NIGHT STALKER: THE HUNT FOR A SERIAL KILLER: The Devil’s In The Details

A new year, a new Netflix crime-docuseries. So, of course, I’m going to watch it.

Whether or not you’re knowledgeable in the disturbing crimes of the Nightstalker, Richard Ramirez, if you’re someone who enjoys this kind of series, you’ll be intrigued. Even if you’re not familiar with the particulars of these crimes, you’ll be curious to watch the case unfold as the two detectives (Frank Salerno and Gil Carrillo) work to capture this individual terrorizing Los Angeles in the 1980s.

Night Stalker concentrates more on the investigation. Directed by Tiller Russell, it’s a true-crime docuseries that takes a different approach, using a horrendous story, and creating a varied perspective that gives due to the detectives and victims involved. It’s frustrating, it’s riveting, and in its diligent care, it sheds new light on a dark, dark case.

Nobody was Safe

It’s clear from the beginning that this is a significant crime streak in US History. For the most part, I consider myself pretty educated in the accounts of true crime, but when I was watching Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer, I learned a lot that I didn’t know – (or had chosen to forget). It’s a tough line to straddle, the wanting to know, and the devastation when you give yourself over to finding out the full extent of someone’s horrific crimes. I’m, as most people who read/watch/research these sorts of things, am always wondering the why.

With this particular four-part docuseries, that element isn’t really prominent. After all, it isn’t until the final words of episode 3 that they’ve even identified the man who had been victimizing LA for several months.

The whole production is soaked in an 80’s feel, capturing the nightmare in Los Angeles (and San Fransisco) that held its inhabitants hostage. Using archival footage, and news clips from the time, it captures the decade in full-blown neon. But, beneath this facade is a killer. One with a frequency and a somewhat haphazard M.O (which is rare with a serial killer), Ramirez moved through the area terrorizing its residents from children to adults, with high numbers of home invasions, attacks, murders, and sexual assaults. Due to this lack of predictability, he remains one of the most terrifying of serial killers to date. While the detectives had some evidence to go off of, it took some time to identify the suspect. Add in a mess-up during the investigation, a turf-war between police departments, as well as the press interference, these detectives, who were clearly feeling the weight of this work, were frustrated.

The frenetic nature of his acts is delivered well throughout the series, even if at times the show isn’t completely working. One thing I really appreciated was the fact that it focused a lot on the victims and their families. It provided an opportunity to know the people and not the statistics. When you’re hearing real accounts from people who have gone through such atrocities, it’s tough to not be affected yourself. It also makes you want these detectives that are on screen the most, to find their criminal. A continued sound effect of a ticking clock, as well as the frequent showing of how many days have gone by since his first murder, never lets the viewer forget the importance of the hunt.

As we watch some re-enactments, primarily of a car like his driving the streets at night, there’s a sickening feeling of trepidation. He was reckless, and as he successfully pulled off more attacks, he got even bolder. Where would he go tonight? Who would be next? It’s a disturbing contemplation, because by all accounts, the answer was: anywhere.

Who is Richard Ramirez?

One of the downfalls of making a series nearly entirely about the chase is that you don’t get the “end” as much as you’d like. And by that, I mean, more of the story after he was captured. There are these very sinister, incredibly impactful, recorded quotes from Ramirez himself, speckled throughout. It’s a chilling addition, that I thought really brought the viewer closer to visualizing this person’s deeply troubled psyche. There are a lot of truths and aspects of the investigation that could have been shared, but weren’t, making its finale not as pointed as one would hope.

Regardless of what we don’t get to see or hear, and maybe the show did this purposefully, not wanting to give this individual more screentime, the show still has its missteps.

There are times early on when the limited series would hit some snags in its flow, making it harder to want to keep watching. Sometimes the show feels scattered, uncertain of its own intentions, with at times, strange tonal shifts. Yet, it never completely loses you.

Conclusion: The Night Stalker: Hunt For a Serial Killer

This is a series that shows its cards right in the title; it’s about the hunt. And it’s an unforgettable one. In that way, this is a captivating foray into the discovery and investigation during the 1980s that California (and our country) will never forget.

What did you think? Did you find this particular docu-series compelling? Let us know in the comments below!

Night Stalker: Hunt For a Serial Killer is currently streaming on Netflix.