I am a Killer is a Netflix documentary series that already had released three seasons previously. The documentary released its fourth season on 21st December 2022. The show is a true crime series showing us the lives of different prisoners who have conducted different crimes of different wavelengths. The first two seasons had ten episodes having stories of ten different individuals, and the next two seasons included six episodes of six different individuals. The fourth season as mentioned has six episodes, each having a run time of 44 – 48 minutes.
In the fourth season, we are introduced to six prisoners who have conducted crimes during different years. The series gives us an account of their life before and after the crime, why they did what they did, their thoughts before and after the crime, and many other aspects.
Like the previous seasons, this season also doesn’t fail us in any way. The last season was very popular among Netflix audiences, and this season too can become the favorite of crime thriller fans. The series covers a very detailed explanation of the actions done by the prisoners. Unlike other crime documentaries, this one doesn’t leave any gaps or unanswered aspects regarding the crime. It does give us a well-detailed interview of everyone concerned.
The series has a good pace, and it reveals all the events one by one making each episode look like a short story. The crimes involved have happened at different times, and the intensity of the crimes and the prisoners are also very different.
In season 4 we are introduced to a man named Anthony Standifer, who shot and killed a 69-year-old lady called Beverly Crowl. We are given interviews of people who were close to him, close to Beverly, the officers who conducted the investigation, and also the friends he made at the prison. We get to hear their views on the crime, Anthony, and also get to know what exactly happened the day the murder was conducted. The explanations of the crime mentioned can be considered mild to moderate.
After getting introduced to Anthony we are then given an account of Jema Donahue who killed her husband after she was severely abused by him. While watching Anthony and his story of crime the audience will be able to have a clear idea of whom to despise and whom to feel sorry for. But that might not be the case in Jema’s story. And this is what makes the series stand out from the rest. It has tried to include all kinds of crimes conducted by individuals for different purposes. The series through this pattern has been able to cut down a potentially monotonous pattern it might have given the audience. Since all the stories are closely knitted together there will be no space for the audience to get bored. As different people voice out their opinions, the audiences will find themselves more engrossed in the show.
Toby Gregory, a man who murdered his wife due to PTSD, Nasim Ali Irsan who was convicted of first-degree murder, Gary Black, who does not regret his decision in killing a man called Jason Johnson, and Thomas Schifferns imprisoned for the death of his best friend, Jimmy McGregor are some of the other individuals that have been covered in this season.
The series has succeeded in showing us both sides of the story. Since each prisoner has been devoted 40 minutes, we get an overall idea about the circumstances that led them to the crime and also what the families of the victim have to say about the crime. Since it’s a mix of crimes, we might sympathize with some, and we might also have hostility towards some.
Since the series was quite popular among people who love crime series, this season might also be an awaited season among the ‘I am a Killer’ fans. And just like the previous three sessions, this one also doesn’t disappoint us. Each episode delivers a different level of emotion. The series is super real and raw and gives us the right number of facts regarding the cases. The series has maintained the same pattern throughout the whole four seasons. Since all the seasons contain different stories, viewers who are not familiar with the series can also watch the show without any problem without following the chronological order. Even though Netflix has given us several true crime documentary series, this one surely can secure a place in the top five or ten!
Final Score – [8.5/10]
Reviewed by - Poornima Balsu
Follow @BalsuPoornima on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times