Fall River

Quick summary: A well produced documentary on a very complicated story. Police corruption, rampant sexual violence, brutal criminals, and satanic panic at its most extreme, who is telling the truth?

Overall, I thought it was very well done. Stick with it, it's all interesting but episode four is the Cherry.

I really only have one issue with this series. The constant excuses made for violent cruel behavior because of past trauma. I agree that Robin, Carl and a host of others in this story were horribly victimized in their past. I wish this hadn't happened to them, but it is not an excuse for victimizing others. Destroying other people's lives is not an acceptable "coping mechanism".

Very intense this one.

Very Great: masses of original footage and pictures.

I was watching this in unbelief, the first 2 episodes not knowing whose lies were closer to factual truths.

You will see moral & emotional degenerates, incredible abuse, ignorance and the inexplicable actions and stance of police.

I don't know how to believe into something like a 'justice' system after this. It's shattering.

It left me sad, speechless, breathless, deflated. To hear Andy Maltaises' daughter defending him, hearing and seeing what various police officers/state troopers involved at that time have to say about it now .. ( .. Thomas Joaquim, Paul Fitzgerald, Alan Silvia?) The pain so many people have to live with because they were ignored, discarded by the police, prosecutors, D. A's... i have no words.

For me it ended up being - not so much about who had done what - but about the extent of corruption and abuse of power that led to this enormous pile of destroyed lives.

This documentary was brilliantly done.

Highly recommend.

I was glued to my seat for the entire binge-watch. Like in every great detective story, the truth becomes crystal clear at the very end.

Plus, an atmosphere of New England of the 70s/80s is beautifully recreated. A pleasure to watch.

Production and narrative is all over the place. No one is believable. Might have been able to expose police mistakes and ineptitude but the series doesn't take that approach.

This is an impressive documentary that takes you on a journey into the Satan Worshiper hysteria of the Seventies, walks down seedy alleyways with pimps and prostitutes and turns the lens on the way police and prosecutors did business back then.

It is really well constructed snapshot of the underbelly of small town America, full of sordid personalities that worked on, stalked and patrolled the streets.

It is fascinating to hear the men in charge of the investigations condemn the young girl they used to frame various people: a girl who was suffering from rape and abuse. They have elevated her to mythological proportions of maniacal evil. They still talk about this (then) child as if she is an evil genius and they were putty in her hands. Later we hear those same officers making excuses for the pedophile rapists and brutal pimps that perpetrated the crimes in order to humanize them and belittle their involvement, "Yes, he sure was a funny character alright..." they said of the serial pedophile rapist in the area. Yet his victim is an evil manipulator.

A little time and distance (and a few women's rights movements) brings much clarity. Well, to some of us may be.

I highly recommend this doc series.