The loss of a loved one is devastating enough—but add a funeral home engaging in morally questionable and inhumane practices and that tragedy becomes a downright scandal. Such is the case with the Lamb Funeral Home, the family-owned mortuary in 1980s-era Pasadena that's at the center of HBO's latest true crime docuseries The Mortician.
Premiering tonight, June 1 at 9pm Eastern Time (with new episodes debuting on subsequent Sundays at the same time), the three-part documentary series "chronicles a trusted family-owned funeral home that hid behind a façade of decency and propriety to take advantage of loved ones at their most vulnerable moments," reads the official show synopsis, per HBO.
"In the early 1980s, David Sconce, scion of the Lamb family, took over the family business and sought to exploit the deceased in numerous ways to expand their earnings," the synopsis continued. Sconce was convicted for multiple crimes all stemming from his bizarre business decisions, like hiring hitmen to attack rivals and organizing mass cremations, betraying the trust of people who expected him to care for their deceased loved ones.
The darkly gripping series—which was directed by Joshua Rofé and produced by Hollywood star Jonah Hill—features an exclusive interview with Sconce, newly released from prison, which gives insight into the lucrative multibillion-dollar mortuary industry and what can happen behind closed doors. With emotional interviews with families of the victims of the Lamb Funeral Home and revelations from former employees, The Mortician hauntingly details the scandal that shook Southern California in the '80s.
To tune into the premiere episode of The Mortician tonight, as well as the next two parts of the documentary series, you're going to need access to HBO. Thankfully, the channel is available with most cable TV subscriptions. However, if you've cut the cord, you can watch live simulcasts of HBO channels via several live TV streaming service options, including Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream. You also have access to HBO programming, including The Mortician docuseries, through the network's streaming platform, Max.
Check out the official trailer for The Mortician before tuning into the premiere of the gripping new documentary tonight at 9pm ET on HBO.
