Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer

In 2012, German Police are alerted to a death at a Dark Room in a German bar, investigations reveal that the man had been killed with liquid GHB, it's a crime that is linked to an earlier death, and future deaths follow. It's an interesting documentary series, they are guilty of making it a little over long, it could have been condensed down into a 60 or 70 minute special, over three episodes it's a little too much. You will watch it, to learn why, that's the main question, and the subject of the third episode, you'll want to know why he did what he did. It's very, very sad, the poor victims died, for no real reason, the killer's motives seem so bizarre, a little more effort to detail the 'why,' would have helped, was it just for kicks? I don't believe that a German detective wouldn't have known what a dark room was, a cop in Berlin? It's a little unlikely. Shocking hearing Miroslaw detailing what happened to him on the train, the guy was lucky to be alive. The voiceover with the 'killer' detailing events doesn't quite work in a documentary format, it suits films, but not this. 7/10.

I am a big fan of crime documentaries so consequently I know great ones. The premise is good here, but the execution and the story is poor compared with other more interesting, dramatic and creepy ones. First, a serial killer in Germany is a nun in Mexico for example. I mean, if you're looking for something "shocking" look in another place. This story is just one more. Nothing new here. Second, everything looks overacted to create a big shocking story that is just Ok. Maybe it's me, but is there any hidden agenda?... So, overall if you haven't watched any good crime documentary maybe this one is for you.

The general story of the case in Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer is quite well presented, and makes for a decent watch. Three short episodes you can easily watch as a documentary feature film. It combines lively recreational images, too many and unnecessary flashy scenes and pounding techno beats with interviews with law enforcement and victims' families to provide a look into Germany's gay society in 2012. This season focuses on a serial killer who targeted gay men in Berlin. Fortunately, one victim survives the drugging and can testify and help the police. I though police detectives were ignoring certain evidence and making hasty and questionable conclusions. What I don't understand is the way some family and friends tell the story, in a cold way and as if you were talking about a birthday party, maybe it's the sobriety of the Germans. Some details are mentioned in passing, for example I'm thinking about the serial killer himself, who gets the usual "He was such a nice man" description. We do hear details about him not really wanting to be in Berlin, yet moving there for a partner. And then we never hear more about this partner again, which was strange to me. Well, I have a a mixture of feelings in my head, it is a captivating story and at the same time a little confusing and somewhat monotonous. The best part for me is the testimonials from the killer with provides a degree of shock, but in general the documentary falls short to maintain a truly engaging viewing, .. But still it's worth a watch !

Long story short - give it a miss. There are plenty of other high-rated stories both investigated and narrated much better. As a true crime story and an interesting one, this could've definitely been produced better - in fewer or one long episode, less dramatic with an emphasis on the investigative and psychological aspects, doing away with the explicit nudity and sexual scenes (in comparison, little to nothing was shown of the murder victims),include real footage or audio recordings of interviews, courtroom scenes esp of the accused, input of crime reporters/ investigative journalists who covered the case, etc - who knows, they latter may have even asked the more pertinent questions we didn't hear the detectives ask for example - how was the serial killer sourcing GHB to kill his victims? Were there other victims (still unaccounted for given his MOA of unsuspected deaths in sleep) in the timeline between his grandmother's murder and the first known murder in Berlin? This series will definitely make some judge not just this Netflix show and German investigative methods but also German life, people and society, in their attempts to understand the Nightlife Killer. It is not normal for an adolescent to be sharing the same bed with an adult, even a close relative - it creates a risk of sexual and psychological abuse, and future mental health issues. So, the fact that this living arrangement was deemed normal by the boy's parents and the members of that particular household speaks volumes about a dysfunctional childhood. The serial killer's first victim was his grandmother - this is a dead giveaway for those seeking motive and understanding of the killer's psychopathic journey, so it is bizarre and puzzling indeed that neither the aunt, the detectives nor even the forensic psychiatrist make this connection; it also does make one question how German society as a whole views and deals with childhood abuse. True crime documentaries that are well-made can play very important roles by going beyond simply narrating stories, and also offer insight into criminal behaviour by asking the hard and crucial questions, for the ultimate aim of reducing crime rates and mitigating those factors within our families, societies, schools, workplaces, governments, law enforcement and the judiciary that contribute to creating criminals, sociopaths and psychopaths.