The first episode of the return of “Mindhunter” was brooding and brilliant, a perfect scene setter. And the ensuing four episodes have maintained what makes this series so brilliant: the meshing of the ordinary lives of trail-breaking forensic psychologists and the macabre world of their purview, the serial killer; splendid acting across the board; excellent cinematography (with a muted color palette that matches the terrain wonderfully) and sets from the early 80s; great subtlety (we see little direct violence, this gruesome world is shown via interviews); and a nuanced examination of what I’m interested in, namely the nature of evil. The pace over Episodes 2 to 5 slows and we’re privy into more of the internal lives of the core characters. In particular Anna Torv is spellbinding as she eases more onto center stage in the role of Dr. Wendy Carr. The cameo performances as iconic serial killers continue to mesmerise; Damon Herriman’s riveting performance as Charles Manson justifies the entire season. The narrative slows over these episodes and by Episode 5 of Season 2, I wondered if the overall story was losing direction, hence the lower 7/10 rating, but I remain confident that the closing half of the season will restore the dramatic arc.
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