Netflix’s ‘Wild Wild Country’: Watch This Rajneesh-Centered ‘Forensic Files’ Episode From 2002

Netflix’s Wild Wild Country is garnering some serious water-cooler buzz. From executive producers Mark and Jay Duplass, the six-part docuseries follows the unbelievable true story of the Rajneesh movement, a religious cult that took over a tiny town in Oregon during the early ’80s. The twists and turns of this absorbing series are almost too inconceivable to believe. If Netflix had a section labeled “Cerebral WTF!?” Wild Wild Country would be the first and only resident. But what if you don’t have an extra seven hours to stream the series yet still want to be a part of the conversation? Two words:

Quit. Job.

Just kidding: Forensic Files.

The nerdier cousin of Unsolved Mysteries, Forensic Files aired a Rajneesh-centered episode that focused on the sex cult’s bioterrorism attack on Wasco County, Oregon back in 2002. Basically, Forensic Files is the equivalent of “liking Wilco before liking Wilco was cool.” I highly suggest watching all six episodes of Wild Wild Country, but if you’re looking for a 22-minute CliffNotes-style summary of Ma Anand Sheela and the Rajneesh movement, this episode provides a succinct synopsis of the story.

In an effort to make residents too ill to vote in an upcoming election, members of the cult contaminated salad bars at local restaurants with Salmonella. Their attack led to over 700 individuals contracting a severe case of food poisoning, resulting in the first and largest bioterrorism attack in U.S. history.

Before clicking play, however, you should know that Forensic Files is obsessed with science, which means the Rajneesh aren’t even introduced until about a third of the way through the episode. I’d never purport to be a cracker-jack producer of true-crime television, but maybe lead with the menacing sex cult stuff, Forensic Files! People won’t eat the steak if they can’t hear the sizzle.

Related, they also won’t eat the steak in the midst of a Salmonella outbreak.

Even if you already devoured all six installments of Wild Wild Country, this Forensic Files episode is definitely worth a watch. It contains snippets of information not found in the Netflix series. For instance, most of the restaurants targeted in the attack never financially recovered and were forced out of business.

There was something else too. Wait, what was it? Oh. Right.

Ugh. Brag much, Bhagwan? Two questions:

1. Sure, but how many people did he kiss?

2. What kind of perv goes around publishing sex reports? I tried to find this so-called report by googling “published reports Bhagwan lots of sex,” which resulted in no useful information and my work computer running suspiciously slower.

You live, you learn.

Watch the Rajneesh-centered episode of Forensic Files (Collection 8, Episode 33) on Netflix (or YouTube).

Stream Wild Wild Country on Netflix