Mindhunter (TV series)


Mindhunter is an American crime thriller web television series created by Joe Penhall, based on the true-crime book written by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. The series is executive produced by Penhall, David Fincher, and Charlize Theron among others, and debuted worldwide on Netflix on October 13, 2017. Netflix released the second season on August 16, 2019. In January 2020, Netflix announced that the series was on indefinite hold.

Plot

Mindhunter revolves around FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench, along with psychologist Wendy Carr, who operate the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit within the Training Division at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. They interview imprisoned serial killers to understand how they think, with the hope of applying this knowledge to solve ongoing cases.
Season one is set in 1977 to 1980, in the early days of criminal psychology and criminal profiling at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Notorious serial killer Edmund Kemper has a recurring role in this season as he assists Ford and Tench in understanding how a serial killer's mind works.
Season two is set in 1980 through 1981 and covers the Atlanta murders of 1979–81. This is based on the real case of Wayne Williams who was charged for the murder of two adult men but was never found guilty of killing at least 28 children and adolescents.

Cast and characters

Main

The development of Mindhunter began in 2009 when Charlize Theron gave a non-fiction crime book titled ' to David Fincher. In January 2010 the Mindhunter project was set up at Fox 21, which had optioned the book, along with premium cable channel HBO. Scott Buck was tapped to write the pilot. Fincher, who was mostly known as a director and producer in films, felt at that time that television was "completely foreign" until he worked on the political drama House of Cards, for which he co-produced and directed the first two episodes. When Fincher finally felt comfortable with television as a medium after doing House of Cards, Theron suggested playwright and screenwriter Joe Penhall as the project's writer, replacing Buck. In December 2015, Mindhunter was moved to streaming service Netflix, with Fox 21 dropping out of the project.
In February 2016 Netflix announced that the production of Mindhunter would be based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Filming began in May 2016, and open casting calls were held on April 16 and June 25, 2016. Episode 9 of season 1 was filmed in Moundsville, West Virginia at the West Virginia State Penitentiary. The series was renewed for a second season before its premiere on Netflix.
The character of Holden Ford is loosely based on FBI agent John E. Douglas, on whose book ' the show is based. The character of Bill Tench is based on pioneering FBI agent Robert K. Ressler. Wendy Carr is a fictional character based on psychiatric forensic nurse researcher Ann Wolbert Burgess, a prominent Boston College nursing professor who collaborated with the FBI agents in the Behavioral Science Unit and procured grants to conduct research on serial murderers, serial rapists, and child molesters. Her work is based on treating survivors of sexual trauma and abuse, and studying the thought process of violent offenders. The serial killer characters were modeled on the actual convicted criminals and their prison scene dialogues were taken from real interviews. Although not explicitly stated, it is implied that the ADT serviceman seen in several short vignettes throughout the first season is Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer. This is clarified in the second season.
The musical score is written by Jason Hill.
The second season was originally reported to consist of eight episodes; however, the season ultimately contained nine episodes. Shooting took place between April and December 2018. Directors for the second season were Fincher, Andrew Dominik, and Carl Franklin.
In November 2019, it was reported that a potential third season had been put on indefinite hold until Fincher finished working on his next film, Mank. Fincher plans to make five seasons. In January 2020, Netflix announced that the cast had been released from their contracts and that the series was on indefinite hold, as Fincher was busy with other projects. A Netflix spokesperson stated, "He may revisit Mindhunter again in the future, but in the meantime felt it wasn't fair to the actors to hold them from seeking other work while he was exploring new work of his own."

Episodes

Season 1 (2017)

Season 2 (2019)

Reception

Critical response

The first season received positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the season has a score of 79 out of 100 based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 97% with an average score of 8 out of 10, based on 100 reviews. The site's critics consensus reads: "Mindhunter distinguishes itself in a crowded genre with ambitiously cinematic visuals and a meticulous attention to character development." The first season of Mindhunter was named among the best TV shows of 2017; it was ranked No. 10 on Metacritic's year-end list of the best TV shows of 2017 compiled from rankings by various critics and publications.
The second season was also acclaimed. On Metacritic, the season has an average score of 85 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season holds an approval rating of 98% based on 66 reviews, with an average rating of 8.43 out of 10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Mindhunter expands its narrative horizons without losing sight of the details that made its first season so rich, crafting a chilling second season that is as unsettling as it is utterly absorbing."

Accolades