The Mortician OTT Release Date: When and where to watch Joshua Rofé's thrilling three-part documentary

Time of India

27-05-2025

The Mortician OTT Release Date: If you're into real crime stories that go far beyond anything a screenwriter could dream up, HBO's upcoming series is something you won't want to miss. This new three-part documentary dives headfirst into one of the most disturbing scandals in the American funeral industry, and it all starts streaming soon.
When and where to watch The Mortician?
The Mortician premieres Sunday, June 1 at 9 p.m. ET on Crave. It's an HBO Original, and new episodes will drop every Sunday at the same time, with the final episode airing on June 15. Indian users can watch it on JioHotstar starting June 2. So if you're a true crime buff or just curious about the dark corners of real-life business scandals, mark your calendar.
What's The Mortician all about?
Directed by Joshua Rofé (known for Sasquatch and Lorena), this documentary is anything but your typical crime series. It tells the haunting true story of the Lamb Funeral Home in Pasadena, California, a family-owned business that turned into a house of horrors once David Sconce took over in the 1980s.
Behind the polished façade of a respected funeral home was a business that exploited grieving families and, shockingly, the dead themselves. David Sconce, heir to the family legacy, was hell-bent on maximising profits at any cost. We're talking mass cremations, tampering with remains, and even suspicions of violent retaliation against rivals.
And yes, the series features a jaw-dropping interview with Sconce himself, now out of prison, who tells his side of the story with startling honesty.
What to expect from each episode?
Episode 1 (June 1): It all starts when Sconce takes over the family business and begins using questionable tactics to outpace competitors. In 1985, a rival funeral director starts asking questions about the unusually fast cremations. That same year, the man died suddenly of a heart attack at just 24.
Episode 2 (June 8): After a fire guts the crematorium in 1986, Sconce doesn't slow down; he finds new, shady ways to keep the business running. As investigations ramp up, police arrest him and uncover a trail of disturbing evidence that may tie him to the violent death of a competitor.
Episode 3 (June 15): The legal fallout begins. Multiple members of the Lamb family are convicted of fraud, and while a murder charge against Sconce is dropped in 1991 due to lack of evidence, the damage is done. Over 20,000 families are believed to have been affected. The scandal forces California to implement stronger regulations for the funeral industry.
The documentary features powerful interviews with people who were there: Sconce's ex-wife, mortuary professionals, journalists who covered the case, and even families of the victims. These firsthand accounts make The Mortician a raw, emotional, and often unsettling watch.