MindHunter

Introducing Behavioral Sciences to the FBI

A Psychological Thriller television show that was originally produced by Netflix as its series of ‘original Netflix content’. When this show was first introduced to Netflix, it wasn’t very popular as the description did not fit the show. It was led on to be a ‘docu-series’ but truth behold it was a show based on a 1955 book  Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit written by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. John Douglas and Mark Olshaker are renowned for their true-crime books as well as insights into the multiple murderers in their times as Specialized FBI as well as one of the first Criminal Profilers for the FBI.

The show starts off with our two main guys, Holden Ford and Bill Tench. Bill and Holden are FBI agents who go from school to school, teaching classes about criminal investigation. Bill Tench has been doing this for a few years when he finally gets an assistant to help him curate these classes. Holden Ford comes in as a great assistant, taking a load off of Bill so he can concentrate more on his family life.

Agent Holden Ford had a different idea, something more progressive than just teaching classes about criminal profiling. He wanted to try and prevent the crimes from happening as well as making a formula that could help find these murderers faster. As the old dog of the office, Bill was uncomfortable making any changes to the way he worked. Even more so when it came to talking to his boss about even trying to talk to multiple murderers. Holden was sure that he had a great idea in the works, he just needed to get the right people behind it.

Psychological Criminal Investigation

The first season of Mind Hunter happens in the late 70’s, early 80’s, where the entire thought of psychological criminal investigation was hokey. Yet Holden’s continuous harassment of Bill finally gets the results he wanted, a visit with a multiple murderer. Holden is persistent that he wants to visit Manson, Charles Manson, one of the most infamous cases of the seventies/eighties. Yet what Holden get’s is one of the biggest surprises he will see through out his work-life.
Edmund Kemper

Ed Kemper, as he preferred to be called, loved his visits with police and FBI agents. Ed Kemper was one of the worlds most hidden multiple murderers, it is said that if he had not turned himself in to the police he would have never been caught. Which honestly doesn’t seem far from the truth when your looking at the available documents and police investigations that became public. Ed Kemper is a frightfully massive human being, standing just over 6’9 and 300lbs. Edmund loves talking to the police, as it shows more insight not just on his killing but the comparative nature between him and other killers. Ed Kemper was super helpful with Holden and Tench as they built their psychological reports for their new section of FBI.

As time moved on, the struggle between road school and interviews with multiple murderers was becoming increasingly stressful. The need for a fulltime office was on the horizon, so the start of the Criminal Psychological Profiling and Behavioral Sciences was born. What started as a back of the brain project for Holden, was now becoming reality. Their own basement office space, to hiring on new people to help with the case loads. Slowly but surely, this was becoming more than just a side project. All Holden needed, was some FBI back-up.

This came in a great wave for Holden, the old commissioner for the Federal Office was being pushed out as his ideals were stuck in the past. The new commissioner was a fresh face from Washington that understood what this could mean for the Federal Bureau. The new face from Washington, Ted Gunn, a by-the-book type of agent that is more than interested in the project that Holden and Tench had put together.
His only rule?
Keep blinders on Holden.

As we move into the series, Holden gets the chance to interview some of histories more notorious serial killers. Even the man behind the chaos of the 80s, Manson himself. All the mean while, being shown these interviews with these top named serial killers, there is another. One being shown as the show progresses, as well as his progression of violence and interest. Who is this killer?

Well our hopes lie in a Season 3 of Mind Hunter.

Over all experience with Mind Hunter; If you don’t mind some drama and silly side stories into Holden’s love life, it’s a great True Crime Television show. Based on real people, real things, real happenings.

HarleChan Review : Season 1: A Season 2: B-

Thanks for reading, buh-bye!