Article first published as TV Review: MINDHUNTER on Seat42F.
Netflix’s newest drama, MINDHUNTER, is a
period place. Set in the late 1970s, it follows FBI Special Agent
Holden Ford, who is a hostage negotiator. Assigned to teach at Quantico,
and meeting and falling for a sociology major who challenges his
beliefs, Holden begins to wonder if the agency’s ignorance of psychology
is holding them back. Setting out on the road with senior agent Bill
Tench to educate and learn from local police departments, Holden looks
for a better way to do things.
Holden is brilliantly played by Broadway
heavyweight Jonathan Groff (Looking, Glee). No, the agent doesn’t sing,
but Groff is talented beyond the realms of musicals and comedy. He
captures the nuance of a man who is both masculine and sensitive,
bucking the stereotype of what an FBI agent might think he should be,
just as Holden seeks to change the way of thinking of law enforcement
about criminals. There is a lot of nuance Holden, struggling with his
own preconceptions, wanting to be open, seeking to improve himself, and
above all, dedicated to his mission. Groff gets all of this, and there’s
as much acted beyond the dialogue as there is spoken words. He is a key
part of why MINDHUNTER is great.
The supporting cast is also excellent.
There seem to be three of note in the pilot: Holt McCallany (Lights Out)
plays Tench, who will clearly be the one, aside from Groff, with the
most screen time, as he’s sort of Holden’s partner. Cotter Smith (The
Americans) is Shepard, Holden’s boss at the onset, who has faith in
Holden, but doesn’t always understand his motivations or ideas. Hannah
Gross (I Used to Be Darker) is Debbie, the love interest and
intellectual equal (or possibly superior) of Holden, who sparks more
than an academic interest from him. Each have terrific chemistry with
Holden, and seem to be the stars in their own stories, not just existing
to serve our lead. Granted, we may not see their stories, but they
don’t act like their world revolves around Holden, a trap too many
television characters fall into.
The production is, overall, excellent.
The writing is smart and meaningful. The look and direction is terrific.
An early hostage scene in which the camera is far away from the perp
really sells to the audience the frustrations of the situation and the
gap between Holden and his query. The pacing is perfect, taking its
time, but not too slow. Period-wise, it looks appropriate for the time
without leaning so heavily into it that it feels dated. With episodes
ranging from 36 to 60 minutes, it is clearly content to go at its own
speed, not beholden to confining structure. I thoroughly enjoyed every
minute of it, and find no cause to complain.
The subject matter is important and
timely, today’s mass shootings replacing yesterday’s serial killers in
the forefront of our cultural consciousness. As Holden points out late
in the pilot, philosophers and writers have been struggling to
understand why anyone would do anything since the dawn of man, and we
still don’t get it. But we’ve made progress, and those who need to know
these things should be aware. MINDHUNTER may cause viewers to rethink
their own views, considering the perspectives of others, and challenging
the existence of broad generalities. It’s a thinker, in a good way.
MINDHUNTER has been getting rave
reviews, and I fully agree. I’ve seen it compared to Mad Men, a complex
glimpse of one slice of society at a transformative time, and it is
that. But it’s also entirely its own thing, an original work that
explores something worthwhile. It has already been renewed for a second
season, a deserved vote of confidence from Netflix. I cannot recommend
it enough, and can’t wait to jump into the other nine episodes.
MINDHUNTER’s complete first season is available now exclusively on Netflix.