Louis Theroux takes Audience “Into the Manosphere”
© 2026 Netflix
By: Maya Tinajero, Skyline Editor
ALPINE - When you hear the word ‘Manosphere’ you may picture a corner of the internet that houses men in haughty suits, with their obnoxious sports cars and even more obnoxious personas. These male influencers have gained a lot of attention in recent times, often resulting in infamy, making this undercover world unsettling and even dangerous for most. This “hidden” world has recently become the focus of well-known documentarian Louis Theroux in his Netflix documentary, “Inside the Manosphere.”
The term “manosphere” is commonly known as an online forum of anti-feminist, gym-loving, protein guzzling, low IQ men who make a living off, “teaching men how to be men.” These online forums have become increasingly popular with younger audiences as shown in another Netflix project, the 2025 short series, Adolescence. The series follows a young boy who is accused of murdering a female classmate after falling into the world of hyper-masculine content.
Theroux’s documentary follows influencers such as RSTikkyTokky, whose real name is Harrison Sullivan, Myron Gaines, and Justin Waller into the “real world” where they are followed around by giggling, starstruck men and boys who share nothing but admiration and praise.
The documentary also features in depth conversations with these male influencers, in which Theroux shows his excellent communication abilities. Somehow, he can make these men, often characterized by yelling and overall chest-beating, seem vulnerable and at times, afraid. This breaking of barriers is particularly apparent during Theroux’s conversation with infamous podcaster Myron Gaines and his then girlfriend Angelica Camacho. During his conversation with the couple, Theroux asks Camacho about Gaines’s desire to have multiple wives, to which the audience can see a visible uneasiness from Camacho. Gaines seemingly attempts to salvage the conversation, stating, “Who knows? Maybe I’ll say I only want to be with one girl cause two would be too tough.”
Theroux has faced some fair criticism from audience members who thought that his documentary was “preaching to the wrong crowd” as put by journalist Miranda Collingue in a piece for Esquire. However, I personally believe that Theroux’s documentary serves as a comprehensive introduction to, as he put it, “...an education in how the hamster wheel of content creation was (is) incentivizing extreme behavior.”
The manosphere, otherwise known as red-pill content is a concerning matter for many. It has morphed from simple toxic male fraternization to a racist, homophobic, misogynistic, and antisemitic movement with political affiliations. There is no denying the reach that these male influencers have. According to UN Women, a United Nations agency charged with working for gender equality, experts are finding that the popularity and language of manosphere content not only normalizes violence against women but has growing ties to extremist ideologies.
Although “Into the Manosphere” only scratches the surface of this seedy community, it highlights the hypocrisy of the movement as well as the growing danger as individuals who were once just influencers work their way into governments and political offices.