Plot Twist—9 Mind-Boggling Facts You Never Knew About Mindhunter
After waiting two years for the second season of Mindhunter, I binge-watched it all in three days. Now, like special agents Ford and Tench on a late-night stakeout over the bridges of Atlanta, we must sit patiently and await news of a season 3. In the meantime, let us gather facts and continue our research. Warning: intriguing discoveries and huge spoilers ahead.
The show exists because of Charlize Theron
Back in 2009, Charlize Theron gave the crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit to David Fincher. The non-fiction book is what the entire show is based off, and was written by FBI agent John E. Douglas (who inspired Holden’s character in the series). The Mindhunter project was in development for over five years before Netflix finally picked it up.
The show’s producer and co-creator, David Fincher, has a long list of accolades
If you’re wondering where you’ve seen producer David Fincher’s name before, it’s most likely because he’s directed one of your favourite films. Se7en, Zodiac, Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network, and Gone Girl are just some of his best works to date.
He also gave his PA a shout out in episode one
In the very first episode of Mindhunter, the woman who brings Holden a coffee is named after David Fincher’s real life long-term personal assistant, Andrea McKee—who also happens to be an associate producer on the show.
On set, Ford and Tench get along like a house on fire
It’s hard to imagine the Mindhunter set being much fun considering the show’s subject matter, but it turns out that Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany (who play Holden Ford and Bill Tench on the series) enjoy a good laugh on set. When asked about his relationship with Groff, Holt said, “Even though we’ve worked so closely for two years now, truthfully never a cross word has transpired between us. There were one or two occasions when he and I were laughing so hard that David was getting annoyed. He'd make us take a walk around the building.”
Agent Ford’s voice might sound familiar
By this stage, very few of us have escaped the icy claws of Disney’s Frozen. And whilst most of us are ready to let it go—you might want to watch one last time with this fun fact in tow: Jonathan Groff is the voice of Kristoff. More like Mindblower, amiright?
The same actor played Charles Manson in Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Portraying one of the world’s most notorious criminals might be the kind of role most actors would only want to take on once in their lifetime. But not Damon Herriman, who played the role of Charles Manson twice in the space of six months—first in Mindhunter, and then in Tarantino’s latest film. When an interviewer asked if he’d ever consider doing it again, Herriman replied, “I think twice is plenty.”
Yusuf Bell’s Case Has Been Reopened
In the second season of Mindhunter, Yusuf Bell’s mother, Camille Bell, features prominently. In real life, she continued to campaign for justice, not just for her son, but for the other missing and murdered children of Atlanta. To this day, many of the victim’s parents do not believe Wayne Williams is the killer. Because of her insistence, Yusuf's murder was one of the five cases reopened by DeKalb County Police in 2004, though it was dropped soon after. This year, Atlanta Mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, announced that the Atlanta Police Department would reopen 30 cases and employ DNA technology to re-examine evidence that could be related to the murders.
The suspected serial killer appeared earlier in the season
Whilst we aren’t officially introduced to Wayne Williams until the second last episode of Season 2 when he erratically U-turns on the bridge, he actually debuts in episode 6. Around the 31-minute mark, Williams appears as a crime scene photographer in Rockdale County, Georgia.
By the sounds of it, there will be a Season 3 (and 4, and 5)
Though Netflix hasn’t officially confirmed a Season 3, Holt McCallany has referenced Fincher’s 5-season vision quite a few times in interviews. "We are hopeful that we will get to do the whole five seasons because the audience seems to have really responded to the show”, he said, whilst also recounting that Fincher had asked him, “Listen, are you ready to do this for five seasons?”
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Lead Image via Netflix.
