A Chilling Look Into Power, Manipulation, and Betrayal in this powerful mini series channel 4 documentary The making of a monster.

This three-part investigative documentary miniseries offers a deeply unsettling yet crucial examination of Ghislaine Maxwell, her techniques for drawing in survivors, and her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. What struck me most was how the series highlights the psychological manipulation and calculated grooming that took place, not just by Epstein, but by Maxwell herself.

I found it particularly chilling and disturbing to watch how a woman could participate in such shocking, predatory behaviour against other women. There is something uniquely jarring about seeing a female figure leverage trust, charm, and social status to facilitate harm. The documentary does an excellent job of unpacking that complexity, exploring not only Maxwell’s actions but also the systems of power, privilege, and protection that allowed this behaviour to go unchecked for so long.

The series also weaves in a surprising amount of archival footage — and I have to say, I loved the old clips capturing the glamour and excess of the ’70s and ’80s. The fashion, the parties, the lifestyle of the ultra-wealthy… all of it underscores the stark contrast between the world Maxwell presented to the public and the predatory reality that was unfolding behind the scenes. You get to see Little St James in the Virgin Island where Jeffery and Maxwell spent much of their time hosting the rich and famous. You get to see why it became better known as Orgy island and when you listen closely to the testaments of the couple who ran the island, you truly get a sense of how they almost talk in denial or fear, it was chilling.

In trying to make sense of Maxwell’s behaviour, the programme traces key phases of her early life — moments that mirror the classic conditions known to shape deeply damaged adults, yet with an added, corrosive twist. Growing up with an abusive, domineering, multimillionaire father would be destabilising for any child. But for Ghislaine, the dynamic was even more complex. As Robert Maxwell’s youngest and his clear favourite among nine children, she often sat at the dinner table watching him berate, attack, and humiliate her siblings — all while she herself was spared. That unsettling combination of privilege, fear, and distorted loyalty becomes one of the most revealing threads in her story.

From a production standpoint, the documentary is exceptionally well put together. The pacing, interviews, survivor accounts, and storytelling structure come together to paint a vivid and disturbing portrait of the darker side of privilege and power. It doesn’t sensationalise; instead, it lays out the facts and lets viewers feel the weight of them. This is not an easy watch — nor should it be. It is unsettling, important, and absolutely worth your time.

A must-watch for anyone interested in understanding how abuse can hide behind wealth, influence, and social status.