HBO's Documentary Series 'The Mortician' Becomes Platform's Most Watched in Five Years, Chronicles Inhumane Practices at CA Funeral Home
HBO's new documentary series "The Mortician" has become the network's most-watched docuseries in the past five years, surpassing recent hits like "Chimp Crazy" and "Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God" since its premiere on June 1, 2025.
The three-part series, directed by Joshua Rofé and executive produced by Jonah Hill, investigates the shocking true story of the Lamb Funeral Home in Pasadena, California—a family-run business that became the center of a notorious scandal in the 1980s.
The series focuses on David Sconce, who took over the Lamb Funeral Home from his parents and quickly transformed it into a large-scale cremation operation. Sconce's methods were driven by profit, leading to a series of inhumane and illegal practices. The documentary reveals how Sconce orchestrated mass cremations, sometimes burning up to 15 or 20 bodies at once in ceramic kilns, and often breaking bones to fit more remains into the chambers. Families who entrusted their loved ones to the funeral home were frequently given mixed or even fake ashes, and some never received their relatives' remains at all.
Sconce's actions went beyond improper cremations. The docuseries details how he and his staff mutilated bodies, extracted gold dental fillings, and sold organs for additional profit. Sconce also intimidated competitors, with allegations of plotting violence against rival morticians. His business practices led to a staggering increase in cremations—from 195 in 1981 to over 25,000 within five years, a growth of nearly 13,000%.
"The Mortician" features the first interview with Sconce since his release from prison in 2023, where he shows little remorse and justifies his actions as business decisions. The series also includes testimonies from former employees, victims' families, and journalists.
Sconce's crimes led to reforms in the U.S. mortuary industry, particularly in its regulation. The reforms included stricter inspections and new laws against unauthorized removal of dental metals. Critics have praised the series for its unflinching look at the potential for abuse in an industry that relies on public trust, with an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and generally favorable reviews from major outlets.
