Summary
Murder Among the Mormons is a sensational story of deception and evil, wrapped up in a tidy three episodes.
This review of the Netflix true-crime series Murder Among the Mormons does not contain spoilers. The documentary series will be released on the streaming service on March 3, 2021.
After the lacklustre Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, Netflix needed a true-crime release that will leave viewers in shock and awe. It’s been a while since I was impressed and disgusted by the criminal mind due to the desensitization created by media in our society. Netflix’s Murder Among the Mormons leaves jaws hanging, and rather unexpectedly, because the truth of the situation is not known until late into Episode 2, in a tidy 3-part docuseries.
Murder Among the Mormons is a reminder of the quote, “Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid.” This statement left many audiences in a state of wonderment while watching Chernobyl and has been analyzed in pop culture since, clawing away at what it truly means. But what many analysts do not consider when discussing that quote is what happens when the lie becomes the truth — a serious question in the age of post-Trumpism.
Murder Among the Mormons reveals what happens when someone with a brilliant mind creates truth, and the dangerous consequences this poses. However, before it even reaches that discussion, it swerves the audience by deep diving into the protectionism of Mormonism and The Book of Mormon. The real events described in this series are during the time where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was fragile and insecure. The story shows how easy it is to dismantle and question faith purely by documents and historical examinations. Before the series even gets to the crux of ultimate subjectivity, there’s a fascinating plot of the strength of religious institutions and the rigidness to protect and maintain faith, regardless of the truth.
And due to the swerve, audiences that are unaware of the real events will be overawed by two sinister events, with one being the actual truth to the matter. This is a way better true-crime series than the first episode gives it credit for, and I would highly urge impatient viewers to ride it out until the end, as the third episode is a journey of audacious answers. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the historians and flashy document examiners to make you wonder what the purpose of the series is, but once it goes full circle, there’s a lightbulb moment.
Murder Among the Mormons is well-curated — it brings in a good number of interviewers, mixed with insightful archive footage while also hammering home expert opinions. There’s a fine balance that’s struck, giving a good dose of entertainment but keeping on the lines of facts. The docuseries is a good example of “less is more” — three chapters is a perfect number for this event.
Murder Among the Mormons is a sensational story of deception and evil, wrapped up in a tidy 3 episodes.
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