Eden or the Apocalypse? Survivalists Literally Burn It All Down in The Garden: Commune or Cult (Exclusive)

The meanest cults are sometimes the ones hidden in plain sight.

Spread over 22 hectares of land, it lies in the south The Garden, an enigmatic leaderless community that is now the subject of a limited series Garden: commuting or cult, premieres October 29 on the Discovery Channel. Residents of The Garden do not live by long-standing social rules, and newcomers must undergo an “initiation period.”

“Some barely last a week, others are forced to leave, and a select few will call The Garden home forever,” the press release said.

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The series crew was granted an unprecedented level of access to The Garden as they followed a new group of initiates, including Tyler, a veteran and doomsday prepper, Tishela, a truck driver who survived, “Oak,” a longtime desk jockey, and Jessica, a former cheerleader. The group have 10 days to prove they are suitable for The Garden.

In the one-minute teaser shared exclusively with PEOPLE, the newcomers arrive one by one, eager to start their new lives. But in some cases, they realize that The Garden is not what they expected.

The members of The Garden welcome Jessica, a rookie and former cheerleader.

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Dragging his luggage and two pillows down a rocky path through the forest, Oak seems determined to find his way to the commune.

“At the end of the day, my wife and my kids are going to thank me for this one day,” he says over the top of his voice, before trying to hitchhike to the campsite and yelling, “I’m looking for The Garden!”

As the camera pans over an eclectic collection of cars, buses and tents, several newbies join in, including one cast member the show has yet to reveal.

“Coming here, I start to remember who I am,” they say.

“It’s like a post-apocalyptic wonderland, no worries, no bills to pay,” Tyler adds. – You are free to do whatever you want.

Tisheila, a truck driver struggling to survive, is another initiate looking to join The Garden for the long haul.

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Tisheila, meanwhile, explains her motivation for going to The Garden, as the teaser cuts to clips of her driving a truck, talking at the table and practicing at the shooting range. “The reason I go to the garden is because I’m ready for the decay of society,” she explains.

In another scene, Tree, a member of The Garden, screams “Let’s go!” on top of the bus, while another member wears a gorilla mask and another person holds a dead rooster by the legs.

“We are the result of the destruction of society,” claims Tree.

As another cast member explains that she “wanted to integrate into The Garden community,” Tyler expresses quiet concern about the security of the tent. Separately, the members hold hands, eyes closed. “This place is definitely not what it seems,” says Tyler.

In the next scene, a cheerful Jessica receives a warm welcome from several members of the community waving musical instruments in the air.

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“I go there because I hope to find a new experience,” she explains.

But in another moment we see a group setting fire to a large piece of land.

“Are people ready? Burn it,” declares one man, as flames engulf meters of trees and leaves.

“Oh my God, what have I gotten myself into?” Jessica asks before the teaser ends with the show’s title and tribal-inspired music.

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Garden: commune or cult premieres Sunday, October 29 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education