ABSTRACT
The episodes encourage viewers to let go of the historical past and embrace this history of desire through their blending of elements. By combining fictional plots with elements mined from Jonestown, Waco, and Heaven's Gate, the shows highlight their verisimilitude and encourage viewers to interpret the fictional and the historical in light of one another. Further, they also combine features of different cult events. 'Minimal Loss' moves back and forth between elements from Jonestown and Waco. The blending that occurs in this episode and others fosters a homogenization of these religious movements and their histories. Jonestown, Waco, and Heaven's Gate become equivalent events in this pick-and-choose past, rather than distinctive historical moments. This erasure of historical context and nuance promotes a cultural memory in which the act of cult suicide is relegated to the realm of a few crazy, charismatic cult leaders. The television shows assure viewers about the role of both religion and government in American society.
