Plotlines

Mindhunter is a series with an extremely tragic outcome, as it’s one of the first series that Netflix simply cut off without a proper ending. The situation went so far that even one of the leading directors, David Fincher, was unsure for a long time whether it would continue or not.

The series is based on the book “Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit” by John E. Douglas and follows two FBI agents who are in the process of establishing the FBI’s profiling unit.

The series is distinguished by an incredibly dense setting and sometimes frightening portrayals of serial killers from the 1970s in the USA. While this might not sound particularly exciting, the series places great emphasis on a sophisticated and very detailed setting, so that the atmosphere of the aforementioned era is rarely, if ever, interrupted. With Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, and Anna Torv, they brought in an excellent trio of talented actors, which helps to truly transport the viewer to that time. You’re practically witnessing the beginnings of the creation of a form of criminal psychology, which is absolutely fascinating.

The source material shouldn’t be overlooked either, as John E. Douglas isn’t just anyone, but an FBI profiler (portrayed by Jonathan Groff), just like the other two characters who are based on real figures from that time. Anna Torv’s role is based on Ann Wolbert Burgess, a psychologist at Boston College, while Robert Ressler, an American criminologist, served as the model for Holt McCallany’s role.

So we have a series, told first-hand, with enough substance to captivate viewers, and Mindhunter really does this well. What could go wrong? Well, Netflix! The series didn’t meet the streaming service’s expectations, and so it was simply not continued, without an adequate ending. This is often the case today. I’ll refrain from elaborating on why this is simply a bad idea and how it burns a lot of trust in the process.

For the rewatch of Mindhunter, I would slightly change my principle, as there are only two seasons with ten and nine episodes respectively, and write an entry/article for each episode, like I did with 3 Body Problem and The Fall of the House of Usher. This would also benefit the series, as it’s really densely woven and you can’t easily skip episodes or not mention them here. Especially because the characters also experience a lot with each other, plus the visits to various serial killers from that time. And of course, unfortunately, there’s also the case that, if I remember correctly, is already teased on the sidelines in the first season and increasingly takes shape, but due to the abrupt cancellation, is not further illuminated.

But as always, time plays an important role here, because Mindhunter is not a series for the background, and I would have to invest more time than usual. For various reasons, I only have limited time available, and who knows if I’ll even get around to it. We’ll see, I like to decide based on my mood, because I must confess, right now I would be in the mood to watch the series, but I also know that the subject matter is a bit too heavy for me at the moment.