True-crime has become the genre du jour for many streaming platforms and networks. However, spectacles such as “Making a Murderer,” “The Jinx,” “The Staircase,” and, most recently, “Tiger King” have painted the disturbing genre as an opportunity for armchair detectives and meme-generators to watch for all the wrong reasons. Often, the crimes are reduced to puzzles for viewers to solve, and the victims and/or criminals as fodder for funny social media posts. If that’s your idea of quality true-crime, “Atlanta’s Missing & Murdered: The Lost Children” is not for you. But if you’re looking for an incredibly powerful, disturbing docuseries with no clear answers and no happy ending, HBO presents a show that recalls a very different era of true-crime, warts and all.
The story of Atlanta’s Missing & Murdered—the name given to a group of approximately 30 young, Black Atlanta citizens that were kidnapped and/or killed during a two-year period beginning in 1979—has been in the public eye for 40 years, capturing headlines during its time, while also being adapted recently in series such as “Mindhunter.” However, there has yet to be a retelling of the story that is as disturbing, thought-provoking, and heart-wrenching as what filmmakers Joshua Bennett, Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre, and Sam Pollard have crafted in this stunning limited docuseries. From the brutal early killings and the effect on an impoverished community, the apprehension of the suspected perpetrator, and the decades-long legal battle that ensued, no stone is left unturned in ‘Missing & Murdered.’
But even though the series is structured around the horrific crimes that struck Atlanta from 1979 to 1981, the real story of ‘Missing & Murdered’ is on the metropolitan area itself, and specifically, how politicians from all levels were willing to sweep more than two dozen dead children under the rug to help protect the positive image of the Southern city. Political corruption, all in the name of preserving the image of Atlanta, is seen at all levels—President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush are shown more than you might anticipate. Frankly, it’s almost as anger-inducing and heartbreaking as the actual crimes themselves. Almost.
Make no mistake, the actual murders were brutal, and the filmmakers make sure that’s abundantly clear over the course of the distressing five hours. By the end of the first episode, you’ll have seen more than two dozen graphic crime scene photographs and videos. Over the course of the remaining four episodes, you’re never free from the gory imagery, even when the story focuses on other topics. And as you might expect, no matter how many times the filmmakers showcase a picture of a murdered child, it never gets easier to look at.
‘Missing & Murdered’ is a true-crime docuseries where the information is presented with no filter, no images or harsh language are sugar-coated, and no mercy is given to the viewer. Think of it as the Algebra to “Tiger King’s” Phys Ed. Both are necessary and have their place, but one is meant to keep you entertained and is a good way to expend some energy, while the other is expected to challenge you, grow your mind, and shape how you live your life for years after. Incredibly important topics such as racism, systemic poverty, police corruption, the unjust legal system, and the abuse of power from our elected officials are all vital to understanding how the murders of 30 children have largely been dismissed by one of America’s largest cities. And at no point are viewers ever presented with something to break the tension and add levity. The series is about a large number of children being killed, after all.
Unfortunately, the ambition of the filmmakers leads to the series’ biggest flaw. The small number of episodes is appreciated when you realize that ‘Missing & Murdered’ isn’t going to hold back showing you the darkest depths of humanity—murderers, pedophiles, racists, and the heartless scumbags that helped shape the narrative to better suit political needs. However, when you have a story that spans 40 years, not even five hours is enough to allow everything time to simmer and the viewers a chance to catch their breath.
Sadly, what ends up occurring is the viewer loses track of which child is attached to which crime, and who the various talking heads are (even though the short-hand is that the white people are the government officials and the People of Color are the victims and victim-advocates, go figure). You can’t help but feel guilty when a new piece of information is revealed about a specific case, and your memory fails to remember if that is the young kid that was strangled and left by a dumpster or one that was thrown off a bridge. When you begin to think of things in a cut-and-dry method such as that, it’s a sign that maybe the message of compassion is a bit muddled and lost, at times.
That being said, ‘Missing & Murdered’ is an affecting piece of television that will sit with you long after the final credits roll, whether you want it to or not. Though the true-crime genre has evolved in recent years, HBO has returned to its disturbing roots with a series that might be too much for some people but will delight others interested in learning everything, down to every last fiber, in a case that is often overlooked or completely forgotten. It’s no-holds-barred with no easy answers. The way true-crime is meant to be seen. [A-]