My review of David Fincher's new series Mindhunter on Netflix

"Do the ends justify the means?" is a question every human asks themselves at some point in life. Such a question can be used in a variety of scenarios in everyday life. Perhaps none more so than in law enforcement.

David Fincher's Mindhunter explored a variety of multi-layered subjects, but the one theme front and center for all 10 episodes was exploring whether taboo or sometimes forbidden practices used to catch or predict the actions of criminals would make it all worth it in the end. Main character Holden Ford said "You want truffles? You've gotta get in the dirt with the pigs."

The series is about two FBI agents, the young Holden Ford and older Bill Tench, joined by a psychologist from Boston named Dr. Wendy Carr. They work in the FBI's behavioral science unit in the 1970's, when that degree of criminal profiling was in its infancy. They believed that if you can better understand killers and learn their tendencies by interviewing and studying them, you can create profiles that help predict criminal behavior and identify mystery killers based on these psychological patterns and similarities.

It starts off very slow, and this series certainly is not for everyone. If you tune in expecting a Se7en-esque "whodunnit" then you're likely to be disappointed. However, if you can appreciate the inner-workings of criminal psychology and psychological profiling used to catch killers, then this may just be the show for you.

If you're familiar with Fincher's other productions, you know he's not afraid to get dark, gritty, and show things as they are. In this case, it's totally necessary and he does it well. You can't sweeten or polish the vile mind of a serial killer or the crimes they committed without watering down the product. 

It's based on real-life events and killers, so if you are interested be prepared to be acquainted with the likes of Edmund Kemper, Dennis Rader, and Richard Speck. All of whom are incredibly well-acted and have the uncanny resemblances and demeanors of their real-life demented counterparts. Whoever did casting and the makeup and wardrobe work for this production deserves an Emmy.

Mindhunters is realistic, grim, unafraid, and tackles the tough moralities of their worlds expertly. Most of the procedural elements are authentic, and the terminology and vernacular is nailed down to a T. All 3 leads are relatively new to this, and are learning on the job and each has a strong belief in how the job should be executed to expand and grow this innovative methodology. It doesn't try to push an agenda, make a statement, or guide the viewer in any one direction. They leave it up to you to decide if the work they're doing is worth it, and debate with yourself on if you lean more toward agent Ford's stoic, relentless, unapologetic, obsessed, and maybe sociopathic(?) method of doing the job, or Tinch and Carr's more conservative, measured, and sensitive approach. The interactions between the characters are great(especially Ford and Tinch) and they develop all 3 of them very well, without giving you too much to have their acts wear thin on you.

I very much enjoyed debating all these questions throughout all 10 episodes, and when it's over it leaves you with plenty to think about. I love a series that doesn't end once the final credits roll and is nuanced and ambiguous with its message and storytelling. 

There are at least 5 seasons planned apparently, but unfortunately word is season 2 won't hit until 2019, so you have plenty of time to dive in and slowly savor the greatness that is Mindhunter. It's refreshing, unique, bleak, and glorious. If this is up your alley definitely check it out.