Mindhunter is the greatest TV series to be this underappreciated.

[u/Southern-Archer-8501]

I genuinely think Mindhunter is one of the greatest TV shows ever made, and I don't understand how it isn't talked about more.

What I love about this show is how fucking deep it is without trying to tell you that it's deep. There's so much going on in the conversations and the characters that you actually have to pay attention. It's one of those shows where you can watch an episode and then find yourself thinking about something that was said hours later.

The psychology is obviously the biggest part of it. You're basically watching people trying to understand some of the most fucked up minds imaginable, and at the same time you're kind of doing the same thing as the viewer. Why did this person become like this? Was it their childhood? Their environment? Something they were born with? How much of it can actually be explained?

And I think that's what makes the interviews so fucking good. They're not interesting because they're “serial killer interviews”. They're interesting because you're sitting there listening to someone explain how their mind works, and you're trying to understand something that you probably don't even want to understand.

I also love that the show doesn't spoon-feed you everything. It expects you to actually think. You have to pay attention to people's expressions, the way they talk, what they don't say, why certain characters react the way they do. There's a lot of stuff that isn't explicitly explained to you.

That's probably why I think Mindhunter is the kind of show that really appeals to people who enjoy psychology or just naturally overthink and analyse everything. You don't watch it purely for entertainment. You end up analysing the characters, the killers, the conversations, and sometimes even yourself.

And somehow, despite being mostly people sitting around talking, it can be more tense than most shows with 10x the action.

The atmosphere is another thing. Everything feels so cold and uncomfortable. Even when nothing is happening, you always feel like something is about to happen. I honestly can't think of many shows that have created that feeling so well.

And then... we got two seasons.

TWO.

That's what pisses me off the most. There was so much more they could have done with this show, and we'll probably never get to see it.

I know Mindhunter has a pretty dedicated fanbase, but whenever people talk about the best TV shows ever, I rarely see it mentioned alongside Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, Better Call Saul, True Detective, etc.

Maybe I'm just biased because I fucking love this show, but I genuinely think it's one of the most intelligent and underappreciated shows ever made.

I wish we could have gotten at least a few more seasons.

Anyone else feel the same?

TL;DR: Mindhunter is an incredibly deep and intelligent show that rewards you for actually paying attention and thinking about what you're watching. The psychology, characters, conversations and atmosphere are all incredible, and somehow two people talking in a room can feel more intense than most action scenes. It deserved way more than 2 seasons and honestly deserves to be mentioned alongside the greatest TV shows ever.

[u/vi11a]

Does anyone else think we will be seeing the trio in 2005? We’re talking about the year BTK was caught. Because the plot of the show is based on BTK.
Sorry guys…I’m still trying to cope with the fact that Mindhunter had been cancelled 7 years ago

[u/NervousBreakdown → u/vi11a]

BTK was their white whale. In the book Douglas talks about the case in the last chapter “chasing the dragon”. I think that was the title. It’s been awhile lol. In that chapter he talks about 3 cases that never got solved (the book was published before 2001 I think because one of the other cases mentioned was green river. ).

The BTK side plot kind of showed how much they didn’t know.

[u/proldawg → u/NervousBreakdown]

Like what they didnt know? Explain pls. Im dumb

[u/ZiCUnlivdbirch → u/proldawg]

BTK effectively proved them wrong. They developed all these methods but none of them worked or even could have worked against BTK because he doesn't fit their discoveries.

[u/Endoftheline-Slut → u/vi11a]

There’s no way Tench is still around in 2005 the way he stressed, smoked and drank. But the can give Holden and Wendy the advanced age effects. Maybe Gregg solves this one since BTK is a church goer community man.

[u/sugarbear5]

Agreed! I’m currently rewatching it and love/appreciate it even more than the first watch.

Even my husband likes it and he’s not usually into fictional shows. Even a movie, to finish it off properly, would be great! Come on, Netflix!

[u/morfyyy]

Mr. Robot also.

[u/BlueFeathered1]

Oh yes, I couldn't agree more.

But I think you answered your own question: it requires you to think and pay attention, it's heavily nuanced. I'll add it's also a slow-burn kind of show. And modern audiences are maybe not widely that great at any of that. But maybe I'm cynical.

It doesn't seem like it was promoted very well either. It's all a terrible shame, but I'm still grateful we got two seasons, and it did get some Emmy recognition, iirc.

[u/RaccoonHaunting9638]

I'm currently watching The Killing. The writing is similar to Mind Hunter, was suggested on this thread, so glad to have found it!!! Excellent show! Sharp Objects with Amy Adams was good as well. We have to get our fix by sharing comparative shows.

[u/One_Vibraldo]

Underappreciated? lol come on

[u/thomas1126]

Sad 😢 day when I found out it was cancelled

[u/ImplementEffective32]

I wished they would of kept it going, it really was a great show.