What's good to watch on Netflix And Other Streaming Platforms

[ImTellinTim]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

It's the brother of the girl killed in Making a Murderer.

The MaM stuff on FB is now getting on my nerves. It shows the power of media. The documentary creators are clearly biased. They left out some pretty important stuff

Spoiler

Phone records where Avery calls Auto Trader to request the same girl come out...and if he was indeed in a towel the previous time she came by. Those are huge to me. The documentary makes it seem like a random person came by that he had no prior contact with. When the documentary makers have a back and forth with the prosecutor Kratz in articles I'm reading they don't make very good points. They just call out his character. That's the easy out...they don't address the crucial points. The documentary paints everything in such a light that it feels too easy to say he didn't do it. We're hearing one side of the story + whatever pieces of the other side they feel were "important".

Spoiler

Actually, the documentary does cover the fact that Halbach had been there before to take pictures of other cars and that he had requested her to come out that day.

The way I look at it is the prosecution and the media had complete control over the story in the public, and that's why he's sitting in jail right now. This documentary is a counter to that. The problem is that 99% of the people watching this don't live in that area, so they didn't see all that coverage.

My take on the MaM. There are no spoilers here at all IMO but I figured just in case, I guess

Spoiler

A bunch of people I trust and consider reputable have told me a large number of key details are not covered at all in the show/documentary. Based on what they told me regarding several incidents/circumstances it sounds like you can barely even consider this creative non-fiction, and more of taking the most convenient bits of a big picture to tell a "fan friendly" story that would create buzz and get attention. It's a testament to our "Reality TV" culture we live in now, people love controversy and jump to conclusions because it's fun now. Snooki and the Situation would be proud.

I'm not sure I can consider it a documentary.

In a way it kind of reminds me of "Bro Science." These kind of things get powered by word of mouth.

Just my two cents

It absolutely is a documentary. Documentaries can be subjective, but they are still documentaries.

[jeremym480]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

It's the brother of the girl killed in Making a Murderer.

The MaM stuff on FB is now getting on my nerves. It shows the power of media. The documentary creators are clearly biased. They left out some pretty important stuff

Spoiler

Phone records where Avery calls Auto Trader to request the same girl come out...and if he was indeed in a towel the previous time she came by. Those are huge to me. The documentary makes it seem like a random person came by that he had no prior contact with. When the documentary makers have a back and forth with the prosecutor Kratz in articles I'm reading they don't make very good points. They just call out his character. That's the easy out...they don't address the crucial points. The documentary paints everything in such a light that it feels too easy to say he didn't do it. We're hearing one side of the story + whatever pieces of the other side they feel were "important".

Spoiler

Requesting that someone specific. especially someone who you've worked with before, isn't out of the ordinary, so that doesn't really make SA look bad at all to me. The towel thing I would like to know more about, but since he lived around a lot of his relatives he could have easily thought it was one of them at the door when he answered it.

Anything discovered by Lenk or Colborn is really suspicious to me, especially since nothing was found until they were there. Letting those two in on the initial investigation was just a terrible decision all the way around. Because even if their findings were legitimate, they would have doubt surrounding them due to their conflict of interest. Anything "discovered" by those two should have never seen the light of the courtroom, in my opinion.

With all of that said I'm still about 20-25% sure that SA did it, had at least had a hand in doing it or knows who did do it. Brendan's step-dad Scott and SA's brother both had past crimes against women and both had just as much access to the things that SA did. There has also been some other wild theories that I've read on Reddit, but they're really just "stories" or dead ends at the point because Manitowoc County never investigated any other leads once they had their sights on SA.

In the end, I don't think that we will ever know the truth, but from what I saw on the documentary and read afterwards, I can say that both Steven and Brendan (especially) got a raw deal in the courtroom. If both of them got a new trial due to this, then I'd be happy. Although, unless any new evidence comes to light I don't see anything changing for Steven. Brendan imo would have a good chance though simply because most of the things that he confessed to could really be proven. It was weird seeing the prosecution using two different scenarios for TH's death each of them, but apparently that's not out of the ordinary.

My take on the MaM. There are no real spoilers here (I guess) at all IMO but I figured just in case, I guess. If you haven't watched the show yet don't read and just watch it and form ur own opinion

Spoiler

A bunch of people I trust and consider reputable have told me a large number of key details are not covered at all in the show/documentary. Based on what they told me regarding several incidents/circumstances it sounds like you can barely even consider this creative non-fiction, and more of taking the most convenient bits of a big picture to tell a "fan friendly" story that would create buzz and get attention. It's a testament to our "Reality TV" culture we live in now, people love controversy and jump to conclusions because it's fun now. Snooki and the Situation would be proud.

I'm not sure I can consider it a documentary.

In a way it kind of reminds me of "Bro Science." These kind of things get powered by word of mouth.

Just my two cents

Also, just saw Jeremy mentioned Paradise Lost. That one actually is compelling and from what I understand very fair/accurate

Edit

Further clarifying my POV which is sloppily done in my original post

Spoiler

What I'm saying is MaM is only a documentary in the same sense that The Real World is "reality." Yeah, I can watch real people do "real things" on the real world, but cmon. It's a drama. I'm seeing small bits and pieces spliced together in a non-chronological order of what the editors want me to see. It's like when viva la bam got heat for being scripted and Bam was all "of course it's scripted, they signed us for three seasons. It's a show."

I also don't buy that documentaries can't be fair and balanced. I'm sure they all, or almost all, have a tilt based on the filmmakers prejudice but I've seen plenty that at least try to cover all bases, if not some ssss more than others

Regarding MaM

Spoiler

I've read a lot of the articles stating were things were left out and I still haven't seen one piece of evidence that isn't circumstantial or potentially planted. In fact pretty much all of them are either poorly researched, unfounded or based on evidence provided straight from Kratz or Manitowoc County.

Did you watch all three parts to Paradise Lost docs?

There's another one called West Memphis that I want to watch eventually, but after watching those three, plus the movie (Devil's Knot) I was ready to move on to something else. I mean, I was (and still am) really interested in that case, but I really, really don't think we will ever know the truth of what happened with those boys... and that upsets me to no end.

Speaking of which my new suggestion for the week
is Dear Zachary . We watched this one last weekend and I think this one is as fair and balanced as you can get. Although, without spoiling anything the filmmakers are obviously prejudice in this one. It's just a single two hour movie (on NetFlix), but if you really want to see the criminal justice system fail, then check this one out.

Spoiler

Actually, the documentary does cover the fact that Halbach had been there before to take pictures of other cars and that he had requested her to come out that day.

The way I look at it is the prosecution and the media had complete control over the story in the public, and that's why he's sitting in jail right now. This documentary is a counter to that. The problem is that 99% of the people watching this don't live in that area, so they didn't see all that coverage.

It absolutely is a documentary. Documentaries can be subjective, but they are still documentaries.

Agreed with your spoiler.

Spoiler

Once Kratz announced Brendan's confession the way he did on the news there was no way that either of them could get a fair trial. The prosecution may be getting some unfair heat due to MaM... but all I can say is boo hoo. Because for one, they had a chance to be apart of MaM and declined and two they didn't have a problem raking SA over the coals publicly and sometimes you reap what you sow.... At least it's just their reputations and not their life's aren't on the line though.

[Mo]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

jeremy, watch that west of memphis doc. It adds closure.

[slickdtc]

What's good to watch on Netflix

Just finished SA's part of MaM, as in I haven't watched the last two episodes covering Brendan's trial.

Whole thing just makes me sick to my stomach. It's insane to me

Spoiler

that there can be such clear conflict of interest at the very least, with the County admitting it, and yet somehow all of their findings and evidence can continue to be used.

I'm no lawyer but how is that even possible. There's your reasonable doubt right there.

Spoiler

How many coincidences can there be that the defense pointed out until the jurors stopped believing the state prosecution? Is it simply because they're in a position of power and were raised and taught that they uphold the law when it's been established with this very case how negligent and downright corrupt they've been to the very same man they're accusing again. Made my head spin.

I'm mostly just sad that the Halbach's didn't get true justice and that whoever truly did this is still free. Scott and Bobby seemed conveniently free of blame but, Scott at least, had a pretty clear motive to want SA put away (allegations that SA violated Brendan.

SA might not be a good guy, and might have been involved in some capacity I totally could believe that. But there's so much more to this that its too late to even pursue because of how grossly negligent the County was in following any and all leads.

Definitely a bias series, but considering how bias it was framed in the opposite direction initially for years, I don't exactly have sympathy for MCPD.

Really just goes to show how things are never just black and white when it comes to crime and justice. I don't envy police officer's jobs because they're fighting an uphill battle just as the prosecution usually is needing the burden of proof, but man. Just wow.

Mass spoilers. Hope I hid everything I needed to.

[Blzer]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

In Bruges is on Instant Watch. My favorite dark comedy out there (unless you consider Fight Club one). Might want to give it a view if you're into that genre.

[JayBee74]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

Nurse Jackie is worth a watch. All seven seasons are now on Netflix.

[Sinner]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

I watched MaM straight through and all I can say is wow. I haven't seen what was missing from it and understand that it's a bias documentary but

Spoiler

Unless I missed something they didn't find any DNA of Teresa on his room or the garage like area.

Brendan said he came into the room, was told by Steve to rape her and stab her or cut her throat right? Either of those would bring a lot of blood, they didn't find any right?

His blood that came from the Lab, the seal was cut and had a whole in the top like a needle had been stuck in it. How can that be over looked?

Then when the cop called about the License plate and lied on the stand and said that the lady told him the color and type of car but of course it was actually him that described the car like he had found it 2 days before it was "lost" and then found in the junk yard.

Those 3 things right there along with the serious conflict of interest just seems crazy to me how he was convicted.

His whole family seemed mentally off a bit anyway but that's just crazy

[jeremym480]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

I watched MaM straight through and all I can say is wow. I haven't seen what was missing from it and understand that it's a bias documentary but

Spoiler

Unless I missed something they didn't find any DNA of Teresa on his room or the garage like area.

Brendan said he came into the room, was told by Steve to rape her and stab her or cut her throat right? Either of those would bring a lot of blood, they didn't find any right?

His blood that came from the Lab, the seal was cut and had a whole in the top like a needle had been stuck in it. How can that be over looked?

Then when the cop called about the License plate and lied on the stand and said that the lady told him the color and type of car but of course it was actually him that described the car like he had found it 2 days before it was "lost" and then found in the junk yard.

Those 3 things right there along with the serious conflict of interest just seems crazy to me how he was convicted.

His whole family seemed mentally off a bit anyway but that's just crazy

To make a long story short

Spoiler

Yes, apparently the prosecution sold and they jury believed that SA was smart enough to set up a Dexter style kill room, but dumb enough to cover her car with a few sticks (with a car crusher available) and finger paint with his blood all in her car.

[slickdtc]

What's good to watch on Netflix

Spoiler

Then when the cop called about the License plate and lied on the stand and said that the lady told him the color and type of car but of course it was actually him that described the car like he had found it 2 days before it was "lost" and then found in the junk yard.

I actually find this bit to be the most damning of all. They explained everything away, but this, on the stand during the trial, stood out to me.

I know it's not an exact science, but I'd love to see some experts who study the facial expressions and tics people have when lying or hiding something take this on. Just from watching series like "Lie to Me" it seemed like a lot of those officers were a bit too uncomfortable on the stand. Colborne and Lenk especially. Oh man, Lenk. Dude looked like he was capable of an evil set-up. On the flip side, SA could totally pass as a serial killer.

For those interested, the petition to have him pardoned by the POTUS was denied on the grounds that it's a state level crime and not federal. But still

Spoiler

would he be excused anyway, because the FBI was involved and produced a test capable of recognizing the EDTA (preservation chemical added to blood samples in storage) and found none. Or, as the defense argued, not enough to produce a positive test. The FBI is a federal agency, a pardon would be saying they were in on this thing too. I'm sure it's happened before with pardons but I didn't see that having a chance in the first place.

I really wish we could just know the truth, especially with the EDTA stuff. Because that would absolutely cause an uproar basically confirming a frame job. Those negative test results were just so convenient, like so much in this case.

Also, I know they transferred jurisdiction to the neighboring county, but why exactly is that even a suitable compromise to eliminate conflict of interest? That's like saying okay I'm unfit to be impartial, so I'll have my brother handle things. I know there's always going to be some hint of bias because we all hold some in everything we do, but that seemed like a really cheap cop out and they acted like it was a perfect solution. The Calumet County officers actually seemed pretty straight

Spoiler

but they still allowed MCPD officers to continue to act as if this was their case and violate the conflict of interests agreement. They said all the right things but their actions stunk at every turn.

[Chip Douglass]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

I didn't like them either, and I know he had a 70 IQ, but he did say a lot. Similar things went down in the HBO Paradise Lost trilogy.

"Said a lot" = "Regurgitated information spoon-fed to him by predatory investigators"

[JayBee74]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

"Said a lot" = "Regurgitated information spoon-fed to him by predatory investigators"

Yeah, probably, but I still have a little doubt. I know they were predatory investigators, but I'm not 100% convinced that some of what the kid said was true. I certainly wouldn't have found him guilty.

[slickdtc]

What's good to watch on Netflix

Spoiler

The Dassey case may actually be more of a sham then SA's. They pretty much designed the case against him with the way they surgically extracted the information they wanted to hear, then presented it under the guise of a confession.

I know we all hear confession and think it's open and shut, but so often there's shady circumstances around how they got to that conclusion. And I know it goes the other way too, because your lawyer will never want you to openly confess to a crime and even someone in their right mind will be convinced by their lawyer to pull the confession.

They could have gotten a confession out of Dassey saying the sky is in fact green and ran with it. And yes, a defense lawyer could totally argue to within a reasonable doubt that the sky is not blue as well if that were to support his defense. The justice system is not perfect, that's the one thing we know for sure.

I actually think Dassey is completely innocent. When he had to write down his innocence, the story was always the same. When he was coached through telling a story that didn't happen, he could never nail down the same story. Obviously, he had some learning disability and I think that very reason is why. That disability wouldn't allow him to lie and keep lying. Of all the people in this case, Brendan may be the most truly honest of them all. But it got out there there first that he confessed and that was never wiped clean from people's mind even when it was so obviously coerced out of him. Just like how they keep talking about how SA was a rapist when he was completely exonerated. That means IT DID NOT HAPPEN. But that reputation will always follow him and will always be used in the case against him publicly or privately. He was behind the 8-ball to start, completely unfairly. That's NOT how our justice system works.

I just can't believe they didn't even try to follow up on other leads. They could have actually solved this thing. And maybe easily!But they didn't even try. Hell, SA's rape case was solved FOR them, and they didn't do anything about it. We/I shouldn't be so shocked.

[Sinner]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

Spoiler

The Dassey case may actually be more of a sham then SA's. They pretty much designed the case against him with the way they surgically extracted the information they wanted to hear, then presented it under the guise of a confession.

I know we all hear confession and think it's open and shut, but so often there's shady circumstances around how they got to that conclusion. And I know it goes the other way too, because your lawyer will never want you to openly confess to a crime and even someone in their right mind will be convinced by their lawyer to pull the confession.

They could have gotten a confession out of Dassey saying the sky is in fact green and ran with it. And yes, a defense lawyer could totally argue to within a reasonable doubt that the sky is not blue as well if that were to support his defense. The justice system is not perfect, that's the one thing we know for sure.

I actually think Dassey is completely innocent. When he had to write down his innocence, the story was always the same. When he was coached through telling a story that didn't happen, he could never nail down the same story. Obviously, he had some learning disability and I think that very reason is why. That disability wouldn't allow him to lie and keep lying. Of all the people in this case, Brendan may be the most truly honest of them all. But it got out there there first that he confessed and that was never wiped clean from people's mind even when it was so obviously coerced out of him. Just like how they keep talking about how SA was a rapist when he was completely exonerated. That means IT DID NOT HAPPEN. But that reputation will always follow him and will always be used in the case against him publicly or privately. He was behind the 8-ball to start, completely unfairly. That's NOT how our justice system works.

I just can't believe they didn't even try to follow up on other leads. They could have actually solved this thing. And maybe easily!But they didn't even try. Hell, SA's rape case was solved FOR them, and they didn't do anything about it. We/I shouldn't be so shocked.

Spoiler

Yeah his lawyer Len and his assist trying to get him to sign the confession to help the prosecution against SA was also really crazy. At first when his assistant was doing that interview with Brendan trying to get him to confess on camera I thought he was doing it to show the jury how easy it was to get Brendan to change his story.

When Brendan told his mom that Len wanted him to sign that confession I was like ok he think's he's guilty, then having Brendan talk to the cops when he or nobody else was present...smh...dude was straight trash.

I was hoping so bad that the blood test would show that SAs' blood came from that tube.

[The JareBear]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

I haven't watched orange is the new black but I'm thinking of checking it out. Heard it's a decent Netflix show

[JayBee74]

Re: What's good to watch on Netflix

I haven't watched orange is the new black but I'm thinking of checking it out. Heard it's a decent Netflix show

Wentworth is ten times better but I'm a member of the Wentworth Fan Club.