It’s “Silence of the Lambs” meets “Serial”.
True-crime blogger Michelle McNamara (the late wife of comedian Patton Oswalt) plunges into the darkest depths of California’s cold cases to unmask the Golden State Killer.
This docuseries has a solid chance at cracking my list of Top True Crime Documentaries when I finish that up.
Trailer for “I’ll Be Gone in The Dark”
Watch “I’ll Be Gone in The Dark”
You can watch “I’ll Be Gone in The Dark” on HBO Max at https://play.max.com/mini-series/a823014d-fa0b-4bbe-ab98-14ea00e551bb,
Apple TV and Amazon also sell the entire series ($3.99 per episode last I checked).
You can find the latest streaming options at https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/ill-be-gone-in-the-dark
Ratings:
- My Rating: 91/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 69/100 (Users); 96/100 (Critics)
Release Date: June 28, 2020
My Review of “I’ll Be Gone in The Dark”
I happened to watch this in a cabin in the country and was scared out of my mind.
Michelle McNamara’s pursuit of the Golden State Killer is as obsessive as it is chilling.
Based on her book, “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” takes you through her journey to unmask one of America’s most elusive serial killers.
The six-part doc explores not only the brutal crimes of the Golden State Killer but also McNamara’s unyielding investigation that would eventually consume her.
Directed by Liz Garbus (known for “What Happened, Miss Simone?,” “The Fourth Estate”, “There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane”), the doc uses real crime-scene footage, archival recordings, and McNamara’s own writing.
Garbus’s approach brings a rich complexity to the story, focusing on both McNamara’s research and her personal struggles.
The Power of Obsession
McNamara’s fixation on the Golden State Killer starts in Episode 1 with a single murder article.
It spirals into a full-blown hunt that sees her meticulously piecing together evidence, scanning police reports, and contacting detectives to craft an in-depth criminal profile.
Her obsession is visceral. Her quest isn’t just academic; it’s her way of making sense of senseless acts. As viewers, we’re pulled into a rabbit hole of clues, chilling details, and, frankly, the toll it takes on her sanity.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
In Episode 2, McNamara breaks into a shed based on an anonymous online tip. She’s looking for any trace of the killer’s evidence.
Even her husband, comedian Patton Oswalt, recalls thinking she’d crossed a line.
But to McNamara, it wasn’t extreme—it was necessary.
This wasn’t your average investigator; she’d go anywhere, even cross legal lines, for her answers.
Who Was the Golden State Killer?
This doc drills down on the terror this killer unleashed. He went by many names before “Golden State Killer.” Starting as the “Visalia Ransacker,” he quickly moved to violent assaults and murders across California.
He’d attack at night, often tying victims up, creating a prolonged psychological nightmare. He was unpredictable and struck neighborhoods with precision, leaving a trail of fear.
McNamara’s portrayal makes him disturbingly personal—a predator reveling in his evasion of justice.
Comedian Patton Oswalt is Married to McNamara
I’m a stand-up fan, so I got a kick out of the fact that McNamara was (at the time of this case) married to comedian/actor Patton Oswalt. Oswalt Exec-produces this doc.
Oswalt shares (in the doc) that he and McNamara fell in love over the movie “Creature from the Black Lagoon”!
Oswalt appears throughout the doc.
McNamara’s Method
McNamara’s process, explored in Episodes 2 and 3, was both cutting-edge and all-consuming. She treated this investigation as a cold case project.
Through digital sleuthing and forensic research, she scoured forums, reached out to crime obsessives, and called detectives across the state.
She even ordered data runs on obscure neighborhoods, focusing on minute details that could link back to the killer.
Watching her process is like watching a master detective at work, except she had no official support system and almost no sleep.
The Unsolved Puzzle
Garbus uses McNamara’s relentless work and narration, and it’s one of the doc’s best elements. McNamara’s own voice, reading from her journals and reflections, fills the space between police interviews and case files.
Her drive isn’t just about catching a killer—it’s about honoring victims whose stories were lost. In Episode 4, she speaks of being haunted by their voices.
Joseph DeAngleo (the Killer?)
Joseph DeAngelo emerges as a suspect. He is super-creepy (big shock).
His violent streak appears to have been triggered by an experience as a child, during which he watched his 7 year-old sister get raped by 2 military men in Germany.
As a young adult, he begian looking for women who live alone and rapes them.
Next, he moved on to terrorizing (and then murdering) couples.
Lesser-known details:
- McNamara’s blog, True Crime Diary, became her investigative hub, drawing amateur detectives and diehard true-crime fans who helped her with leads.
- In Episode 5, she’s seen working with forensic investigator Paul Holes and true-crime writer Billy Jensen. Their collaborations turn into major breakthroughs.
- McNamara’s use of forensic genealogy (tracing family trees using crime scene DNA) becomes critical. It’s a technique that would eventually capture the killer in 2018.
- She coined “Golden State Killer,” a label that gave the case fresh focus in the media.
- McNamara’s fascination with this case stemmed from a murder near her childhood home in Oak Park, Illinois. It haunted her from her teens onward.
The Personal Toll
This isn’t some Hollywood version of a detective’s story.
In Episodes 3 and 5, we see McNamara battling anxiety, using medications to manage her stress as her work becomes a 24/7 occupation.
Her husband, Oswalt, offers a poignant perspective, sharing memories of her sleepless nights and rising anxiety.
He recounts their conversations about the case, his concerns over her health, and the mounting strain on her as she tried to balance motherhood, marriage, and this amateur detective role.
McNamara’s Death
Tragically, McNamara passed away before she could finish her book. The weight of her unfinished work is a tragedy on multiple levels.
DeAngelo Faking it in Court Hearings
When Joseph DeAngelo attended his court hearings he was in a wheelchair and appears incoherent.
However, when Jerry’s prison cell video is released, it showed Joseph nimbly moving around his cell including jumping up onto his bunk to place shade over lights.
What Makes This Doc Unique?
The voiceover narration—often McNamara’s words—gives this doc an intimate, eerie quality. It’s like we’re reading her diary, watching her thoughts unfold, her doubts mounting, her hopes rising.
This makes us feel like part of her investigation, pulling together pieces, battling her frustration. Garbus’s direction amplifies McNamara’s writing, focusing on her dark humor and unrelenting determination to speak for the silent.
Through interviews, reenactments, and audio recordings, the doc evokes a haunting world of shadows and echoes, making the unseen terror real.
I would rank this doc even higher if the final episode (#7) wasn’t so disjointed (E7 includes a visit to Oak Park, Illinois about 2 two murders there that originally sparked McNamara’s obsession with true crime.
I think that most of episode 7 could have been its own doc about those cases.
I recommend you start Episode 7 and watch a few minutes but then, if you’re bored (like I was), skip forward to the at around the 40 min./30 sec. mark.
Wrap-Up
“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” is about catching a killer — but it’s also a story about the relentless passion of McNamara. If you like true crime, you’re gonna love it.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc