The Jinx: To Catch a Murderer

Yes, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst was a big deal many months ago, but I only watched it recently. If, like me, you've been behind on your TV watching, now's your chance to log on to HBO Go, and discover what all the fuss was about in March. I promise, you won't be disappointed.

Written and directed by Andrew Jarecki, The Jinx is a six-part documentary about Robert Durst, one of the heirs of the wealthy New York Durst family. The series begins in 2001, when Durst was arrested in Galveston, TX for the murder and dismemberment of his neighbor. We then flashback to 1982, when Durst's wife Kathie disappeared and was never heard from again. And over the course of six episodes, we are treated to a progressively horrifying tale of a man who almost certainly got away with murder. Thrice.

The Jinx is such a meticulously crafted series that I don't want to give away much more here. It features interviews with the detectives, lawyers, friends, and family members who were all involved in these various cases. More importantly, it features interviews with Robert Durst himself. Now in his seventies, he took a shine to the director, and requested a special interview with him to give his side of the story. And the beauty of The Jinx lies in watching how the filmmakers get woven into Durst's story and find themselves beguiled and befuddled by this very eccentric and very dangerous man. Initially, this is a straightforward documentary that aims to tell a tale about a man who might be responsible for three murders. However, towards the end, the filmmakers are increasingly in front of the camera, and as new evidence comes to light, the series becomes an actual crusade for justice.

The Jinx is a fascinating piece of television, one of those landmark documentaries like Paradise Lost that don't just strive to tell a story but actually seek to deliver justice. For six episodes, The Jinx treated us to a brilliant game of cat-and-mouse that both creeped me out and intrigued me in equal measure. The outcome of the series will be spoiled if you look for the latest news about Robert Durst, but even if you know how it ends, the true magic is to see how we got there.