SYNOPSIS: FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench probe further into the psyches of those who have done the unthinkable. With help from psychologist Wendy Carr, they apply their groundbreaking behavioral analysis to hunting notorious serial killers.
REVIEW: It has been a little under two years since the first season of Mindhunter debuted on Netflix. Coming from director and producer David Fincher and treading similar ground to his films ZODIAC and SEVEN, Mindhunter was an immediate hit with audiences who found the blend of slightly fictionalized history of the profiling unit of the FBI and real serial killers to be a chilling and distinct take on the genre. With season two, Netflix and Fincher up the ante with a continuation of the relationship between agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench along with Wendy Carr as they investigate the Atlanta Child Murders that began in 1979 (two years after the first season). This also allows them the opportunity to introduce more real life serial killers. The result is just as enthralling as the first season.
The season premiere begins shortly after the events of the first season finale with Ford (Jonathan Groff) recovering from his panic attack, Carr (Anna Torv) and Tench (Holt McCallany) at odds with each other and a new director of their unit in the form of Assistant Director Gunn played by Michael Cerveris (FOX series Fringe). Gunn promises an expansion of the work with the Behavioral Sciences Unit and even promises Ford a crack at Charles Manson. With the increased exposure to their work, the stress continues to creep on our main characters which provides added drama to the series, not that it really needed it. This second season of Mindhunter almost falls prey to sequel-itis by adding a lot more recognizable serial killers to the mix, but the trailers are a bit misleading. Yes, we meet David Berkowitz and Charles Manson, but they fit into the overall narrative structure of this season perfectly.
What made Mindhunter's first season so enthralling was the attention to detail in showing how the FBI changed from an antiquated investigatory system to profiling killers and sexual-based criminals. Season two shows how the Bureau amped up their focus on this new methodology which also ups the stakes for Ford, Tench, and Carr. There are, of course, liberties taken with the timeline and how things actually unfolded historically, but those with a cursory knowledge will still find it fascinating as to how much has changed in regards to serial killers in the last four decades. The actors portaying this season's killers (along with some familiar faces from last season) do a nice job even if some of the more famous ones can be distracting in how closely they resemble their counterparts. What remains utterly fascinating and disturbing is what the killers reveal to Ford and Tench and how each of them process this to develop their profiling system.
A change from the first season is also the personal stories of each of the main characters. Jonathan Groff, whose cocksure portrayal of Holden Ford led season one, is now forced to deal with lingering panic attacks. Anna Torv gets the chance to explore Wendy Carr's sexuality and how it plays into the gender politics of the 1970s and Holt McCallany sees his work and home life collide when a murder occurs in his neighborhood. The first season showed the impact of these agents and their disturbing work and this year gives us a deeper layer of that in a way that sets this season apart from the last one. We also continue to get opening teasers of the BTK Killer as Tench and Ford become directly involved in investigating those crimes. While the horrific Atlanta Child Murders still serve as a main focus this season, MIndhunter never feels like it has too much going on. In fact, the season still feels far too short.
With David Fincher helming the first three episodes of the season, his trademark visuals continue to be the perfect fit for this material. Joining Fincher behind the camera are KILLING THEM SOFTLY director Andrew Dominik for two episodes and veteran TV director Carl Franklin for the remainder of the season. The writing crew, led by Joshua Donen and Courtenay Miles, is mostly new from the previous season which gives this run a much more urgent feel. With multiple cases going on, the pacing is just as deliberate as the first season but it never feels rushed. The acting is still incredibly strong with standout performances from Groff, McCallany, and Torv. The musical score by Jason Hill is even more haunting and the cinematography by Erik Messerschmidt puts this series on par with several feature films.
Mindhunter is not for the squeamish and yet leaves so much to the imagination. The bulk of the horror in this comes in the form of dialogue or suggestions at crime scenes and yet it feels as tangible as if blood and guts are on screen. The weighty subject matter here is more than enough to turn the weakest of stomachs and yet there are few shows as well-executed. Mindhunter shows what can be accomplished on the small screen without needing massive budgets or special effects. It is effective, haunting, scary, and one of the most provocative shows ever and hands down one of the best shows of the year. There is no doubt that many of you have either started binging the second season or plan to this weekend, just make sure you lock your doors and keep the lights on.
The entire second season of MINDHUNTER is available today on Netflix.