Waco: American Apocalypse — Netflix's Definitive Siege Recount
New docuseries reveals exclusive FBI recordings from the 1993 Branch Davidian standoff that killed 86 people
On February 28, 1993, federal agents arrived at the isolated Branch Davidian compound armed with a search warrant to arrest cult leader David Koresh and seize illegal weapons. The operation descended into gunfire almost immediately, killing four federal agents and sparking a 51-day siege that would captivate American media and fundamentally challenge how law enforcement handles armed religious standoffs.
Waco: American Apocalypse presents this catastrophic chapter through an unprecedented lens. Director Tiller Russell gained access to exclusive FBI wiretap recordings, unearthed videotapes from the FBI Hostage Negotiation Command Post, raw news footage, and candid interviews with FBI agents, surviving Branch Davidians, and journalists who covered the crisis. The result is a nuanced, primary-source-driven account of how miscommunication, ideological extremism, and tactical disagreements converged into tragedy.
The three episodes trace the siege's arc methodically. Episode one, "In the Beginning…" opens with the initial gunfire and the federal agents' desperate attempts to rescue children from the compound. Episode two, "Children of God," examines the media frenzy surrounding Koresh's messianic claims while depicting the dangerous clash between FBI negotiation teams and more aggressive tactical units. The final episode, "Fire," documents Koresh's promises to surrender and the apocalyptic fire that ultimately consumed the compound on April 19, 1993.
Understanding the siege requires understanding Koresh himself. The charismatic cult leader had convinced approximately 130 followers—men, women, and children—that he was the Messiah and the Son of God. He preached an apocalyptic theology centered on an imminent, fiery confrontation with the government, promising his followers they would emerge victorious and lead God's army. Under his leadership, the Branch Davidians illegally stockpiled assault rifles, ammunition, and grenades, setting the stage for federal intervention.
