Netflix’s Mindhunter is their latest endeavour at creating quality, original content for its customers. Adapted from the true-crime book Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, the show is a psychological crime thriller set in the 1970s. It follows FBI agents as they interview some of the worst serial-killers in US history, all while solving a few gruesome crimes along the way.
Jonathan Groff plays Special Agent Holden Ford, a former hostage-negotiator with boy scout-like enthusiasm for his new position within the FBI’s behavioural science department. Alongside him is Special Agent Bill Tench, a hyper masculine, hardened veteran of the FBI, portrayed masterfully by Holt McCallany. Each have skeletons in their respective closets, which play out as they delve deeper into the psychology of murder and get uncomfortably close to real-life monsters.
Everyone they interview is based upon a real serial-killer, with Cameron Britton putting in an Emmy-worthy performance as Ed Kemper. Known as the ‘Co-ed Killer’, Britton’s portrayal of Kemper will leave you feeling violated as he eloquently describes his graphic crimes without any sense of remorse. It is, however, all for the greater good as the FBI agents try to formulate a profiling mechanism to catch killers, like Kemper, early.
Mindhunter’s pedigree is nothing short of world-class, David Fincher, the legendary architect behind critically-acclaimed crime films such as Fight Club acts as director and executive producer for the series. Fincher’s directing genius and unique aesthetic will do nothing less than draw you in to the minds of some of the most depraved men to ever walk the Earth.
Mindhunter's pedigree is nothing short of world-class
Mindhunter starts as a slow-burn but by the end of the series you will be asking yourself questions like “Am I going to become a serial-killer because Mum and Dad left me alone in a pub when I was 8?”. Maybe, maybe not. May as well hand yourself in now.
