Louis Theroux's Forbidden America - Season 1
Season 1
Episodes
Extreme and Online
Louis Theroux meets the young and highly inflammatory figures of the latest incarnation of the American far right: a political movement born out of the internet but making its presence felt in the real world, including some of those who came to the broader public's attention through the notorious Capitol Hill riots.
Louis immerses himself in a growing online community that has navigated the threats of de-platforming to gather a vast audience on phones and laptops around the world, promoting an ideology that is racist, misogynistic, homophobic and anti-Semitic, often packaging the most extreme views as 'irony'.
With the movement's most prominent voices having an increasing influence away from the digital realm, Louis attempts to understand their recent surge in popularity and challenges the divisive rhetoric that is being streamed to millions of young viewers online.
Rap's New Frontline
Louis Theroux immerses himself in Florida's multimillion-dollar rap scene – as notable for the controversy surrounding its emerging stars as its creativity.
Rappers have long mined their lives for inspiration to create and promote their music, but in the Sunshine State, some of the biggest artists stand accused of participating in the lawlessness their music describes. Raising the stakes is the 24-hour connectivity of social media, a world where the importance of record sales has been surpassed by streams and likes.
Louis spends time with a number of artists achieving success through self-promotion on social media – from those playing out fierce rivalries online to those live streaming their often violent and chaotic lifestyles. Whilst drawing in an ever-growing fanbase attracted to its unvarnished portrayal of real-life struggles and hardship, this content has also drawn the attention of the authorities, who see it as evidence of criminals engaging in 'illegal gang activity'.
Louis meets those at different stages of their quest to become the latest rap superstar, from those who have risen fast to those who have fallen hard.
Porn's MeToo
Louis Theroux heads to Los Angeles as the world of adult entertainment grapples with its own wave of #MeToo.
As the rise of platforms like OnlyFans give adult performers financial independence away from the studio model of old, Louis encounters a new generation using their online platforms to call out alleged predatory behaviour by prominent industry figures. As a result, an industry that prides itself on pushing sexual boundaries is asking itself difficult questions about consent, and infamous figures like long-time performer Ron Jeremy are being challenged in court.
Louis also meets those who are pushing back at what they see as 'trial by Twitter'. But their critics accuse them of representing porn's ‘old guard' – clinging on to a culture where young performers have been vulnerable to older men with control over their careers who are all too eager to turn a blind eye to unacceptable behaviour.
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