Catching Killers

Crime documentary that doesn't waste it's time on people's backstory or long boring scenic shots. Just the case and nothing else. Waiting for more! This is how a crime documentary should be done.

This is probably one of the worst homicide documentaries ever made. It very superficially touches upon different cases. The makers obviously decided to do some cherry picking in the case files in order to be able to tell a complex entertaining story in only 40 minutes. This way of working just leaves too many questions unanswered to ever become a decente in depth documentary. It does not do any justice to the victims and or perpetrators. The series aims at creating only entertainment build on top of dramatic events. That will probably enough for a lot of viewers, but is essentially a disgrace.

I enjoy crime shows, I really enjoy serial killer documentaries, and books and the like. However, when it comes to documenting the real life story it obviously gets more complicated.

The majority of serial killers, especially the most interesting ones, want notoriety, and this show does a phenomenal job in bypassing that caveat by focusing on the heroes of the story; the investigators. This isn't a series about the killers, giving them more attention, and inviting more people to pique their dormant narcissism. This is a series that celebrates those who brought them to justice by bringing in, seemingly, the whole team who captured them.

It's a fun watch, for sure.

The series isn't bad if all you're looking for is the Reader's Digest condensed versions of the cases being profiled. The actual detectives on these cases lend a good deal of credibility and eliminate the need for a schmaltzy narration. But the sound effects editing needs to be dialed way back. It really isn't necessary to punctuate every sentence uttered with a rumbling whoosh or a highly-reverberated tribal drum, or a shrieking string crescendo. These sonic burps only serve to cheapen any documentary value and drag the series into the horror B-picture territory.

These were 4 great episodes of true crime! As told by the officers and people involved. They almost felt like a 'backstage all access pass'. Thoroughly enjoyable even if you're not a big true crime buff. Wonderful put together and timelined great.