The Most Hated Family in America

BBC reporter Louis Theroux, the titan of taboos, takes on the Westboro Baptist Church.

They are the tiny Kansas hate group, known for bashing everyone from gay folks to dead soldiers.

Theroux, curious and witty, shows us the bizarre world of Pastor Fred Phelps and his passionate daughter Shirley.

It reminds you of the power of free speech, even at its ugliest.

“The Most Hated Family in America” is currently the #1 documentary in my List of Best Religious Cult Documentaries (14 of them ranked!).

Trailer for “The Most Hated Family in America”

Watch “The Most Hated Family in America”

You can watch the 2007 “America’s Most Hated Family” documentary for free online by clicking the embed above or going to https://watchdocumentaries.com/the-most-hated-family-in-america/

Apple TV also has it last I checked. You need to try the BBC Select trial through Apple. It’s here: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/louis-theroux-the-most-hated-family-in-america/umc.cmc.1whsh5mgewqe37d07i0w3j4qz

Ratings for “The Most Hated Family in America”

My Rating: 96/100
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: na

Review of “The Most Hated Family in America”

It was hard for me to believe that “The Most Hated Family in America” isn’t some dark mockumentary.

Instead, Louis Theroux takes us straight into the heart of about 70 people living together in a little Kansas neighborhood. They worship at the Westboro Baptist Church.

This doc shoes us a reality that’s stranger and more unsettling than most fiction.

As he peeled back the curtain, I found myself face-to-face with a group whose hate-filled messages (“God hates fags” and “Princess Di is a fag lover”) are shockingly brandished by members as young as 5 years old.

You might think you’re prepared for it, but seeing those signs in the hands of children? That’s a gut punch.

The man at the helm, “Gramps” Phelps, holds a tight grip on his followers, crafting a world where challenging questions are met with a dismissive “Asked and answered.”

Watching Theroux trying to get a straight answer out of him was like watching a tennis match where one player refuses to hit the ball back. And the fact that this church blows through about $200,000 a year just on flights for protests?

It blew my mind. It’s a staggering commitment to spreading a message that most of us would rather not hear.

Then there’s Megan Phelps. Her story stood out to me – caught on camera, you can see the tension in her as Theroux pushes her buttons.

Knowing she later leaves the church gives her narrative a bittersweet edge.

It’s not covered in the doc, but it lingered with me, a glimmer of hope that change is possible, even in the most unlikely circumstances.

This doc is uncomfortable, confrontational, and absolutely necessary viewing.

Years later, Theroux released these two follow-ups below (part 2 and 3). I haven’t watched these yet but will update the review when I do. But here are some links:

Part 2: “Louis Theroux: The Return of America’s Most Hated Family (2011)

Four years later, Theroux went back for more of the Westboro Baptist Church. This doc is also called “America’s Most Hated Family in Crisis”

I haven’t watched it yet but it’s got an IMDB rating of 7.5 (lower than part 1).

Watch “Louis Theroux: The Return of America’s Most Hated Family” (Part 2)

The only place I see to watch this in the U.S. is BBC Select through either:

Part 3: “Louis Theroux: Surviving America’s Most Hated Family” (aka Part 3) (2019)

“Louis Theroux: Surviving America’s Most Hated Family” (above) (part 3) is 59 minutes long.

Finally, in 2019, Theroux wrapped up the series with “Surviving America’s Most Hated Family.

I haven’t watched this yet but it gets an IMDB rating of 7.4.

Watch “Louis Theroux: Surviving America’s Most Hated Family” (Part 3)

You can watch “Louis Theroux: Surviving America’s Most Hated Family” (aka Part 3) online for free by clicking the embed above or going here: https://archive.org/details/Louis_Theroux_-_Surviving_Americas_Most_Hated_Family_m0006vv7_signed

You can also watch this part 3 via BBC Select through:

Thanks for reading!

Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc