Real Serial Killers Hunted In Gripping, Addictive Netflix Series
Netflix has plenty of true-crime documentaries and dramas about serial killers, but it’s also interesting to watch the people who catch the serial killers. Even better, what about the people who had the idea of studying serial killers to catch them in the first place? That’s the premise of the fantastic show Mindhunter, which you can stream on Netflix.
Mindhunter is a series that follows FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) and Boston University psychology professor Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), who take it upon themselves to talk to serial killers to get a better understanding of what makes them tic. The series, based on a true story, follows Ford and Tench as they talk to real-life killers like Charles Manson and Ed Kemper. It also depicts the beginning of criminal profiling and the founding of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit.
Mindhunters, streaming on Netflix, is one of the best series about hunting down serial killers ever.
Mindhunter was created by Joe Penhall, who also executive produces the series alongside Charlize Theron and David Fincher. Fincher also serves as a director on many episodes of the series and showrunner, giving it his unique style and sense of atmosphere. Fincher knows a thing or two about making serial killer media, with his Se7ven and Zodiac being some of the best serial killer films of all time, so it’s not surprising that Mindhunter lives up to his lofty resume.
Mindhunter has been critically praised for its engaging and realistic depiction of serial killer profiling, along with its incredible performances from the main trio. Particular praise is often heaped on those who depict the real-life serial killers in the series, with Cameron Britton’s unsettling portrayal of Ed Kemper being a notable standout. His affable demeanor, juxtaposed with the depraved things that come out of his mouth, makes for a truly chilling performance, especially when you remember that Kemper is a real person.
There are two fantastic seasons of Mindhunter currently available for you to stream, but that is, unfortunately, all we will be getting. While the show was initially planned for five seasons, it wasn’t to be. The series was officially announced to be over in February 2023 after years of waffling about a potential third season.
It is a bit weird that Netflix never quite saw the value of Mindhunter as the prestige television it is, especially since the streamer seems content to pump out as many serial killer-related shows, documentaries, and films as possible.
The third season of Mindhunter was put on indefinite hold in 2019 while Fincher went to work on his film Mank, and the cast was then released from their contracts in 2020 while Fincher was reportedly busy focusing on other projects. The series would continue to be on hold for years before they officially announced that it wouldn’t be happening. It was a bummer to hear for fans, especially since there were some narrative threads left dangling, particularly in the case of the BTK strangler, who is teased throughout both seasons.
There are two fantastic seasons of Mindhunter currently available for you to stream, but that is, unfortunately, all we will be getting.
Despite being highly acclaimed and getting some award nominations, Mindhunter apparently just never got a big enough audience for Netflix to bring us more seasons. It’s definitely a case of a show ending before its time, but since it is based on true events, you can at least look into what happens with some of the other killers in the series. The FBI also has the Behavioral Science Unit, so that obviously worked out, too.
Still, it would have been interesting to see the rest of the story brought to such vivid life as Mindhunter was capable of doing. While the show does come to a bit of an abrupt end, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth watching. The final season doesn’t end on enough of a cliffhanger for most of the plot points for you to avoid the series out of fear of not getting a satisfying ending.
It is a bit weird that Netflix never quite saw the value of Mindhunter as the prestige television it is, especially since the streamer seems content to pump out as many serial killer-related shows, documentaries, and films as possible. Maybe if we’re lucky, we’ll see the show get a second life sometime in the future, but it seems pretty unlikely for now. At least we have two seasons of the show rather than nothing at all.
David Fincher will be focusing on a different kind of killer in his next film, The Killer, which is set for a November release. Unlike Mindhunter, it’s a fictional tale based on a French graphic novel series. Make sure to check out Mindhunter on Netflix in the meantime.
