EPISODE 1

March 12th, 2018. Jason Freeman, Manson’s grandson, is standing over his grandfather’s dead body at a funeral home. Jason has struggled with his bloodline ever since learning about his grandfather as a child. He’s been in and out of prison, is a former MMA fighter and now, in 2016, he’s trying to turn his life around with wife Audrey and his children, but it’s not easy. Manson has tracked him down and, since 2015, he has periodically called him from prison: but there’s no real clue to what he wants. Years of hidden rage have come to the surface; Jason is fearful that he could end up like Manson, or even more tragically, like his own father, who committed suicide rather than live with the burden of his genes. Jason shares some of the previously unheard Manson calls and we witness interviews with Jason’s mother, Shawn Freeman, and Manson authors including Jeff Guinn and Tom O’Neill, who provide insight to both Jason’s and Manson’s early lives. In 2017, in search of answers, Jason decides to head west. But Manson is old, frail and difficult; will he be receptive to meeting? First he has to convince J.J., one of Manson’s ‘gatekeepers'.

EPISODE 2

Jason spends time with J.J. and gets to visit Spahn Ranch, near LA, where Manson and his followers lived. Jason shares his experience of walking in his grandfather’s shoes, while Manson experts provide the historical context. Jason learns about Grey Wolf and Black Wolf, two influential Manson supporters who believe in his innocence and who will likely block Jason’s proposed prison visit. J.J. is now convinced that Jason has no ulterior motive than re-connecting with his grandfather and the pair set off for the California State Prison in Corcoran. However, the ailing Manson refuses to put Jason’s name on the visitor’s list, so it’s a wasted journey. In a sit-down interview some months later, Jason recounts being at home on Thanksgiving in 2017 and anticipating a call from Manson. However, when the phone did ring it was J.J., explaining that Manson has just died. Running a range of emotions, including sorrow and frustration, at never meeting Manson, Jason decides to head west once again. But this time he wants to claim Manson’s body for burial; he needs to bring three generations of a cursed and fractured family together and aims to bury his grandfather with the father he never knew.

EPISODE 3

With the help of J.J. and an attorney, Jason stakes his claim to Manson’s body – but despite being his rightful heir, he’s in for a fight. Cameras follow as he has to contend with a number of other claimants across a four-month-long court case. It’s a media circus but finally he is allowed to claim his grandfather’s body. With emotions running high, Jason decides to let his father rest in peace and not add his grandfather to the grave in Ohio. Instead he feels that California might be a better resting place and decides to cremate his body. A single camera follows Jason and Audrey to the crematorium and captures extraordinary emotional footage of Jason finally ‘meeting’ his grandfather. Jason speaks to Manson and forgives him for the suicide of his father. Grey Wolf and Black Wolf have arrived, and demand their time with Manson’s body. As Jason and Audrey move away from the casket, Grey Wolf and Black Wolf move in. Episode three concludes with this friction caught on camera. As J.J. drapes an American flag over Manson’s casket, Grey Wolf replaces it with a more contentious Confederate one. Who knows what is going to transpire at the funeral?

EPISODE 4

With incredible and unique access, cameras follow Manson’s body down to the crematorium oven and capture Jason pressing the button to start the cremation process. A funeral follows and Manson’s ashes are scattered onto a river on the outskirts of town. Jason, Audrey, J.J., Grey Wolf and Black Wolf all say something. Manson’s 28-year-old fiancé, ‘Star’, is also present, along with former Manson Family member Sandra Good and her husband. It’s been three years since Jason took that first call from Manson and while some questions have been answered there’s still a lot to resolve. He now needs to come to terms with the death of his father and visit his mother, who was always against him travelling to California in the first place. And then there’s the question of Manson’s estate: music rights to his songs, personal effects, letters etc that could be worth a small fortune. With new challenges from the same claimants who wanted Manson’s body, it will be up to a judge to decide. But, if it all falls to him, how should he handle this ‘blood money’? Tough decisions will need to be made. Will Jason do the ‘right’ thing, or put his family first?