MindHunter - Season 2 ... well I know I might be in the minority, but se01 for me was much better. Not taking away the fact that this still is one hell of a show, but I would rate it 7.5 from 7.8 that gave to SE01. None the less the intrigue in the understanding of the psyche of the killers continues in this as well. This one is more liner and spends time in following/solving one particular killer crime, Rather than studying them, which is what there was in SE01. None the less worthy TV series of your time. Both seasons.... 7.5/10
Thanks for the review, Sam. A great TV show, IMO, is one in which there is very less of improvisation and the director/writer has a clear vision right from the beginning where it needs to go. Once that is established and executed, the rest of the elements constituting the show just vanishes, leaving behind the vision alone. The increased duration of the show compared to feature length movies also will help them in achieving this without sacrificing too much on editing the story to fit into the time-frame. I feel David Fincher (and his associate directors) did a fantastic job with both the seasons and we can see how cohesive both feels even though S2 is released 2 years after S1. There are elements which keep repeating and overlapping, like Ed Kemper tapes, the mysterious cross-dresser (most likely to be the BTK killer they keep mentioning in S2 and might feature in S3). Another area where Fincher does it so well is in keeping the historical facts very accurate and true to source (something we saw a lot of in Zodiac)
S2, I felt put the team on the front page, in the limelight, rather than being cubbyholed in the basement. They are no longer theorizing about the psychology behind the murders, but now are using that intelligence to lead an active part in solving crimes and their contribution is getting recognized throughout the department. Being pioneers in their field, they do have the issue of disbelief and reaching dead ends in their investigation, too often.
In a scene, Agent Tench says this about the Atlanta killer, “it puts him in control, like he is directing the hunt”. I think this was the theme of the show,
being in control. Each one of the offenders captive or not, have very less control over their personal lives and they use these crimes as a means of getting back at society and to prove they are smarter than the detectives by controlling the narrative and being the focus point of all media attraction. The subplot involving Agent Tench’s sons traumatic episode brings all that they know about the offenders right back home, likely to be fiction and a very clever addition, IMO. The main story being based on real events we can see how unsatisfactory and open-ended, the investigations can get in S2, with politics nudging its way in, it’s never like how they show on crime stories based on pure fiction
Fincher’s expertise is also visible (rather invisible!) in how well he blends VFX into the story. He adds and removes elements so that the set resembles the 1960-70s and it is done in a seamless and invisible manner that we find it really hard to believe that VFX has been used. This is a technique he has been using throughout in all the movies and especially in Zodiac it takes a life of its own. Do watch the video below from Season 1, it goes on to show, how a good use of technology can become true art:
Unbelievable - SE01. This is drools of quality. Thanks to Liverpool for mentioning the show here. Based on real-life, its a story about a teenager who was charged with lying about having been raped. And the investigation of the same serial rapist. Everything is absolutely TOP NOTCH quality, the direction, the investigation, the dialogues and boy the performances,
Kaitlyn Dever who played Marie the teenager gives an oscar worthy performance. So real grounded and shocking. The two lady detectives, especially
Merritt Wever who played Detective Duvall, was impeccable. Realism to it highest peak. There was nothing in the show that I can point out a drawback. This will be my one of the top shows on Netflix in recent times......8/10 for this one
Unbelievable: New show on Netflix. Based on real-life events. I'm up to Episode 5. Extremely gripping so far.
I would have missed this show altogether if not for
@liverpool_for_life mentioning it here and your review, thanks
As with Mindhunter, this show too proves how well a director/writer team can put together a well thought out and cohesive series by fully using the added advantage of continuity and added time TV shows offer. Marie Adler(the unreliable narrator) is the undercurrent for the series and her performance as you have mentioned is exemplary, truly unbelievable!. We, the viewer can feel the vulnerability, sadness and fear all along. The lead detectives were also well cast and their characters well developed. As this is also based on real life events, we can see the investigations ending in dead ends and going in frustrating circles, very well executed.
My only disappointment with the show was that sequences following the offender being caught was kind of rushed through. Since we’ve gotten used to understanding a lot more of the psychology behind these crimes in Mindhunter, they could’ve included that too. From the short interview sequence with Agent Taggart at the end, I feel this too is a series of crimes to prove that the offender is the one in control and smarter than the sleuths, a pattern similar to Mindhunter (look, already I’m seeing patterns across TV shows
).
Mainstream movies/TV shows off late have been celebrating violence, gore and profanity for selling pulp fiction to the masses. Both shows have bucked the trend and did none of that, but at the same time narrated a sad, gritty and grim tale effectively. Good job!
