Mindhunter – This Netflix Series Delves Inside the Minds of Some of the Most Dangerous People on Earth – Serial Killers!
Netflix’s Mindhunter
Now we have extreme violence between complete strangers. Where do we go when motive becomes elusive? – Professor Rathman, Mindhunter
I have always been fascinated with serial killers, and I have spent a considerable amount of time watching serial killer documentaries in an effort to comprehend why they do what they do. So, as an avid researcher, I am forever grateful to John E. Douglas & Robert K. Ressler for their work in understanding the minds of sequence killers, which ultimately led to the science of criminal profiling. Now, Netflix has come up with a new binge-worthy series which showcases the trials of the F.B.I trio as they try to realise that serial murderers, serial rapists, and child molesters are ordinary people with a twisted side.
Based on the true crime book Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit written by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, Netflix’s Mindhunter tells the story of how, in the late 1970s, two FBI agents (Holden Ford and Bill Tench) expand criminal science by delving into the psychology of murder and getting uneasily close to all-too-real monsters. The strength of the show lies in the meticulous attention the writers gave to each character in their development. Indeed, all the characters have a story of their own, their black and white personas are mixed with defining shades of grey.
The story revolves around FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), along with psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), who interview imprisoned serial killers in order to understand how they think with the hope of applying this knowledge to solving ongoing cases.
Mindhunter Is Based On Real Life FBI Agents – John E. Douglas & Robert K Ressler
The character of Holden Ford is based on FBI agent John E. Douglas (one of the first people at the FBI to see the possible benefits of interacting with such disturbed minds.), and Bill Tench is based on the pioneering FBI agent Robert K. Ressler. Also, Dr. Wendy Carr is based on psychologist Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess, a prominent Boston College professor who collaborated with the FBI agents in the Behavioral Science Unit and procured grants to conduct research on serial murderers, serial rapists, and child molesters. Her work is based on treating survivors of sexual trauma and abuse and studying the thought process of violent offenders. The serial killer characters were modelled on the actual convicted criminals, and their prison scene dialogues were taken from real interviews.
Holden and Tench assist law enforcement agencies by their review and assessment of a criminal act, by interpreting the offender’s behaviour during the crime and the interactions between the offender and the victim during the commission of the crime and as expressed in the crime scene. The show primarily focuses on Holden and Tench as they ride cross-country to different police departments, educating sceptic cops about a then-novel approach to solving crimes, one that places as much weight on the psychology of the perpetrators as on the black-and-white evidence.
In their various road trips, they also visit several correctional facilities in order to speak with and understand the minds of convicted mass-murderers like Edmund Kemper (The Co-ed Butcher) and Jerry Brudos (The Lust Killer) etc.
Exploring The Grey Area Between Right And Wrong – Mindhunter
Holden Ford, a handsome boyish employee of the FBI, initially comes across as an overly fastidious wet-behind-the-ear Boy Scout, all-American in his audacity. He is a constant pain in his FBI superiors’ posterior, an agent who slowly turns into someone who knows how to speak a serial killer’s language and has no qualms about stepping the line to get the other guy talking.
Bill Tench, on the other hand, is an ageing professional who’s blunt and straightforward, and although he’s dedicated to the systems and strategies he’s been practising for a long time, he’s curious about learning new things. The serial-killer mentality is as disgusting to Tench as it is incredible to Ford. Contrasting Holden, Bill is not too keen to share personal information with their interview subjects (murderers) and becomes extremely uncomfortable every time Holden gets in with these men, even if only as a means to get them to confess or share their evil deeds.
The chemistry between Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany is carefully developed and beautifully executed. Both their characters, though share the same interest, are widely different from each other. Their kind-of father-son relationship is fun to watch, as Bill acts as a mentor as well as a sidekick to the Eagle Scout with a collegiate haircut above a face of boyish determination.
Anna Trov, playing Dr. Wendy Carr, also gives a compelling performance as the psychologist who is at war with her own personal struggles, while helping Ford and Tench with her input on criminal behaviour. I personally liked Hannah Gross as Debbie Mitford, our hero’s girlfriend who is a post-graduate student studying sociology, though, Debbie, only seems to exist to remind us that Holden has a sex life.
The Best Performances In Mindhunter Were Reserved For The Reel-life Serial Killers
But, the most compelling performance was from the mass-murderers themselves. Cameron Britton, who portrays serial killer Edmund Kemper, left me speechless with his precise depiction of Kemper. If you watch the videos of real-life Ed Kemper, you will notice that Kemper isn’t your ordinary run-of-the-mill murderer. So charming and empathetic, yet so terrible. The 6-feet 9-inch giant is as wily as he is intelligent and Britton does a fabulous job of bringing it alive on-screen.
Jack Erdie also gives a convincing take on the Richard Speck, the mass-murderer who systematically tortured, raped, and killed eight student nurses. But, I must admit, it was Happy Anderson, who plays the shoe-fixated Jerry Brudos, that creeped the life out of me with his high-heels fixation which culminates in masturbation. Which of these serial killers left you aghast?
If you’ve noticed, each Mindhunter episode opens with a distinct scene about an ADT serviceman (Sonny Valicenti) stalking his next victim. The ADT serviceman is, of course, Dennis Rader a.k.a The BTK Killer who wasn’t caught until 2005. So, it’s safe to presume that Valicenti will be around in the next season as the field-operations supervisor cum serial killer.
All in all, Mindhunter distinctly shines a light on societal sexism. It challenges the mediocre mentality of men who think that a woman who goes to a bar alone may be asking for trouble, or cops who dismiss pleas of women because they’re the type who “are always looking for a pot to stir.” The show doesn’t shy away from showing the despicable way that women were treated and looked upon by men in the 70’s and that includes violent behaviour toward women and other marginalized groups. I’m loathe to say that this hasn’t changed. Not. One. Bit.
Watch Mindhunter and immerse yourself in the psyche of a serial killer. See what it is like inside the minds of the perverted & the sadistic. See what humanity is made of.
Some Trivia for the Fans:
The series is shot using a customized, one-of-a-kind version of the RED Epic Dragon built specifically for David Fincher’s use, called the “RED Xenomorph”.
Also, it is surprising to learn that actor Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde) and director David Fincher (Zodiac, The Social Network) had initially introduced the project to HBO in 2009, but, it was only 8 years later that the show became reality when Netflix picked it up. Mindhunter was renewed for a second season before its premiere on the streaming platform.
Verdict of The Idiot
Idiot-o-Meter: The Dude Abides!
[yasr_overall_rating]
The Idiot’s Rating System:
4.0 – 5.0: The Dude Abides!
3.0 – 4.0: Far Out, Man!
2.0 – 3.0: Take It Easy, Dude!
1.0 – 2.0: You’re Out Of Your Element!
0.0 – 1.0: The Goddamn Plane Has Crashed Into The Mountain!
The Idiot's Corner 
4.5
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