Towards the Dark, excellent Netflix docuseries review

We are living in a historical period in it The true crime series is explodingAt least that’s not a mystery. Even if it’s a bit simplistic to say that only now they are the rage: be it a short series, special or thematic shows, crime news in all its aspects – from murders to kidnappings – She has always sported an almost irresistible attraction For the viewers. It is clear that the spearhead of true crime can only be represented by serial killers, and a complex and incomprehensible psychology. in this meaning, Sam’s Children: Towards Darkness It is a surprise among Netflix’s releases in May and is a prime example of how such a product can be managed.

The background, the context is well illustrated, that obsessive fascination that even today David Berkowitz can wield, the mystery and pure anxiety; Sam’s kids are surgically focusing on all of these goals, Which leaves many doubts unresolved about an investigation that reopens periodically.

Constant descent into the abyss

The miniseries are told from the perspective of the late investigative journalist Morey Terry Replacing him in this case with the masked narrator Paul Giamatti The investigations that marked his life literally, if not consumed by it, are devoted specifically to the case of Ibn Sam, one of the most famous serial killers in American history.

Terry, in fact, after Berkowitz’s arrest and confession, He was beginning to notice details that were meaningless, While the police district, New York City and the country were all busy with parties: identities radically different from one another, including only a few that looked like Berkowitz; Strange details and evidence hidden in fake letters that Ibn Sam sent to reporters and policemen during the chase; And finally, this feeling that the solution was too simple and too perfect. Let’s clarify one point right away; Anyone who has ever known this story knows very well that Terry, even in his book Absolute evil, He never questioned Berkowitz’s guilt, instead claiming his ties to a mysterious satanic sect and Participation of other people in the murders.

The first thing we should point out is the road Sam’s children Sightseeers Welcome: Don’t throw it away right away In means of precision, In full investigation, into what is actually the highlight of the mini-series. The first episode, in fact, is entirely dedicated to Massive and painstaking reconstruction of the police investigation Which led to Berkowitz’s arrest, also stressing the role of the press guilty of exploiting the horror that fell into the city about a year ago to sell more newspapers. A thorough, subtle, and cross-sectional reconstruction, provides a contextual fit for any spectators, even those who ignore the story – an aspect many documentaries in fact tend to ignore or cover in a hurry.

It is only from the second episode that Terry’s personal investigation begins, manipulates and adjusts in a way that leads to it Always be alert, pitiful, and restless. On the other hand, there is talk of satanic sects, of exciting relationships with other famous serial killers, of ridiculous and comforting coincidences, all of which are described in detail and with an admirable clarity. Only in rare and sporadic moments does this clarity fail, due to the extremely rapid editing that does not give time to absorb the information at hand.

But perhaps the most surprising finding is its suitability Objective dose set by Sam’s childrenTerry’s theories and evidence are always presented objectively, without ever being biased for or against. Contributed to this are the numerous interventions of people close to Terry and his ideas, or policemen or journalists who think they are dealing with a charlatan charlatan who is only acting in a personal interest. In short, with Sam’s children Netflix has once again hit the true crime center, drawing on an endless real pit of pathological infatuation, like serial killers.