Louis Theroux: Life on the Edge (2020)
S01E02 The Dark Side of Pleasure
Episode Overview
Louis delves into how America has skillfully taken our deepest, darkest urges, marketed them, and transformed them into profitable ventures. Reflecting on his iconic Weird Weekends episodes centered on porn and rap, along with films addressing Las Vegas and the opioid epidemic, this episode examines our innate tendency to embrace the shadows in pursuit of pleasure—whether through hedonism, thrill-seeking, or the thrill of engaging in activities deemed 'bad' or 'wrong.' He reconnects with former porn star JJ, who, over two decades ago, was just starting in the adult industry but has since distanced himself from that life.