Redding, California, 2016. A "super mom" goes for a jog and vanishes. 22 days later, she reappears on the side of a highway, emaciated, bruised, and branded with a literal hot iron. It was the kind of story that stops your heart. Then, the floor fell out. It was all a fake. A sham. A massive, expensive lie that cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and landed Sherri Papini in a federal prison cell.
But if you thought the story ended when she walked out of prison, you haven't seen the new docuseries. Honestly, it’s wilder than the original headlines.
If you’re trying to figure out Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie where to watch, you’ve basically got one main destination: Investigation Discovery (ID) and its associated streaming partners. The four-part series premiered in May 2025 and has been causing a massive stir because, for the first time, Sherri herself sits down in front of a camera to "explain" what happened.
Where Can You Actually Stream It?
Finding where to watch true crime can be a headache with all the different apps. For Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie, the easiest way to catch the drama is through Max (formerly HBO Max) or discovery+. Since Investigation Discovery is under the Warner Bros. Discovery umbrella, they keep their heavy hitters on those platforms.
You can also find it on:
📖 Related: Who is Really in the Enola Holmes 2 Cast? A Look at the Faces Behind the Mystery
- Hulu (if you have the Live TV add-on or through the ID hub).
- Philo or Sling TV for those who prefer live-channel streaming services.
- ID GO, which usually requires a cable provider login.
- Apple TV and Prime Video, where you can often buy the episodes individually if you don't want another monthly subscription.
It’s a four-episode binge. Each one is about 41 to 44 minutes of pure, "did she really just say that?" energy.
The New "Truth" (Or Whatever This Is)
Here is the thing about this documentary that people are losing their minds over: Sherri isn't exactly saying "I'm sorry" and moving on. Instead, she’s kind of doubling down on a different version of the story.
In the series, she admits she lied about being taken by two Hispanic women. That was the big lie that fueled her original conviction. But now? She claims she was actually kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend, James Reyes. She says she went to him to escape an allegedly controlling marriage, but that once she got there, things turned dark. She’s now alleging that he held her against her will and that the injuries—the branding, the bruises—weren't consensual.
It’s a lot to process. James Reyes, for his part, has always maintained that Sherri asked him to help her "disappear" and that everything that happened at his house was done at her request. He even passed a polygraph.
👉 See also: Priyanka Chopra Latest Movies: Why Her 2026 Slate Is Riskier Than You Think
Why This Docuseries is Different from the Hulu One
You might be thinking, "Wait, didn't I already see this?" You're probably thinking of Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini, which hit Hulu in 2024. That one focused heavily on her husband, Keith Papini, and the investigators who broke the case. It was great, but it didn't have Sherri.
Caught in the Lie is Sherri’s response. It’s her attempt to take back the narrative. Watching it feels like a psychological tug-of-war. On one side, you have the investigators and experts pointing out the clear, physical evidence of her deception. On the other, you have Sherri on camera, often looking distressed, insisting that the "real" story is far more complicated than a simple hoax.
What the Documentary Actually Covers
The series doesn't just stick to the 22 days she was missing. It goes back into her childhood, her marriage, and the aftermath of her prison stay.
- Exodus: This covers the initial disappearance and the absolute frenzy it caused in the Redding community.
- "I'm a Liar": Sherri talks about the pressure of the FBI investigation and why she chose to tell the specific lie about her "abductors."
- Multiple Truths: This is where it gets heavy. It looks at her life after prison and the breakdown of her relationship with her children.
- It's Complicated: The finale features a polygraph and some final confrontations that leave you with more questions than answers.
The filmmakers don't just let her talk, though. They balance her claims with interviews from law enforcement officials who handled the case. These guys are clearly frustrated. They spent thousands of hours searching for a "victim" who was actually just hanging out in Southern California watching movies and eating out.
✨ Don't miss: Why This Is How We Roll FGL Is Still The Song That Defines Modern Country
Is Sherri Papini Actually Telling the Truth Now?
That is the million-dollar question. Most viewers seem to think she's still spinning a web. The documentary shows her taking a polygraph during filming, and the results... well, they aren't exactly a clean bill of health for her new story.
There’s a moment in the third episode where she has a bit of an on-camera breakdown because she can't remember specific details that a victim of trauma usually would remember, or at least that’s what the experts in the show suggest. It makes for very uncomfortable, very compelling television.
What You Should Do Next
If you're a true crime fan, you kind of have to see this, if only to see how a person can maintain a narrative even after being legally proven a liar. It’s a fascinating look at psychology and the "Gone Girl" phenomenon in real life.
Steps to get started:
- Check your Max or discovery+ subscription first; it’s likely already there for you.
- If you haven't seen the 2024 Hulu doc (Perfect Wife), watch that one first. It provides the context of the investigation that makes the new series much more impactful.
- Pay close attention to the interviews with the detectives in Caught in the Lie. Their body language says everything you need to know about what law enforcement thinks of Sherri’s "new" truth.
Once you finish the four episodes, you’ll probably find yourself scrolling through the original 2016 court documents. The gap between what she says now and what the physical evidence proved back then is where the real story lives.
Check your streaming settings to ensure you have access to the ID (Investigation Discovery) hub on Max or Discovery+ to begin episode one.