Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez

Last updated

Killer Inside: The Mind
of Aaron Hernandez
Killer Inside - The Mind of Aaron Hernandez.jpg
Genre True crime
Documentary
Directed byGeno McDermott [1]
Starring Aaron Hernandez
Susan Candiotti
Dan Wetzel
Ryan O'Callaghan
Chris Borland
Leigh Bodden
Jermaine Wiggins
ComposerJeremy Turner
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes3 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers Dan Wetzel
Kevin Armstrong
Dan DiStefano
Angus Wall
ProducersJennifer Sofio Hall
Kent Kubena
Terry Leonard
Michael Steiner
Editors
Running time200 minutes
Production companiesBlackfin
Makemake
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseJanuary 15, 2020 (2020-01-15)

Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez is a 2020 American true crime documentary series about convicted murderer and former professional American football player Aaron Hernandez. [2] The three-part documentary explores his conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd, other murder cases in which he was a suspect, and the factors in his life that shaped his behavior. It premiered on Netflix on January 15, 2020. [3]

Contents

Premise

Friends, officials, attorneys, journalists, and former teammates discuss the rise, fall, and eventual suicide of professional football player Aaron Hernandez (1989–2017), who was sentenced to life in prison after his conviction for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. [4] [5]

Production

In January 2017, director Geno McDermott met with journalists Dan Wetzel and Kevin Armstrong, who had both covered Hernandez's trial for the murder of Odin Lloyd and were writing a book about Hernandez. [1] They began gathering interviews and other research for the documentary. After a year and a half, McDermott originally compiled a documentary film, My Perfect World: The Aaron Hernandez Story, that was shown at the DOC NYC film festival, but decided to make it a series after partnering with Netflix. [4] [3]

Information about Hernandez's sexuality was not included in the original film, as it was unsubstantiated. McDermott spent several days interviewing Dennis SanSoucie and his father for the documentary. They began investigating CTE following Hernandez's death, when his autopsy revealed a "severe" case of the degenerative brain disease. [1] [6] After Hernandez died by suicide, McDermott filed a FOIA request to obtain recordings of Hernandez's phone calls from jail and prison. [3]

Hernandez's immediate family "very respectfully" declined to participate. [1]

Episodes

No.Directed byOriginal air date
1Geno McDermottJanuary 15, 2020 (2020-01-15)
Aaron Hernandez's life as a football star for the New England Patriots comes to a crashing halt following his arrest for the murder of his friend Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player. Journalists investigate Hernandez's early life growing up as a football star – the son of a local football legend turned abusive alcoholic – in Bristol, Connecticut. His former high school quarterback, Dennis Sansoucie, reveals he and Hernandez began a sexual relationship in the seventh grade until around their junior year in high school. Police investigating the Lloyd murder discover a silver SUV linking Hernandez to an unsolved 2012 double homicide of immigrants from Cape Verde in Boston.
2Geno McDermottJanuary 15, 2020 (2020-01-15)
After the unexpected death of his father in 2006, Hernandez surprises his family by playing for the Florida Gators, though his father and brother both played for the University of Connecticut. At Florida, Hernandez shines under coach Urban Meyer and quarterback Tim Tebow, but the pressure takes its toll on the teen star and red flags emerge. In 2010, 20-year-old Hernandez is drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round, despite the reputation he earned at Florida. Friends recall Hernandez exhibiting increasing paranoia. Meanwhile, prosecutors try Hernandez for Lloyd's murder in 2013 while investigating his role in the 2012 double homicide that baffled police.
3Geno McDermottJanuary 15, 2020 (2020-01-15)
Hernandez's paranoia leads to him to shooting Alexander Bradley, who survives and later testifies that he witnessed him killing Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado outside a Boston nightclub in 2012. At the Odin Lloyd murder trial, Patriots owner Robert Kraft gives damning testimony that implicates Hernandez, who is found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Celebrity lawyer Jose Baez represents Hernandez in the double homicide case, and he is acquitted. Hernandez dies by suicide days after a Boston radio station outs him. The autopsy reveals severe CTE damage.

Reception

Controversy

Attorney Jose Baez, who successfully defended Hernandez in his second murder trial, strongly criticized the documentary for including audio and photos of Hernandez's young daughter, Avielle. He also said too much time was spent discussing Hernandez's sexuality. Baez was interviewed for the documentary but said he regretted taking part. [1]

Critical response

Killer Inside has received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 75% based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Though it can't help but feel a little incomplete given the circumstances, The Killer Inside crafts a compelling overview of a series of tragic events." [7] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 75 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [8]

Bob Hohler of The Boston Globe called it a "gripping look" at Hernandez's downfall, writing, "The finest video documentary yet on the Hernandez tragedy, Killer Inside is richly enhanced by archival footage." [9]

Brian Lowry of CNN wrote that there are too many variables to provide a conclusive explanation for Hernandez's downfall, but praised the insight provided by his phone calls from prison, writing, "In terms of the presentation, the most illuminating wrinkle in Killer Inside involves having access to audio of phone calls Hernandez made from prison, providing modest insight about his post-arrest state of mind and relationships with those closest to him." [10]

Ashlie D. Stevens of Salon praised the series for putting CTE in the spotlight, writing, "But perhaps more captivatingly, Killer Inside takes an objective look at chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a neurodegenerative disease caused by head injuries – and how that changes or inhibits brain function and impulse control." [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Hernandez</span> American football player (1989–2017)

Aaron Josef Hernandez was an American professional football player who was a tight end. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the New England Patriots until his arrest and conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jose Baez (lawyer)</span> American lawyer

Jose Angel Baez is an American criminal defense lawyer and author. He is known for representing high-profile defendants such as Casey Anthony, Aaron Hernandez, Mark Nordlicht, and Harvey Weinstein.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Odin Lloyd</span> 2013 murder in North Attleborough, Massachusetts

Odin Leonardo John Lloyd was a semi-professional American football player who was murdered by Aaron Hernandez, a former tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League, in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, on June 17, 2013. Lloyd's death made international headlines following Hernandez's association with the investigation as a suspect. Lloyd had been a linebacker for a New England Football League (NEFL) semi-professional football team, the Boston Bandits, since 2007.

Mindhunter is an American psychological crime thriller television series created by Joe Penhall, based on the 1995 true-crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. The series debuted in 2017 and ran for two seasons. Executive producers included Penhall, Charlize Theron, and David Fincher, the latter of whom served as the series' most frequent director and de facto showrunner, overseeing many of the scriptwriting and production processes. The series stars Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, and Anna Torv, and follows the founding of the Behavioral Science Unit in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the late 1970s and the beginning of criminal profiling.

<i>Evil Genius</i> (TV series) 2018 true crime docuseries

Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist is a 2018 true crime documentary series about the death of Brian Wells, a high-profile 2003 incident often referred to as the "collar bomb" or "pizza bomber" case. It was released on Netflix as a four-part series on May 11, 2018.

<i>McMillions</i> True crime documentary television series

McMillions is a documentary miniseries about the McDonald's Monopoly promotion scam that occurred between 1989 and 2001. Directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, the series details how the scam was perpetrated by Jerry Jacobson, the head of security for the agency that ran the promotion, and how he recruited a wide range of accomplices. The series premiered in the US on February 3, 2020, on HBO, and all episodes were made available in the UK on May 27, 2020, on Sky Documentaries. McMillions was nominated for five Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series.

Explained is an American documentary television series on the streaming service Netflix. The show is produced by Vox Media and is based on Vox's previous YouTube video series which followed a similar format. The show's episodes averaged between 16 and 24 minutes, with each focusing on a different topic. Each episode is voiced by a different guest narrator. The series premiered on Netflix on May 23, 2018 with episodes released on a weekly basis. The second season premiered on September 26, 2019 and the third season on July 16, 2021.

The Mind, Explained is a 2019 documentary streaming television series. The series is narrated by American actress Emma Stone on Season 1 and Julianne Moore on Season 2, and examines themes such as what happens inside human brains when they dream or use psychedelic drugs. The episodes explore topics including memory, dreams, anxiety, mindfulness, and psychedelics. The Mind, Explained is a spin-off of Vox's Netflix show Explained.

Living Undocumented is a 2019 Netflix documentary series co-directed by Aaron Saidman and Anna Chai and executive produced by Selena Gomez, Mandy Teefey, Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman, Sean O’Grady and Anna Chai. The series documents eight illegal immigrant families living in the United States. The series was produced by Industrial Media-owned production company The Intellectual Property Corporation. It was released on October 2, 2019.

<i>Dont F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer</i> 2019 American true crime documentary series

Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer is a 2019 true crime docuseries about an online manhunt. It is written and directed by Mark Lewis and was released on Netflix on December 18, 2019. The series chronicles events following a crowd-sourced amateur investigation into a series of animal cruelty acts committed by Canadian pornographic actor Luka Magnotta, culminating in his murder of Chinese international student Jun Lin. It was one of Netflix's Top 5 most-watched documentaries of 2019.

Sex, Explained is an American documentary limited series produced by Vox. The series, along with The Mind, Explained, is a spin-off of the television series Explained. Episodes of the show explore various topics around the subject of sex, seeking to explain nuances and trends. The series is narrated by Janelle Monáe and debuted on Netflix on January 2, 2020.

<i>Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich</i> American television miniseries

Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich is an American web documentary television miniseries about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The miniseries is based on the 2016 book of the same name by James Patterson, and co-written by John Connolly and Tim Malloy. Filthy Rich was released on May 27, 2020, on Netflix. The four-part documentary features interviews with several survivors including Virginia Giuffre and Maria Farmer, along with former staff members and former police chief Michael Reiter, a key individual from the first criminal case against Epstein.

<i>Confronting a Serial Killer</i> American documentary television miniseries

Confronting a Serial Killer is an American documentary television miniseries directed and produced by Joe Berlinger. It explores Jillian Lauren, as she lures and investigates Sam Little, the most prolific serial killer in American history. It consists of 5-episodes and premiered on April 18, 2021, on Starz.

<i>Why Did You Kill Me?</i> 2021 American documentary film

Why Did You Kill Me? is a 2021 American documentary film directed and produced by Fredrick Munk. The film follows Belinda Lane as she tracks down those involved in the murder of Crystal Theobald, her daughter, using MySpace.

<i>Naomi Osaka</i> (TV series) American documentary

Naomi Osaka is an American documentary television miniseries directed by Garrett Bradley. It follows the life of professional tennis player Naomi Osaka over the course of two years. It consists of three episodes, and premiered on July 16, 2021, on Netflix.

The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness is a 2021 docuseries that premiered on Netflix on May 5, 2021. The show profiles Maury Terry, a journalist who spent 40 years trying to prove that the notorious serial killer David Berkowitz did not act alone. The series is directed by Joshua Zeman and features Paul Giamatti as the voice of Maury Terry.

<i>Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes</i> American docu-series on Netflix

Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes is a limited docuseries created and directed by Joe Berlinger for Netflix. It is the second installment in the Conversations with a Killer series and succeeds Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes. The series depicts the murder spree of serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who killed at least 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois. The story is depicted through never-before-heard archival audio footage that was recorded during Gacy's incarceration, interviews with participants close to the case and from one of the surviving victims. It was released on April 20, 2022.

Mind Over Murder is a 2022 American documentary television miniseries revolving around the Beatrice Six, directed by Nanfu Wang. It consists of 6 episodes and premiered on June 20, 2022, on HBO.

<i>Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes</i> American true crime docuseries on Netflix

Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes is a limited true crime docuseries created and directed by Joe Berlinger for Netflix. It is the third installment in the Conversations with a Killer series and succeeds Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes. The series depicts the murder spree of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who murdered, dismembered and cannibalized 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991 in Wisconsin. The story is told through archival audio footage recorded during Dahmer's incarceration. It was released on October 7, 2022.

<i>Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields</i> 2022 true crime docuseries

Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields is a 2022 Netflix limited docuseries directed by Jessica Dimmock. It is the third installment in the Crime Scene documentary series, following Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer. The true crime series is centered around the unsolved murders of four women in Texas in the 80s and 90s in an area known as the Texas Killing Fields, located in League City, Texas. It was released on November 29, 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Cordero, Rosy (January 16, 2020). "Geno McDermott, director of Aaron Hernandez documentary 'Killer Inside,' answers burning questions". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  2. ↑ Gajanan, Mahita (January 15, 2020). "A New Netflix Docuseries Probes the Secrets of the Convicted Killer and Ex-NFL Star". Time . Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Garber-Paul, Elisabeth (January 16, 2020). "Aaron Hernandez Docuseries 'Killer Inside' Adds New Depth to a Well-Told Story". Rolling Stone . Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Stevens, Ashlie D. (January 15, 2020). "Netflix's buzzy "Killer Inside" tries to make sense of Aaron Hernandez's murderous mindset". Salon.com . Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  5. ↑ Bieler, Des (January 15, 2020). "The eight most striking details from the Aaron Hernandez series on Netflix". The Washington Post . Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  6. ↑ Golen, Jimmy (September 22, 2017). "Aaron Hernandez's brain showed 'severe' case of CTE; daughter sues NFL, Patriots". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez: Season 1 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez – TV Show Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  9. ↑ Hohler, Bob (January 15, 2020). "Netflix's new documentary on Aaron Hernandez offers a gripping look at his descent into darkness". The Boston Globe . Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  10. ↑ Lowry, Brian (January 16, 2020). "Aaron Hernandez documentaries struggle with the 'why' of the NFL star's story". CNN . Retrieved January 18, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.