Netflix's new three-part docuseries Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes has drawn criticism from some viewers who say it recycles previously available material, even before the first episode ends. The series, released this morning, uses previously unreleased prison recordings, firsthand accounts, and archival footage, according to Netflix's synopsis.
The show charts Charles Manson's rise as a cult leader, the 1969 murders, and the media circus around his trial. It features former Manson Family members, law enforcement officials, and recorded phone calls with Manson himself.
Fans Express Disappointment
Some fans took to social media to voice their grievances. One viewer posted: "Netflix just keeps reusing the same material on these types of documentaries. There are all kinds of such rehashed documentaries on Netflix. There is no new material, just rehashed clips from prior programming. They just change the order of the clips around and call it something new."
Another asked: "So whoever is doing this, are they getting everything that's on YouTube and all his interviews and putting it together and making a documentary?" Some early reviews have noted the scarcity of actual recorded conversations with Manson.
Director Defends Approach
Director Joe Berlinger conceded: "We're not the first ones." However, he believes the use of the tapes allows him to spotlight the "high-profile version of the story." In an interview with USA Today, he suggested it challenges the Helter Skelter theory behind the case. Berlinger added: "A lot of our unreleased tapes demonstrate that that was not the case. The motives were much more banal. It was a series of blunders by a guy who was hustling other people. A drug deal gone bad gets Bobby Beausoleil in prison."
This is not the first time Netflix has revisited Manson's crimes; the film Chaos: The Manson Murders, directed by Errol Morris, launched in March last year. The new series is part of Netflix's Conversations with a Killer franchise, which also includes editions on Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Son of Sam. One fan noted: "This is the same team behind the Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy editions and those were genuinely unsettling because they let the tapes speak for themselves. No re-enactments, no dramatic score. Just the recordings. The Manson edition has been the most anticipated in the series."
