Crime Scene: The Time Square Killer (2021) Dir: Joe Berlinger
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Distributed by Netflix in 2021, this true crime limited series is the second 'Crime Scene' docu-series, following 'Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel', which had been immensely popular on Netflix, despite criticism regarding its tendancy to rely on conspiracy theories to bolster its runtime and content.
The 3 episode series was directed by American documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger, who has directed other noteworthy true crime documentaries such as the Dahmer, Gacy and Bundy Tapes, which I have reviewed previously, as well as the acclaimed Paradise Lost trilogy of documentaries.
Episode one sets up the mystery and the horror of the case very effectively, something that Berlinger often does consistently. From there, the audience is told a timeline of the events, interlinked with various interviews, that allow the translation of information effectively.
The final episode gives a lot of time to discussions of feminism, the sex industry, as well as the aftermath of the horrors inflicted on women by The Time Square Killer between 1967 and 1980. The aftermath helps the audience understand all the more, just who Richard Cottingham was, and is, as a person.
Overall, I think this true crime docu-series is far better executed than the Cecil Hotel edition brought out the same year. I think it helps that this is not a mystery case, and instead features a caught and imprisoned culprit, but even so, I would say the presentation, editing and all-round storytelling is far better.
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