If you're looking to get in on a bingeworthy series, Mindhunter might be just for you
The window inside of the minds of serial killers is gripping
We all receive recommendations from relatives, friends, and others regarding a movie or TV series that are described as “must-watch” productions. But given the overabundance of content available on the various entertainment platforms, it's easy to become overwhelmed and to let films and shows worthy of viewing slip through the cracks. My favorite genres are mysteries, thrillers, and dramas, particularly those whose stories encapsulate espionage, history, and biographies. It is through these categories that I filter my viewing choices.
Several of the programs that I like are on hiatus, including Billions, Condor, and Pennyworth and while waiting for Power: Book IV and House of Dragons to land, I had the good fortune to discover Mindhunter. Although Season One premiered in 2017, I knew very little about it and I was surprised by the level of popularity the docudrama had achieved prior to my sitting down to watch the first episode. It turned out that the show was right up my alley. The stories told in Mindhunters are based on true crimes and the perpetrators who committed them, representing an absolute “Who’s Who” of serial killers.
The series is adapted from Mark Olshaker and John E. Douglas' book, Mind Hunter: Inside The FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. Set in 1979, an era in which the FBI's primary concern was putting mobsters and other more conventional criminals in prison, a lot of murders, specifically those of a more gruesome nature were going unsolved. It was felt by the agents who were at the forefront of the art of profiling that the only way to close these cases and prevent future ones would be to interview the serial killers who were in custody. These mass murderers included Ed Kemper (the Co-Ed Killer), David Berkowitz (Son of Sam), and Charles Manson, among others. This quietly pursued effort would ultimately lead to the formation of the bureau’s behavioral science unit.
Driven by the naively resolute FBI agent Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and the more experienced and streetwise agent, Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), the pair initiate an effort to learn the backstories of these killers so that it can be better determined as to why they commit such ghastly acts. Ford and Trench also realize that for the most part, the days of Elliot Ness are over and that the FBI needs to take a new approach in solving some of the nation’s more sinister acts. It’s no coincidence that Goff’s character is based on John Douglas who was the founder of the FBI’s profiling unit.
One of the lesser know killers who were interviewed was William “Junior” Pierce, who killed nine people in a matter of months before, his arrest in March 1971. His appearance in Season 2 of Mindhunter played by Michael Filipowich offers one of the few moments of levity in the series. Junior, brags he can speak seven languages, including Libyan and Apache, which immediately put to rest any beliefs in his claim. Junior’s comical efforts to display an expanded vocabulary are reminiscent of Damon Wayans inmate character from In Living Color, Oswald Bates.
However, make no mistake about it, the real stars of Mindhunter are the serial killers themselves and the actors who portray them with ghastly precision. Cameron Britton received an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Ed Kemper. But equally as stellar as performances are Jack Eddie’s Richard Speck, Oliver Cooper’s David Berkowitz, and David Herriman’s Charles Manson. At the end of Berkowitz’s questioning, he drops a bombshell that makes you wonder if it really occurred.
Season 2 of Mindhunter is devoted to the Atlanta Child Murders which offers interesting insights into how that investigation unfolded. Christopher Livingston as Wayne Williams is chillingly believable and through much of his time on screen, he comes off as convincing as he protests his innocence. By the end, you will either be reaffirmed of his guilt or continue to wallow in uncertainty. Either way, as a viewer you will be engrossed.
Mindhunter is a superior series that treats the subject of mass murder with the gravity that it deserves, but with injections of humanity. The writing is impeccable, the meticulousness of the production is displayed in just how unerringly the 70s are brought to life, and the adroitness undertaken in developing its characters sets it apart from other similar vehicles. If you hang with it through the first two episodes, you will be more than rewarded and will likely get hooked. If true crime and psychological thrillers are your thing, you won’t be disappointed with Mindhunter. As Charles Manson said in one of his final interviews, “You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody's crazy.” Mindhunter will show you just how crazy.
Cameron Britton was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of Kemper.
Ed Kemper
Charles Mansion
Mindhunter
Created by Joe Penhall - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0671856/?ref_=tt_ov_wr