The Killing Season

While investigating the "west mesa" killer, Josh and Rachel consult amateur profiler Peter Brendt. He says (paraphrasing) "when in the past 500 years has a serial killer buried his bodies so close to home? The record was Ted Bundy at 120 miles"... have you ever heard of John Wayne Gacy (killer clown)? He buried 40 boys under the floorboards of his basement. Perhaps you may have heard of Anthony Sowell (Cleveland Strangler), who lived among dozens of corpses in his own house. Or Anthony's copycat Michael Madison. Or H. H. Holmes for god sake. I think Peter Brendt made some very good observations but this comment had me yelling at the TV. They even mention Sowell and Madison with Brendt in the last episode but give no explanation to his comment from the previous episode.

I give them kudos for bringing to light the many unsolved murders that seem to be all but forgotten by law enforcement, but their investigation instincts are novice at best and they jump on leads of no apparent connections.

It's seems the negative reviews have some sort of ulterior motives, anyone interest in shows involving unsolved crimes/murders would find this show interesting.

I can say despite the negative reviews the families who live in the wakes of these murders are happy to see some attention and light shined on these cases.

If you were knocked off the edge of your seat by The Jinx...or transfixed to the screen while binge watching Making A Murderer...you can thank Cropsey filmmaker Joshua Zeman, and his partner Rachel Mills, for their new documentary series: The Killing Season- which looks at the numerous cases of dead women (most being sex workers) and disposed bodies in and around Long Island, New York.

At least, that's where it begins...

Two episodes in and I'm already hooked.

We follow along as we watch Zeman, Mills, and their team make huge discoveries, as they uncover clue after clue...making progress in weeks, where the police seem to have failed for years (though not without someone in the dept's help, at least).

The filmmaking team have enlisted the help of a Herzogian Serial Killer Profiler, who sort of acts as the narrator, outlining the potential narrative as he sees it (and he's even German). I'm not sure I agree with everything he says, but f*ck if he doesn't keep things interesting with his far fetched and/or extremely intuitive theories (you be the judge).

Their seems to be two things going on: on one hand, an investigation into what is either one insanely clever and prolific serial killer, or, alternatively, two different serial killers, with two different MO's, working the same stomping ground (or perhaps even hunting each other, as the crazy German guy implies). Hell there may even be more than that... While on the other, it acts to query why the police seem wholly unconcerned about investigating and solving these crimes.

The filmmakers seem to imply they are about to break something huge, and of significance to more than just Long Island (a serial killing cabal, perhaps?)...

I guess we'll see how it plays out as the series progresses. But, one thing is certain, the filmmakers have really managed to fashion the narrative as to leave you on the edge of your seat, and dying to know more, as the end of each episode rolls around.

Awesome series from executive producer Alex Gibney, and filmmakers Joshua Zeman, and Rachel Mills, so far.

A must see series, for sure.

10 out of 10!!!

A bit over dramatic.

In terms of investigative reporting the documentarians ask non-open ended questions (but not leading questions).

Where there was information that had already been of no interest and disproved, the documentarians run with it and make it appear as a viable lead, untilllll they show why it was disproved.

I would have preferred them sticking to facts of the case and not wild speculation, a lot of "what if's" and "could it have been possible". Falls just short of conspiracy theories in that they do say when their "leads" had been already disproved.

It is interesting to have the "non experts" weigh in on the stories, fresh perspectives