Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer

One of the most interesting true crime mini serie out there. Joe Berlinger and Ron Howard made a very good documentary and it's amazing to realize how many more stories are yet to be told as The Times Square Killer . I strongly recommend.

Could have been a very interesting documentary if it was 2 hours long. But as usual they had to stretch into 3 episodes. Very tired of shows on Netflix that are stretched out and turn repetitious and boring.

It tended to drift away from the murders and story into the sordid history of Time Square and in episode one after maybe twenty minutes it got somewhat perverted. Graphic pictures and interviewees just droning on about Time Square sex exploits, Uninterested. When it focused on the murders and story it was a lot more interesting.

I enjoyed 'Cecil Hotel', the first installment of the 'Crime Scene' Netflix series, and looked forward (for what...6 months?) to the next installment. Unfortunately, 'The Times Square Killer' doesn't measure up to the first series. It's chock full of gore and *; more an expose' of Times Square's 1970's XXX * industry and prostitution- than a murder mystery. If a documentary about the seamier side of Times Square's past interests you, 'The Times Square Killer' should be right up your dark alley.

It feels like more than half of the program is just telling you how Times Square and New York were at the time. Literally every detail is just repeated over and over and over again and they keep over explaining everything as if they don't trust that the viewer is even watching. Like, we got the point the first time, we got it on the 5th time, just move on please. I could have even feel like I learned something about Times Square's history and find it interesting if it was at least told in an interesting way, but the way it is being told over and over again just made me stop caring and start counting the seconds for when they finally move on. Not only that but most details are not even important for the main story, they are just background details to the era/location, yet are still repeated million times, despite the fact that the exact same murders could have easily happened in a different location with different victims if only the murderer was located somewhere else to begin with. It is just exhausting to keep looking for the relevant details within this repetitive unrelated boredom. If you are looking for a documentary that just tells you what the sex industry in Times Square was like between late 70s and early 80s, this is perfect for you. But if you are looking for something that covers the actual crime story of said serial killer, you will have a better time watching a quick YouTube video that actually has focus on the story you came to watch.

This is a cynical capitalising of the true crime docuseries trend. We basically learn nothing new here and neither is the story told in a compelling way. There was not more than one suspect whose name we hear mentioned early on. The identity of Jane Doe was never uncovered. The dramatisations are lazy and do not elevate the storytelling. The relationship between Deedeh's daughter and the killer is revealed but not explored. There is not the slightest ounce of tension anywhere in the almost 150 min runtime. Women generally do not aspire to be prostitutes. Name one child who has ever exclaimed that when they grow up they want to be a sex worker. These are people from impoverished, abusive and extremely dysfunctional families. In the attempt to escape from their families, prostitution is usually their only option when they did not finish school or have other skills. So from the frying pan into the fire they jump. The men, including the killer, who are exploitative of women also learnt their behaviour at home, watching their fathers or male role models disrespect their mothers and other women. Exploring these themes would have been more interesting that the history of Times Square that this docuseries ultimately amounted to. Thankfully the golden age of serial killers is over with advances in forensic science and information technology. Psychopathy is a genetic trait which renders the afflicted incapable of empathy or remorse. However, even though psychopaths are born, psychopathic killers are made. Look into the personal histories of all psychopathic killers and they would probably have the shared experience of neglectful or abusive parents. Not all psychopaths are killers; other psychopaths wield chaos more discreetly like someone running a social media platform which allows the manipulation of individuals, communities and societies without any conscience or consequence.

"Get to the point already." As soon as I saw those words I thought, "yep, here come the impatient YouTube generation chiming in about something they know nothing about. The documentary is fascinating full of vintage video of time time long gone. If you were born before 1980 then you will surely enjoy this docuseries.