Pray, Obey, Kill

I don't like the way they tell the story, like two investigators trying to be smart. This is like a story about the people who made the documentary more than a insightful documentary. Looks like they have a burning desire to be heroes. It gets better after the two first episodes. But I will rather recommend the documentary produced by SVTs 'Uppdrag Granskning'. Much more detailed and way better narrated.

The story is very interesting, but the English dubbed version on HBO is unwatchable. Someone in editing decided to leave the original Swedish talking audio underneath and just have the English speech yelling over top. It's extremely hard to hear what's happening, and has the stressful effect of trying to listen to two people talking over each other for an hour straight.

Just remove the Swedish speaking audio completely, there's literally no reason for it to still be included.

"Pray Obey Kill" (2020 release from Sweden; original title "Knutby: I blind tro" ("Knutby: In Blind Faith"); 5 episodes of each about 60 min.) is a documentary TV series about a murder mystery which took place in 2004 in Knutby, a small community about 60 mi. North of Stockholm. As Episode 1 "Where Truth Lies" opens, it is "Stockholm 2019", and a a former Pastor who was convicted for inciting murder and attempted murder in 2004 is wanting to go on record and finally "tell the truth" after all these years. We then go back to "Knutby, January 10, 2004", when a man calls 112 (Sweden's version of 911) to report that he's been shot. The cops come out and find him badly wounded. It isn't long before they also discover the body of a woman, shot to death, in the next door house... What is going on here? At this point we are 10 min. Into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this documentary series is directed by Henrik Georgsson, a veteran of Swedish TV. Here he retells the story of a sensational murder case in rural Sweden, set in a small Pentecostal congregation. "In the beginning it looked like an ordinary murder, but there was so much more to it" comments a Swedish reporter. Of course the fact that this happened in rural Sweden, it could never be just "another murder" as they things simply don't happen there. But what really stoked the public's interest is the religious setting and context within which it all plays out. Episode 1 covers a LOT of ground, and it is clear that not much should be taken at first impression. In fact, what this reminds me of (so far) is the documentary series of last year called "The Vow", where layer after layer was exposed until you get down into the rabbit hole and you must suspect all belief and simply persevere. Another recent show that comes to mind is the Danish TV mini-series simply called "The Investigation". I can't wait to see the remaining episodes of "Pray Obey Kill".

Episodes 1 and 2 of "Pray Obey Kill" premiered on HBO this week and is now available on HBO On Demand, Amazon Instant Video, and other streaming services. If you have any interest in "true crime" documentaries, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.

First, the subtitles are hard to read. I seldom have a problem with subtitles, but this time they would go by so fast and they were straining on the eyes.

Second, and most importantly, there was no closure and no point to the story. Far too much repetition and the viewer is left hanging. Extremely frustrating and pointless.

As a Swede i am familiar with the horrible Knutby case of adultery, murder and deception who all happened in that small village. People who mysteriously drowned in their bathtubs, people who was shoot and died in all other weird ways when they in the same time had secret lovers in that same place all in the name of Christ. Yes, it was truly a BIG mess.