Once upon a time, Netflix provided us with a selection of well known TV shows and movies, however in recent times the online streaming service have began churning out top quality original programmes. One of the latest such programmes is Making a Murderer, and boy is it amazing.
Making a Murderer surrounds the true story and court case of Steven Avery, a seemingly simple man from a humble Wisconsin background. Without giving too much away, Avery was convicted of rape in 1985 and sent to prison. 18 years later, developments in technology saw Avery exonerated of the crimes win back his freedom in 2003. In 2005, he was arrested again, this time for the murder of 25 year old photographer Teresa Halbach. Making a Murderer begins just as Avery is awarded damages from his initial wrongful conviction which allows him to hire lawyers and form a defence.
It’s been a long time since I deliberately stayed up till the wee hours because I was simply engrossed in a TV show, but Making a Murderer is a fantastic piece of film making that will leave you hanging on for every episode. As you enjoy the drama, you will experience the inner turmoil while sympathising with an increasingly apparent piece of shoddy police work which is having a devastating effect on a man’s life for a second time.
Without giving anything away, Making a Murderer manages to tell the entire story without a narrator leading you, instead showing only video footage while relying on recorded phone calls to fill in the gaps. Once you’ve gotten through the ten episodes you’ll do what I did and begin Googling to see what the film makers didn’t include and try to come to your own conclusions. The real test comes as you try not to Google anything until you watch the lot.
If you found yourself gripped by the Serial Podcast or feeling confused as you supported Dexter and his vigilante ways, Making a Murderer is the show for you and is must watch water cooler talk in work. You’ll likely scream and the TV on several occasions but will certainly be gripped by the story. The age of armchair lawyering is here.
Making a Murderer is available now on Netflix.
