Have you watched the 2026 Netflix series The Unchosen?
I think I judged this series wrongly before watching it. The only reason I gave it a chance was that I couldn’t find anything else interesting to watch on Netflix. Then I saw someone recommend the movie on TikTok, and I decided to see what all the fuss was about.
I must say, it was worth watching because I have a lot to say about it.
If you haven’t watched it yet, this review might convince you to binge-watch it so you can join the discussion. And if you’ve already seen it, superb—let’s talk about it.
What Is The Unchosen About?
For those who haven’t watched it yet, the series follows a young mother named Rosie who lives in a strict religious community.
She silently struggles to accept the rules and beliefs imposed by the group. When her daughter goes missing, Rosie defies the community’s expectations and joins the search for her child. During her search, she encounters an escaped convict who saves her daughter.
That encounter awakens desires and dreams that the religious cult had long suppressed and gives Rosie a new goal: to escape at all costs.
Episode 1: The Beginning of Rosie’s Journey
This first episode begins with Rosie’s daughter going missing.
Rosie is instructed to stay behind while the men in the community search the woods for her child. When she asks to join the search team, Mr. Philip, the leader of the religious group, dismisses her request by saying:
“This is men’s work.”
Don’t worry—I won’t spoil the series for you.
Instead, I want to highlight three themes from Episode 1 that reflect issues we still see in the real world today.
1. “The Church Oppresses Women.”
Many people who are not religious are quick to say that the church oppresses women.
As a Christian, I’m quick to say that this statement isn’t entirely true. However, I also don’t believe it’s entirely false.
Especially in Ghana, you will find churches that teach and follow wrongly interpreted doctrines that disadvantage and subordinate women. There are also churches led by spiritual charlatans who exploit their followers, and unfortunately, women often suffer the most.
In The Unchosen, Mr. Philip teaches that men should work and provide for the family while women should remain at home to nurture and care for the household.
In the real world, women are equally capable of working and providing for their families. Yet within the community portrayed in the series, this rule keeps women financially dependent on men.
And when a woman has no financial independence, she may feel forced to accept and endure situations she would otherwise walk away from.
2. “Technology Is the Devil’s Instrument.”
In the Church of the Chosen, phones are considered instruments of the devil.
Using a phone is strictly forbidden, and anyone caught breaking the rule faces consequences. The community doesn’t even watch television.
Yet the men drive cars.
Their leader, Philip, owns a gun.
That’s how hypocritical the system appears.
It becomes obvious that limiting access to information is one way the leadership maintains control. If the women are prevented from learning about the outside world, they are less likely to question what they’re being taught.
Because of this isolation, Rosie doesn’t even know that the man who saved her daughter is a dangerous escaped convict.
3. Ignorance Is Never Bliss
One thing I’ve noticed about spiritual charlatans is that they often weaponize ignorance for their own benefit.
The less people know, the easier they are to manipulate.
When followers remain unaware of the truth about their leaders, their teachings, or the outside world, they become trapped in systems that exploit them.
Knowledge does not solve every problem, but ignorance often makes people vulnerable to control.
This is one of the strongest themes introduced in Episode 1, and I suspect it will become even more important as the series progresses.
There is much more happening beneath the surface of The Unchosen
There is much more happening beneath the surface of The Unchosen than I expected.
What starts as a missing-child story quickly develops into a deeper conversation about power, freedom, faith, and control.
And trust me—the series becomes even more interesting in the episodes that follow.
Next, I’ll be reviewing Episode 2, so make sure you come back for that discussion.
In the meantime, if you’ve watched The Unchosen, leave a comment below and share your thoughts. What stood out to you most? What lessons have you learned from the series so far?
