True Crime Obsessed

Growing up on Staten Island, filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio had often heard the legend of ‘Cropsey.’ For the kids in their neighborhood, Cropsey was the escaped mental patient who lived in the old abandoned Willowbrook Mental Institution, who would come out late at night and snatch children off the streets. Later as teenagers, the filmmakers assumed Cropsey was just an urban legend. That all changed in the summer of 1987 when a 12-year-old girl disappeared from their community. The police quickly connected this disappearance to several other children who'd gone missing in the area. The hunt for the abductor would lead authorities to the real-life boogeyman living in their midst. 

When the curtain rose on the murder trial of Pamela Smart 23 years ago, the stage was set for the birth of reality TV. Accused of plotting the 1990 murder of her husband Gregory, 22-year-old Smart was subsequently convicted in the first fully televised, gavel-to-gavel court case, which has inspired TV shows, books, plays and feature films. This documentary takes another look at everything we think we know about the case. Is it possible that Pamela had nothing do to with the murder? That her teen aged lover killed her husband in a jealous rage without Pamela's knowledge? The evidence is shockingly compelling.  Join us on this bonkers romp through one of the most thought provoking true crime documentaries we've ever seen.

An amateur documentary filmmaker named Thierry is on a mission to track down and film the elusive and anonymous street artist named Banksy. When Thierry finds him, Banksy turns the camera on the filmmaker and hilarity, mystery, shenanigans, and some pretty frikking impressive art ensue. BUT SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS, ARE WE BEING PUNKED? Is the whole thing an elaborate piece of performance art? Is it real? And WHO is Banksy?  We have lots of thoughts and opinions. We're flipping tables and taking the bait. Join us!

A bunch of altruistic hot people join a cult in 1980s West Hollywood, what could possibly go wrong? Using footage shot by the cult's (known as The Buddahfield) in-house documentarian, we follow these lovable gorgeous weirdos as they slowly become disenchanted by their 'master' 'lord' 'leader' 'prophet' who claims to have a direct line to God. It all, inevitably, falls apart. Lives are ruined, faiths are shaken, and fruit salads are painstakingly made. 

In the early morning hours of March 13, 1964, 28-year-old Kitty Genovese was murdered in front of her building in Kew Gardens, Queens. According to the New York Times story that followed, 38 people watched the murder happen and did nothing. 50 years later, her brother is on a mission to uncover the truth. Is it possible that nobody tried to help her? Did she really die scared and alone? Why was she attacked? Could she have been saved?Through his investigation her brother gets to know her in a way he never knew her in life. Also, you guys, this episode is VERY Queens-centric and Gillian, our resident Queen...s.... (former) resident is our guide. We learn about Diners and cigar clubs, and bars that open at 8 am. And get ready for the accents and to #BeAnEarWitness.

Johnny Gosch was 12-years-old when he disappeared while on his paper route on September 5, 1982. There were FIVE witnesses, but the local police (and eventually FBI) declared there was no crime. Over the years, Johnny's parents never gave up hope that they would find him.  This documentary tells the tale of the world's most ferocious mother, Noreen Gosch (who gives GREAT documentary), a horrendously managed investigation, a weirdo who might know where Johnny is, a possible sex ring (and we cannot even with that), and maybe (MAYBE!) a return by Johnny himself. This one's a doozy, you guys!

Jesus Camp follows a group of children as they attend an evangelical Christian summer camp, where they are taught that they have "prophetic gifts" and can "take back America for Christ.  The film claims that it "documents and does not judge." But Gillian and Patrick sure do! Get ready for some good old fashioned speaking in tongues, Jesus hip-hop, climate change denial, and a complete dismissal of science, some SUPER intense kiddos, and even a dance number or two! But leave your "Harry Potter" books at home, because...well...you'll see. 

Amanda Knox was an 21-year-old exchange student in rural Italy when she and her boyfriend were arrested for and convicted of killing her roommate, Meredith Kercher. It took nearly five years, almost all of which she spent behind bars, to clear her name.  In this bonkers documentary from Netflix, Amanda herself takes us through the entire journey. We also hear from a human-garbage 'journalist,' A lead prosecutor who's tight with God, and a defense attorney who's zingers are the stuff of legend.  This is part 2 of our 2-part series on this documentary. 

Amanda Knox was an 21 year old exchange student in rural Italy when she and her boyfriend were arrested for and convicted of killing her roommate, Meredith Kercher. It took nearly five years, almost all of which she spent behind bars, to clear her name.  In this bonkers documentary from Netflix, Amanda herself takes us through the entire journey. We also hear from a human-garbage 'journalist,' A lead prosecutor who's tight with God, and a defense attorney who's zingers are the stuff of legend.  This is part 1 of our 2-part series on this documentary. 

Meet the Friedmans: Father Arnold, Mother Elaine, and kids David, Seth, and Jesse. They're all living the 'perfect' middle class life on Long Island in the 1980 until Arnold and Jesse are arrested and charged with truly horrific crimes. And guess what? Thanks to the family's love of camcorders and, weirdly, taping every second of their lives, we're treated to a front row seat as their lives completely fall apart.  The question is, did  they do it? The police say yes, but many witnesses say otherwise. Come with us as we learn all about this strange family with their bizarre love of pre-jail piano parties, yelling at their mother, and VIDEO DIARIES! Ahhh, the 80s. 

We believe the working title for this documentary was "The Garbage-Human Who Pretended To Be A 9/11 Survivor." Ugh, Meet Tania Head, the woman who claimed to be a survivor of the attacks on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. An "employee of Merrill Lynch" with "degrees from Harvard and Stanford" and the "fiancee of 'Big Dave,'" an employee in the opposite tower, Tania was, for all intents and purposes, the face of the survivors of 9/11....Until the New York Times looked into her story.  As the truth of her story comes to light, we meet the real survivors she conned--some who'd figured her out early on, others who held out hope that she was who she claimed to be.  Hear our funny, insightful, and super-annoyed take. 

Who killed Sister Cathy Ceznick in Baltimore, MD in November of 1969? Two former students--our heroes Gemma and Abbie--launch a dogged investigation into the decades-old cold case. The horrors they uncover include stories of sexual abuse by Priests, a possible cover up by the Catholic Church, and a potentially corrupt city government.  In pursuit of the truth, we meet crooked cops, gay uncles, pregnant drag queens (you heard me), a detective named "deep throat," and a whole bunch of bad-ass ladies who are getting to the bottom this thing, no matter what.  This is part two of two.  Yellow Tail Chardonnay is the EXCLUSIVE sponsor of this episode. 

Who killed Sister Cathy Ceznick in Baltimore, MD in November of 1969? Two former students--our heroes Gemma and Abbie--launch a dogged investigation into the decades-old cold case. The horrors they uncover include stories of sexual abuse by Priests, a possible cover up by the Catholic Church, and a potentially corrupt city government.  In pursuit of the truth, we meet crooked cops, gay uncles, pregnant drag queens (you heard me), a detective named "deep throat," and a whole bunch of bad-ass ladies who are getting to the bottom this thing, no matter what.  This is part one of two.  Yellow Tail Chardonnay is the EXCLUSIVE sponsor of this episode. 

Late on the evening of June 14, 2015, deputy sheriffs in Greene County, Missouri, found the body of Dee Dee Blancharde laying facedown in a pool of blood from the stab wounds that had killed her several days earlier.  There was no sign of her teenage daughter, Gypsy Rose, who, according to Blancharde, suffered from leukemia, asthma, muscular dystrophy, and several other chronic conditions, and had the mental capacity of a 7-year-old. In the days and weeks that followed, the police came to understand the crime and the treacherous web of lies, child abuse, mental illness, and forbidden love that set the stage for this horrendous and brutal murder. 

What drove music icon Kurt Cobain to take his own life on April 8th, 1994. Is it possible that he didn't? Could he have been murdered? After all, the gun had been wiped of finger prints and there are a LOT of questions about the legitimacy of the suicide note. And if he was murdered, did his wife, Courtney Love, have something to do with it? The 1998 Nick Broomfield documentary looks into all of this. We also meet Kurt's....colorful?....Seattle friends, become obsessed with his Aunt Mary, have an awkward encounter at the Washington State Lottery, and ride along with a pimp to the home of a weirdo named El Duce! Ahhhhh, the 90s. 

A "Catfish" update! Hot nerds Nev, Ariele, and Henry are back! In the first part of episode 3, we take you through the 7-minutes "Catfish" follow up "Finding the Woman in the Pictures" in which the boys track down Aimee Gonzales, aka Megan Facio, who had NO idea about her stolen identity. Shenanigans ensue.   In the second part of the episode, Patrick and Gillian break down the...brilliant? horrifying? interesting-but-completely-creepy Netflix documentary "Casting Jonbenet" and, oh boy, do they have LOTS of feelings about it.  You can watch "Finding The Woman in the Pictures" here.

In episode two, Patrick and Gillian dive into 2010's Catfish, the documentary that shed a light on the world of people posing as others on the internet. We follow Nev Schulman, his brother Ariel, and their collaborator Henry Joost as they document Nev's online friendship with an 8-year-old artist named Abby, which leads to Nev falling in love with her beautiful sister Megan. But of course none of it is true: it's really Abby's mother, Angela, posing as Megan and about 15 other people. But does this make her a monster? Let's discuss it together, shall we?

For our very first episode, Patrick and Gillian are breaking down the 2012 true crime documentary "The Imposter." The film centers on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years. Using clips from the movie, Patrick and Gillian take you through the film while discussing everything that is tragic, ridiculous, and yes, even hilarious about it. 

Have you listened to "Serial" season 1 more than once? Do you have notes in the margins of you copy of "Zodiac"? Could you have watched seven MORE episodes of "The Jinx"? Us Too!  Each week hosts Patrick Hinds and Gillian Pensavalle break down one of these true crime classics in the funny, engaging, and interesting way that only two gorgeous theater nerds can.