Catching a Serial Killer: Sam Little

"Catching A Serial Killer: Sam Little" (2020 release; 87 min.) is a documentary about the infamous serial killer Sam Little, who brutally murdered dozens and dozens of women over 30+ years in 19 states. As the movie opens, we are in Pascagoula, MS, where in 1982 Little killed a prostitute. It soon wmerges that just days before that, he killed another woman near Gainsville, FL in almost the exact same manner (picking her up in a bar, then driving off and killing her ina remote location). The police departments work together to ensure a strong case. Stunningly, Little is acquitted, and free to roam for more victims... At this point we are 10 min. into the documentary.

Couple of comments: the is the latest from veteran TV documentary writer-producer-director Jonathan Grupper. Here he looks at the life and times of one of the most vicious serial killer this country has ever seen: Sam Little. How was it possible that Little was able to get away with this for so many years. It is an embarrassment of gigantic proportions of the US legal system. All of this should make for a riveting documentary, but instead what we get is a slwe of talking heads (typically local enforcement) recounting decades old stories which are then enhanced by cheap looking reenactments. Frankly, I found it almost unwatcheable. This isn't even up to par with NBC's "Dateline", let along a top quality true crime documentary. In fact, "Catching a Serial Killer; Sam Little" outright pales in comparison to the stack of top-notch true crime dociumentaries that appears on HBO, Showtime and Starz over the last 6 months, including "I'll Be Gone In the Dark", "Outcry", "Love Fraud", Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult", and "Murder on Middle Beac", just to nmae those. Now those are top-quality documentaries. "Catching a Serial Killer: Sam Little" is anything but...

"Catching a Serial Killer: Sam Little" premiered on OXYGEN earlier this year, and while browsing for a good 'true crime' documentary to watch, I stumbled upon this from OXYGEN on Demand. I really shouldn't have bothered and I cannot recommend this in good conscience to anyone. But of course don't take my word for it, so check it out and draw your own conclusion.

Awful dramatisation which always ruins documentaries, terrible "host" Beth Karas who is excruciatingly awkward and odd and this documentary, if you can call it that, lacks probably 75% of the details and is overall very boring and I informative.

I long for the day that Beth Karas finds a new line of work or retires. Besides her nails-on-the-chalkboard storytelling and voice, the show was excruciatingly slow to the point of who cares, which is a terrible disservice to the victims' families.