Like many ladies out there I too am quite interested in serial killer documentaries. I’ve watched a ton of them and even rated them out in my previous article titled Top True Crime Documentaries on Netflix. That’s why when Netflix recommended to me their new serial killer document called The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness with a 99% match for me, I was all in.
As someone highly interested in serial killers I was well aware who is the Son of Sam or by his own name David Berkowitz. I think my first contact with his person was in another show about serial killers: Mindhunter– specifically its second season. I also wrote more about it in Mindhunter season 2 thoughts and comments.
The Sons of Sam on Netflix is obviously about a David Berkowitz.
But the thing I remember the most about the whole thing was a story of a Maury Terry- a pretty basic journalist who wasn’t supposed to be part of the story at all but his curious ass got way too involved. The Sons of Sam made Terry’s carrier what it was and it ruined his life just the same.
The document consists of 4 around one-hour-long episodes and I would divide it into a first good half and second mess.
The first two episodes are awesome. Describes the early stages of Berkowitz crimes, capturing an early investigation. It even digs into an idea of a bigger satanic conspiracy.
Pretty basic and well-known information already but it was made in a very captivating way.
The other half was a bit more complicated.
Now there is satan involved, several other cults, Manson is there too, Maurey Terry uncovered a huge network of Satanists responsible for every murder, more mystery murders, no one believes anyone, lots of interviews, Berkowitz talks, everything is a mess and it’s so hard to keep track of everything.
Honestly, it requires a high focus and patience.
The whole idea of a bigger picture is pretty compelling. Who doesn’t want to believe there is a bigger purpose in all of this rather than everything being just a big coincidence and there is no real meaning whatsoever. Makes you feel unimportant and small.
But in an age when conspiracy theories are everywhere and everyone has to question every piece of information out there, the Sons of Sam just has bad timing. I’m sure if I watched the show like 2 years ago I would be mindblown, but now after a year, we had it’s not that special.
I felt like it was just another conspiracy theory out there blending with the rest.
It was quite sad to watch Terry in the middle of it claiming everything is true and pointing to the evidence and then publishing a book about that whole story clearly profiting on the chaos. His desperation to prove the truth was so frustrating.
I brought up another question of “why?” Not only was I wondering why were all of those heinous crimes happening but now I was wondering why was Maury Terry so obsessed with it?
We watched Maury Terry slowly die in the middle of a story he should not get involved in in the first place. I get his curiosity, trust me. But it’s one thing to be interesting in a serial killer’s documents and the other is letting your obsession consume you so much it destroys your life.
The Sons of Sam was an ideal show to watch in this cold rainy weather but I guess I’m just too distant and cynical to be amazed by satanic cults. How sad is that?
Lived in my neighborhood.