Bill Tench: "How do we get ahead of crazy, if we don't know how crazy thinks?
There was a time when I was not a big fan of this genre i.e. detectives in search of murderer and all kind of stuff. And of course, there are many crime shows where the killer is introduced as a monster. He has tattoos all over his body, some piercing and stuff. He looks frightening, behaves as a delinquent and enjoy trouble - mostly murders. Then, there is Mindhunter and its uncomfortable story. And the best or ugliest part is: it is based on true events, even the dialogues.
Now back to the quote, I started with. Of course, in order to understand the crazy, we have to think the way they think. And here is how crazy thinks: "Women are born with this little hole between their legs which every man on earth just wants to stick something into. And they're weaker than men, so they learn strategies. They deploy their minds and their sex, and they intuitively learn to humiliate." - Ed.
By far, we have understood the fact that the series is not about chcasing killers. It is about understanding them, and the complex nature of human beings. This was the series which made me fall in love with this genre.
Although, I do not remember everything about the show, because I watched it like back in Novermber of 2025. But I can assure you; every character nailed his or her part, Especially Edmund (played by Cameron Britton), the guy who killed his own mother, mutilated her body, and sexually exploited her body parts - even her severed head.
Investigations
In the beginning, even the normal investigations felt like some sort of horrific scene. This serial killer Ed is a big guy, the detectives were mere toy to him, if it comes to physical strength. How are they conducting interviews? They literally make the killer sit across a table, who speaks calmly, even cracks jokes and explain crimes as he is talking about an oridinary day.
And believe me, this thing is more disturbing.
Why? Because, we all are normal in our every day life. And, on this behavioral basis, we will never be able to judge someone even after the whole research.
The Series
There are two FBI agents: Bill and Ford. The series follows these two characters as they attempt to understand the psychology behind their acts, under Behavioral Science Unit. These kind of things were new at that time, so you can understand the things they had to go through.
Moving forward, most of the time, they are travelling across the countries and interviewing not-so-normal killers. I will be lying, if I say that it is good from the start. Because at first, it feels so slow. There are long conversations, then there are awkward silences, even scenes where people are just sitting in a room.
Major question was: what creates a killer? Is a person born with the instincts, shaped by childhood or damaged by society?
Realistic enough, there are no clear answers, and that is the strength of this show.
Holden Ford
He is more like a protagonist of the show. Personally, I am already biased for him. The way he thinks about things; the way he is never holding back. Like there are scenes, when he is with his girl friend, still he is discussing and thinking about the cases. Anyways that girl dumped him. And man, that scene has its own fan base. Moreover, with the passage of time, he also becomes arrogant - more like a narcissist. His confidence is both his strength and his weakness.
Bill Tench
On the other hand, this guy is reserved and witty with his dialogues. He understands human behavior way better than Holden does. But, this is why their partnership works. Because they represent two different ways of looking at people. Holden wants answers for everything; while Bill knows that some questions may remain unanswered. And remember, Bill also has a family to look after, so this guy has to balance between work and family life.
Human Behavior
Once again, it is not a supernatural monster, we are dealing with. They are people with henious thinking, absurd egos, a strange desire for control and the ability to justify their act. Even when asked: Ed claims that there are 35 more like him in just North America. Imagine a man, sitting across the table - who has done such horrific things - cracking jokes and acting like nothing strange has happened. This makes the whole scenario unnatural and unsettling.
Conclusion
In the end, Mindhunter was never about chasing killers or solving crime scenes. It is all about understanding the reason behind their doing. And how that understanding will be helpful in stopping the crime in the futre. And of course, I have skipped so many characters worth mentioning. So you better watch the show.
However, there is one important thing you all need to know: the series is a never ending expeirence. After two masterclass seasons, Mindhunter was never renewd. Netflix always enjoys doing this kind of stuff with such incredible seasons. They said it was costly and no enough recognition. Still, despite this disappointment, the journey is absolutely worth it.
Cancelling this show is the one of the biggest sin, they have done :)
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As of now, the rating is:
IMDb: 8.6/10.
Rotten Tomatoes (Critics): 97% Tomatometer score.
Rotten Tomatoes (Audience): 95% Popcornmeter score.
Personal Rating: 9/10.
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Peace 🕊️
Rating: 90/100
Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.
