If you’re a fan of true crime documentaries, there are few better outlets than Netflix. With docu-series like Making A Murderer and The Keepers, the streaming service has really reinvigorated the genre.
Netflix’s latest foray into true crime comes in the form of The Confession Tapes. However, this time around, things are a bit different. Unlike the other titles we mentioned, The Confession Tapes is more of an anthology series.
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While the usual format sees one crime story unfold over several episodes, The Confession Tapes is a more simple affair. Each episode tells the story of a different crime. However, as a handy bridge between this style and what you know, The Confession Tapes starts with a two-parter. That should help you dig your teeth into the format before launching you into the show.
What is The Confession Tapes actually about?
Well, like Making A Murderer, this series is all about murder cases that have been ‘solved’ somewhat dubiously. While Making A Murderer was about false suspects, The Confession Tapes is about false confessions.
It’s an interesting premise for a documentary series. After all, when we hear that someone has confessed to a crime they didn’t commit, we’re automatically suspicious. However, The Confession Tapes came prepared.
The show contains plenty of footage showing the grim reality of many murder cases. Instead of searching through all their leads, the police identify a suspect then essentially psychologically break them down until they make a confession under duress.
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By GlobalDataIt’s not a million miles away from the premise of Making A Murderer. What makes this one a little different is that the audience sees the conversations which lead to those confessions at length. The director of the series, Kelly Loudenberg, doesn’t really revel in providing alternate suspects. Instead, she chooses to focus on the true horrors of the situation these people find themselves in.
Once a confession is made, through some dubious methods, that’s it. There’s no recourse for the accused. They’re going to jail and there’s not much anyone can do. In this way, the series is a lot less hopeful than Making A Murderer.
It’s also a little different in that there’s definitely a sense of critical distance from the defendants here. Unlike with Making A Murderer the focus isn’t on gaining the audience’s sympathy. We’re there to witness the unfair treatment of the defendants, not to become personally invested in their cases.
Whether or not you prefer that is probably down to your personal taste.
All seven episodes of The Confession Tapes are available to watch on Netflix now. Here’s a trailer if you’re still not sure whether it’s for you:
If not, why not check out another of Netflix’s most popular shows?
