‘Masterpiece’ detective crime drama is ‘the best Netflix show you will ever watch’

Many of those who have already watched it say it’s “as close to perfect as we’re ever going to get”.

The series has been described as a ‘masterpiece’ and holds near-perfect scores (Image: Netflix)

Netflix has released countless crime dramas over the years. Some come and go without much noise, while others build a loyal fanbase that refuses to let them fade away. There is one detective series in particular that viewers still talk about years after it ended.

It has been described as a “masterpiece” and holds near-perfect scores on Rotten Tomatoes. Many fans say it is the best show the streaming giant has ever produced. That show is Mindhunter.

Holt McCallany and Jonathan Groff in Mindhunter (Image: Netflix)

The American psychological crime thriller debuted on Netflix in 2017 and ran for two seasons, with the second released in 2019.

It holds a 97% average Tomatometer score and a 95% average Popcornmeter rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Created by Joe Penhall and based on the 1995 true-crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, the series follows the early days of criminal profiling at the FBI.

Executive producers included Penhall, Charlize Theron and David Fincher, with Fincher serving as the most frequent director.

The story centres on FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench, played by Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany, alongside psychologist Wendy Carr, played by Anna Torv.

Together they form part of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in the late 1970s and early 1980s, interviewing imprisoned serial killers to understand their psychology and apply that knowledge to active cases.

One person wrote in a review on IMDb: “True crime done right. Mindhunter is a masterpiece. I honestly can’t find anything negative to say about this series.

“It gives you an original true crime perspective and a creepy atmosphere. I love how eerie the score is and the cold colour grading. The chemistry between characters is perfect.”

Another added: “As close to perfect as we’re ever going to get. It’s by far the best Netflix show you will ever watch. Such a shame it was cancelled.”

A third wrote: “Never seen anything better. This show drives me mad. I rewatch it several times a year. I breathe on it. I relive it.

“This show is the best show I have ever seen. I have never been more captivated by a show. It is my biggest pain yet that there will be no other seasons.”

Anna Torv in Mindhunter (Image: Netflix)

Someone else commented: “Best TV series on Netflix. There are very few TV series that I binge-watch. This is one of them. It’s so interesting that you can’t stop watching.”

The first season takes place between 1977 and 1980 and features interviews with notorious serial killers including Edmund Kemper, Montie Rissell and Jerry Brudos.

The second season shifts focus to the Atlanta murders of 1979 to 1981, which involved at least 28 deaths, mostly children.

Although there were early discussions about a third season, it was put on indefinite hold in 2020. In 2023, David Fincher confirmed the series was definitely over.

Both seasons remain available to stream on Netflix.