albany and NXIVM for Los Angeles to make sense of it all. She tries desperately to get through to Mark who reassures her all is well. Meanwhile, Mark remains loyal to Keith and NXIVM, but a series of phone calls begin to sow doubt within him.

Sarah confides in Mark about DOS, a secret women's group involving “masters” and “slaves.” She struggles in her relationships with NXIVM, her husband Nippy, and her best friend. Nippy confronts the organisation he’s helped grow for 15 years. Sarah and Mark lament about how many members they have recruited and question what to do next.

Mark, Bonnie, Sarah and Nippy strategise with Catherine Oxenberg about how to get her daughter, India, out of DOS, even though she wants to stay. "Jane," a former member and India’s close friend, describes the appeal of the organisation – and why she left it all behind.

Catherine believes her daughter is in danger and wants her to come home. But she and the former members are unable to get the attention of the authorities, so they go to the New York Times. While weighing the pros and cons of going on record, Mark reflects on his time at NXIVM.

When they see no action by the authorities, Sarah, Mark and Nippy contact additional news outlets to provoke outrage and pressure law enforcement to pay attention. Barbara Bouchey, a former board member and early defector, shares her insight into NXIVM and reflects on her time in Keith’s inner circle.

After learning that the New York Attorney General’s chief investigator is interested in building a criminal case against Keith, Catherine travels to Buffalo to meet with Frank Parlato, creator of the anti-NXIVM blog “The Frank Report,” to build a dossier of evidence. Meanwhile, we are introduced to Toni Natalie, one of Keith’s former girlfriends.

As the group gathers evidence for their FBI testimonies, they express their beliefs about how the curriculums of SOP and JNESS, men’s and women’s groups within NXIVM, reshaped their ideas on gender roles in society and may have laid the foundation for DOS.

Finale. Keith leaves the U.S. and is spotted in Mexico. Catherine has a difficult reunion with India. Mark and Bonnie finally return to Clifton Park to confront their past. Later, the team faces a shocking development in the case.