A good documentary is only as good as its subject matter. Be it a person or an event, the best documentaries highlight an aspect of real life that most audiences haven’t seen before. It’s as if they scratch an itch that we didn’t know was there before.
Ever since the release of Netflix’s series Making a Murderer, the nation’s newest and biggest itch is finding out the truth about Steven Avery.
Created and directed by Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, Making a Murderer follows Manitowoc County’s Avery during a fascinating 10-year period. After being convicted in 1985 of sexual assault and spending 18 years in prison, Avery is exonerated when it is proven he was wrongfully convicted.
That story is horrifying with accusations that the police department allegedly pursued their case against Avery while ignoring another possible suspect.
The story comes to a happy resolution at the end of the first episode, with Avery finally home from prison.
But the story isn’t over. Thanks to one of the best cliffhanger endings to an episode, the audience learns that this entire ordeal was only the beginning for Avery. This sets a precedent for the remainder of the series, as each episode ends in such a way that waiting until later to watch the next one becomes impossible.
The filmmakers lucked out. Since they already were doing a profile on Avery, they were there during an insane investigations. The moments they are able to capture are fresh, raw and real. These moments could never be accurately replicated, so seeing them unfold in front of you is an incredible rush.
The storytelling and pace of many of the episodes fills the viewer with excitement, making them a breeze to watch.
The flow suffers somewhat when the series starts shifting to the courtroom, as the emotional and sometimes heart-wrenching interviews are replaced by courtroom proceedings. This is a minor complaint however, the trial has its own unbelievable moments.
This series will turn many viewers into amateur private investigators, doing what they can to find the truth about Avery. The show sticks with you long after you’ve watched it, and it should. It doesn’t keep you at a distance with irrefutable facts and narration. You’re put right in the middle of the action, seeing things as they happen and forming your own opinion.
Give this itch a good scratch.
Watch Making a Murderer before someone spoils it for you.
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