I'll Be Gone in the Dark: Murder Habit

June 29, 2020 5:35 PM - Season 1, Episode 1

A look at author Michelle McNamara's investigation regarding a violent predator she dubbed the "Golden State Killer," who terrorized California in the 1970s and '80s. (HBO miniseries)

Den of Geek - The first episode of HBO doc I’ll Be Gone in the Dark focuses on an extraordinary citizen detective who shone light on a cold case.

TV Line - Patton Oswalt, EP Talk HBO's Serial Killer Docu Based on the Late Michelle McNamara's Book

Variety - Liz Garbus on ‘Closure’ for Golden State Killer Survivors With ‘I’ll Be Gone in the Dark’

Vulture - Premiere Recap: Out of the Shadows

posted by oh yeah! (3 comments total)

Maybe I should have made a full-season thread, since this is a documentary mini-series and book adaptation, so, the details of McNamara's death and the killer's identity are only a web-search & mouse-click away? I haven't read McNamara's book, and didn't follow the news of the killer's arrest in much detail beyond being glad that he was finally caught, so, I decided to make the post for just the episode itself.

Anyway, I thought this was very well done, and I'll be watching to the end.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:49 PM on June 29, 2020

I haven't watched this yet, but I did read the book, and although it's very definitely in the mode of an unfinished book, especially near the end, it was still very compelling, chock full of curious and scary little details. (For example, in one of the communities that the GSK operated in, some of the local teenage boys apparently had the "hobby" of breaking and entering houses at random--not to steal anything or assault anyone, but just out of boredom.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:26 AM on June 30, 2020

I watched this the other night and it's really good. Highly recommended if you're a murderino.
posted by essexjan at 10:02 AM on July 1, 2020