Every Episode of ‘Goop Lab,’ Graded for Scientific Legitimacy
The science in Gwyneth Paltrow’s new Netflix series isn’t that bad—until you get to the exorcism
I’m going to be honest, I wanted to be outraged by this show. As Elemental’s senior staff writer, I’ve written about how the wellness industry, embodied by Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop, exploits people’s insecurities and very real health issues. I’ve nodded along and tweeted and ranted about the pseudoscience she and others peddle, selling people false hope in the form of useless overpriced devices and treatments, the best of which are a waste of money, the worst of which can cause very real health harms.
To science writers, Gwyneth Paltrow is a matador holding up the red flag, and I was fully prepared to charge. But, surprisingly, Goop Labs, which debuts on January 24 (Netflix granted me an early screener of the show), isn’t that bad. At least for the first four 30-minute episodes. Then things really take a turn.
Episode 1: “The Healing Trip”
The first episode is on the use of psychedelics in guided therapy, and it’s pretty legitimate. Although still relatively fringe, the stigma around psychedelic-assisted therapy is starting to diminish as doctors and scientists learn about the drugs’…
