In the late ’70s, criminal profiling wasn’t widely recognized as a law enforcement tool. FBI agent John E. Douglas was among the first to realize that useful information could be obtained simply by talking with some of the decade’s most notorious serial killers and sex offenders, including Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, James Earl Ray, and even Son of Sam himself, David Berkowitz. This fall, David Fincher is exploring the origins of Douglas’ criminal profiles in Mindhunter, a new drama series from Netflix.
Mindhunter is based upon Mind Hunter: Inside FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, a book written by Douglas and his co-author, Mark Olshaker. For the series, Jonathan Groff stars as Holden Ford, an FBI agent based upon Douglas. Holt McCallanay is playing Ford’s partner, Bill Tench, and he’s the one who gets the signature line of the new trailer: “How do we get ahead of crazy if we don’t know how crazy thinks?” An eery question for the ages, no doubt.
Fair warning: even the trailer for Mindhunter has some disturbing imagery and themes, so it’s not for everyone, and may not be safe for work. Unlike many serial killer dramas, this series pulls from reality…and that can be a terrifying place.
Rounding out the cast for Mindhunter are Anna Torv, Hannah Gross, and Cotter Smith. The first season of Mindhunter is dropping on Friday, October 13, but Netflix has already lined up Mindhunter for a second season.
What did you think about the first trailer for Mindhunter? Embrace your fears in the comment section below!
Image: Netflix
