Apple Cider Vinegar

"4.25⭐️ In the age of scammers make room for this big plate of raging narcissism stacked with large sides of delusion and munchausen. All wrapped in the online wellness world ripe for the snake oil taking by influencers and wannabes. I really enjoyed this “true story based on a lie” which gave much to think about. It was difficult in some ways, sad and infuriating yet still sympathetic, at times even for the disturbingly delusional and dangerous Belle Gibson on whom the show is based. Her issues fostered by lack of emotional support from an attention seeking mother (showing signs of all the above herself). Kaitlyn Dever is so convincing, feverishly capturing desperate swings of low self esteem and a dark drive for adoration, with grandiose thinking, manipulation and devious plotting. No thought to cost or consequence. It’s all such a shame because Gibson really did have creative ideas and talent. She could have focused on inspiring those on the wrong track in finding a better one, but instead people who were deathly ill suffered for her falsehoods. Mental illness is a bitch. I thought this was going to be a full indictment of alternative medicine, and maybe it is, it seems to try, but I don’t believe it to be entirely successful in that aspect. Aside from Belle Gibson’s egregious machinations, it accurately presents the vulnerability of illness, the fear and hope, an earnest search for answers, and really.. mostly good intentions. But I may be biased. I don’t see it changing many perspectives. Everyone will go in with their own beliefs and probably come out with the same ones. As with anything, buyer beware. Probably more influencers than we can know are diagnosably narcissist. Fair warning for a lot of time jumps which give a frenetic, puzzling feel at first but do effectively serve to develop characters and coalesce storyline. With that, the acting, writing, depth, humor and Australia scenery, by the end I realized how exceptional this show actually is. "

"Can’t lie this was a pretty compelling story I knew nothing about. Kaitlyn Denver carries and FTWD fans get to watch Alycia Debnam-Carey so that’s a plus. Belle Gibson is just as weird as her name and is a terrible person. It’s not the greatest true crime biopic or whatever you want to call it but it was entertaining."

"It was an easy binge but didn’t love it "

"Another scammers series that is really interesting to watch. Very eye opening to the world of social media, influencers and “alternative medicine”. Very entertaining way to abord such topics. The series is really well made and the actors did it its justice. "

"Apple Cider Vinegar delves deep into the allure and dangers of wellness culture, particularly in the social media age. It explores how the obsession with alternative healing can spiral into something destructive, feeling almost Black Mirror-esque when combined with online influence, personal struggles, and relationships. I remember following Jess Ainscough, an Australian woman known as The Wellness Warrior, who documented her cancer journey on Instagram while following Gerson Therapy. She became a major figure in the natural healing movement, advocating for alternative therapies before her passing in 2015. Her story—along with that of Belle Gibson, who falsely claimed to have cured her cancer through wellness practices—has fueled ongoing debates about the ethics of health influencers. While I’m unsure if they ever crossed paths, Jess was given months to live when she turned to raw food, juicing, and coffee enemas in an attempt to fight her illness. With these natural therapies, she survived another ten years. (The Beautiful Truth documentary provides more insight into Dr. Gerson’s work.) The series was incredibly well done, with outstanding performances. While there are natural remedies that have been effective for some, Apple Cider Vinegar examines the fine line between hope and harm. Its themes of friendship, family, motherhood, and the psychological toll of illness and belief systems make for a compelling six-episode watch."

"Binged it. The series is based on a real person who lied about having cancer to garner fortune and sympathy. I like that the series didn’t stray away from depicting the dangerous effects of pseudoscience. "

"2025. 1-season, 6-episodes. Dever is phenomenal. Ended up binging this one!The series is based on the book, The Woman Who Fooled the World by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano. Semi-fictional account of Gibsons story."

"The acting is top tier. I love the way it was filmed. I love how the story was told. This fictionalize true story was gut-wrenching but worth a single binge! No notes. "

"Timely. "