Episode Guide
In the culture of suspicion, nobody sees anything. The reckoning comes when something goes wrong and people are left to deal with the consequences.
The show opens with the gruesome discovery of a murdered family in a remote farming community in Texas. The detectives who investigate the case quickly realize that this isn’t just any murder – it’s a cold-blooded act of terror that has been committed by someone who knows full well what they’re doing. As they piece together the clues and try to identify the killer, they quickly realize that there are many suspects, and no one is safe. The show does an excellent job of building up its suspense until the final reveal, and it never lets up for a second. The interviews with the victims and their families are particularly powerful, and add an extra layer of emotional weight to the proceedings. This is one series you don’t want to miss – definitely check it out when it comes on Netflix!
In the first episode, we follow the case of a woman who was found dead in a field in Texas in the mid-1980s. The woman’s husband, who was also investigating the death, is killed soon after. In 1991, another body is found in the same area and it’s eventually determined to be that of a woman who had been killed there earlier that year. We follow the case of these women as they are investigated and their families are left struggling with what could have happened to them.
As the case unfolds, it becomes clear that there are many suspects and that the police have been wrong about many things. But who is responsible? Is it a serial killer? Are there multiple killers? Or is there a conspiracy with law enforcement? The investigation into this case is complex and ongoing, and those looking for all the answers may find themselves disappointed by the end.
The show primarily focuses on what happened in 1984 during the first episode, although there is a tendency to jump back and forth between different months before and after the incidents, and the show even repeats the same sequences again with a bit more information. The main focus of this episode is on the characters, their relationships, and their experiences. There are also some flashbacks that are used to flesh out these characters further. However, there is a feeling that this is retreading familiar ground when it really doesn’t need to.
The show also shines a light on the detectives who are working the case, particularly Detective John Nolan. He is a hard-working officer who is constantly pushed to do more with less and he is one of the most likable characters on the show.
The League City Police Department refused to be interviewed here, which is telling in and of itself. However, it’s frustrating because it leaves investigative reporters and those looking into the case to try and give a balanced perspective instead. Hearing from that police department feels like a crucial piece of the puzzle that’s frustratingly missing.
The Killing Fields is a great series and the visual motif is lovely. The series has a lot of shots of the Killing Fields, as one would expect, along with establishing camera shots of I-45. What’s particularly great about this is the way a translucent map appears over the top of this, marking off the exact location these victims were found.
The Texas Killing Fields is a compelling documentary that tells the story of how a group of men, led by a charismatic leader, killed dozens of people in the town of Waco, Texas. The documentary is well worth watching and provides an interesting look at the dark side of American society.
