It’s been more than fifty years since the Manson murders and a few years since Charles Manson himself passed away but people still love learning about the horrific crimes that rocked Hollywood and the world back in the late 60s. America has — and will always have — a morbid fascination with Charles Manson.
So it’s no surprise that Epix is planning a six-part docuseries about the whole brutal affair which will of course be titled Helter Skelter. The show is set to start on June 14, which will be nearly 51 years since the crimes. Epix says Helter Skelter will feature never-before-seen interviews with those close to the case, including family members and reporters who were on the scene, in the trial and in the know. The show, which will be produced by Greg Berlanti, will also explore “the age-old question: are killers born or are they made?”
I love learning about true crime just as much as the next guy, especially in the modern age with so many great documentaries on Netflix, HBO and other various formats. But I also feel that we have explored the Charles Manson murders more than enough. It feels that we have learned everything about the case, right? That doesn’t mean filmmakers shouldn’t keep diving back into the case but I don’t see a need for a six-part series if it is just rehashing facts that everyone has already seen. Documentaries need to dig up new information, shed new light on new angles. If they aren’t, I don’t really see the purpose — especially with a case as widely-publicized as this one.
That being said, I can’t deny that a new series with old information might still prove fascinating, especially if it is directed well. That task will be handled by Eli Frankel. We will see what he has up his sleeve and how he plans to suck people back into a case that is half-a-century old.
Is there more to learn about the Manson murders? Is there a question about them that still pesters you? Or have you learned it all but, like me, will still watch the hell out of this docuseries anyway?