Catch Me a Killer (2024) User Reviews

A very Good Show

[mmiceli0924 · 8/10 · 28 February 2024]

In the 90's, South Africa, which has the 2nd highest murder rate in the world. Many, many woman are found murdered, raped, tortured and mutilated in sugar cane fields. Besides other horrific crimes involving children and citizens just hanging at the pub.

Along comes real life profiler, Mickey Pistoris. The underfunded and under staffed police stations, look to her as men in the 90's would look at a woman who has ideas. Not welcome...at first.

This is an extremely well acted 11 episode show.

It is disheartening to see these crimes, most of which are serial or mass murders.

The scenery and film stock totally is the 90's.

Solid, well-paced and stripped-down crime for compulsive viewing

[adrianchan-94090 · 7/10 · 6 March 2024]

As a long-time fan of UK crime dramas, Scandi noir, Korean revenge films and series, this one piqued my attention. I'm nearly done with it and it's only been a couple days, so that's a good sign.

The series opens with a bit of a reference to Cracker (UK), and throughout there are touches of UK forensic psychology dramas like Wire in the Blood and Touch of Evil, as well as Prime Suspect for the resistance local police departments put up to psychological profiling and detective work.

The stories are all true. Most are just one episode, which is unfortunate insofar as there's less of the juicy build we are accustomed to with classic crime series. There's also a bit of rotation amongst the actors, as the crimes occur in different places.

These are not crimes that we get to try to solve - it's not a puzzle crime mystery series.

But if you've ever wondered if ScandiNoir can be done in a bright and sunny location, the answer would be yes.

Charlotte Hope does a fantastic job. Not unlike Holly Grainger's step up from her partner role in CB Strike to lead in The Capture (also good!).

Gets Tedious Quickly!

[ronlda · 6/10 · 18 March 2024]

The first few episodes were good but after about the third or fourth episode, the sameness just descended into monotony. Since this is based on a book, we can only assume it was an autobiography about the main character who is of course, more "enlightened" and able to extract confessions so readily it's amazing that the mass murderers didn't just walk into a police station on their own and say "I am the serial killer you're looking for"! Obviously, South Africa is a violent country and apparently has many mass murders by psychopaths who operate for years before anyone even starts asking questions or attempting to solve the crimes and when they do, the police are so inept and/or corrupt as to be ineffective and a profiler rides in to save the day. Different types of targets but the crimes are all the same and everyone except the leas character is totally incapable of solving the crimes. Boring.

Hollywood You couldn't make this up if you tried

[t-kohler · 10/10 · 7 March 2024]

As a South African it always surprises me how much violent crime exists in South Africa and barely makes the news because in order to live and function in a hostile environment you don't want to be reminded just how bad it really is. I was surprised to learn of how many serial killers existed in South Africa without hearing about it in the news. The reality is violent crime in South Africa is some of the worst statistically speaking in the world. Also SA has the highest rape count in the world. This series is brilliantly done,the cinimatography the writing and the acting was impressive! 10/10 for me!

Top Series - Up There With the Best

[mwanamatapa-11-620214 · 9/10 · 19 March 2024]

A lot of firsts in this series, and the message comes across very strongly. Profilers were few and far between in the nineties even in the US let alone in South Africa. Micki Pistorius is a pioneer in the field, so much so that she gets the attention of Robert Ressler, who defined the term, serial killer.

The series takes the viewer on a journey of the first South African profile as she goes about solving cases of many serial killers. All are real cases. I never knew there were so many serial killers operating in South Africa.

It's well made and a little concerning but well worth watching. I recommend it.

Uninteresting cases, uninteresting acting, uninteresting profiling

[Hannah955 · 16 March 2024]

11 episodes, 11 cases, 11 serial killers, exactly zero are memorable. We get endless scenes of profiler Micki Pistorius lighting cigarette after cigarette, closeups of her face looking blank (but she's thinking DEEP and TORTURED thoughts, we're meant to believe), and then when she talks, it's not exactly the stuff of genius. This show needed a lot more of the science of profiling.

And please explain how her alleged skills actually CAUGHT anyone? Then, after a killer is caught, she's supposed to swoop in and save the day by coaxing a confession out of him - with basically "tell me about your childhood." That's apparently all it takes for a killer to suddenly confess? PUH-LEEZE.

An incomplete mini series ending

[pietclausen · 7/10 · 15 April 2024]

An excellent watch and. Charlotte Hope was outstanding in her role of Micki Pretorius. The rest of the team was average, perhaps they performed their roles well because they were just like how the police were in the 90's in South Africa. The tint used in the filming befitted the 90's very well too.

With the personal problems which Micki developed because of the type of work as a profiler, the end of the mini series leaves a lot of gaps. But perhaps the producers did this on purpose to entice viewers to demand a continuation of this series. There are many more true stories which can be told, specifically about her life. But then again her role was probably fictitious in making this series.

Very good, emotional series

[Clementine44 · 9/10 · 5 March 2024]

I had no idea what this was when I started the show. Despite part of this being hard to watch - it's very well done. This is the true story of horrific crimes, but I give the series credit for showing the crimes in a respectful way. There is not much gratuitous violence - most of what we see of the crimes comes from the profiler and her reactions to them. We also see what happens to a person when they are exposed to so much violence. Nobody can see terrible things every day without consequences.

The landscape of South Africa looks incredible, and it's a stark contrast to the crimes committed. The acting is great - Charlotte Hope is amazing. The direction is good. It's a bit slow, but appropriate for its subject matter. You can tell it's based in the 90s - they caught that vibe perfectly.

Give it a watch - it's a bit sad, but a very good series.

Smoker like a human chimney!

[jbmflutist · 6/10 · 27 March 2024]

Yes, all the reviews here are very good and have it right! The writing is right on! Learned a lot of SA! I also felt good about the men team that supports the main character! In the 90's men still didn't respect or trust women in leadership positions! The men on her team listened and accepted any and all help from her profilings of the criminals!

One very distracting habit of the profiler was a continuous habit of lighting up and smoking like a chimney! I felt like I was getting lung cancer! She's A frail tiny, thin person. I know people smoked heavily before the 2000 era, but this was ridiculous! I gave a 6 for score on this show because the smoking was over the top! I often wonder how she was after the filming of this series! She couldn't drive, type, interview, or maybe eat without a cig! Even reaching in her purse to pull out a cig during a doctors appointment

Thank goodness there were parts with her sharing her time with a boyfriend and falling in love! I was always just waiting for her left foot to drop and there goes the building of a good part of her life!

When each episode was complete and went to another one, it was another story to look forward to. I enjoyed the series that gave you a bit more of the main character's mental and physicalities! I'm on the ninth episode at this writing; hope Mark becomes Micki's beau! And I hope there's something of a good ending! But I feel there's a weak relationship between them and her efforts of profiling has hurt her life! Enjoy the intricacies of African peoples!

True stories of horrible serial killings in Africa in the 1990s

[doakes-76073 · 10/10 · 7 March 2024]

Charlotte Hope is amazing in her role as the first profiler of serial killers in Africa in the 1990s. Everything in this mini series appears to display authenticity to these horrorable killings. How this woman through her high intelligence, organization and being able to put herself in the minds of the killers. She had to prove herself at every police station that she could in fact lead them to catch these killers. Ofcourse, what she does in emerging herself in the minds of these killers took a great toll but she kept going till the killers were caught.

You feel you are right there with her and experience the horror of the killings and seeing what it takes to be able to understand the killer as a human being and what led them to do the killings.

Perhaps I need to read the book

[DrERH · 6/10 · 26 March 2024]

Glimpses of interest in most episodes, particularly the impact on the protagonist. The plots do grow increasingly simplistic, the episodes formulaic. I imagine this is true to life in some ways, though the statement that we must see the killers as complex is offset by the portrayals that are simplistic and follow generally Freudian patterns (oral or anal phase) and abuse stereotypes (killer was abused, got no love, system let him down, etc.).

Given this scenario - which may or may not reflect the book's details - the details about Micki's life need to lead us into her own psychology over time, case by case. She gets stressed, chain smokes, has nightmares, loses her handsome mellow boyfriend, etc., but no "portrait" is ultimately presented. I don't need closure that artificially ties everything up with a bow, but some ending that clarifies how she will cope as she goes on after being shot would have been more than welcome. Does she find something, like the mass shooter's gun, that makes her feel safe enough to continue without ending up hospitalized or catatonic? Instead, she gets worse and worse and then...it ends. I suppose that is like life, but I did wonder if training others ultimately helps her to stabilize, knowing she is not alone.

Perhaps I just need to read the book and this series should have been a documentary about Micki instead.

Educational as well as entertaining

[freejoyhart · 9/10 · 10 April 2024]

I came across this series quite by accident & binge watched it. The cases were all different, very realistic & found the profiling fascinating. The main actress did an exceptional job portraying someone who was truly passionate about her line of work. The human aspect was compelling. The chain smoking was a little off putting, and as an ex-smoker I found it distracting, but I assume it was authentic, so I put up with it! It was interesting to see how the cases took over the profiler's life. That was sad, but I understand it. When you find work you're passionate about it can take over your life, at your own expense. I've been there! I'm on episode 10 & our profiler is really loosing it. I hope the last episode (the next one) leaves us with some sort of closure, but I'm preparing myself for the worst in case that doesn't happen. I've enjoyed the stores, dark as they are! Very realistic!

Profiling? Not so much!

[ikanboy · 5/10 · 10 March 2024]

Another cookie cutter series about the "amazing skills" of a serial killer profiler. Studies have shown that their skills rarely lead to the killer, and that they usually get caught from their own mistakes. The actress playing Pistorius blathers out the usual psychobabble about motivation and character, but shows us instead her skills as an interrogator, skills that most good Detectives would have. Serial killers continue to attract audiences and profilers and why are usually there on the show to "track them down." What is missing here is "evidence." No DNA, no witnesses, but plenty of confessions, usually taken back. No court room drama. Why do some get out in a few years and many murders go unproven but attributed?

The profiler is the focus, not the killer!

This is outstanding

[lakeshore-98711 · 10/10 · 4 May 2024]

Its awesome to see serial killer tv outside of thr USA, Europe, etc, its based in South Africa and is interesting to see the locations, its much more civilised than I had pictured it. As an Aussie, many of the,locations are similar to Australia with, of course, 20 times the population. Each rpisode relates to a different serial killer and the acting is faultless, its hard to remind yourself these are actors playing a part, and it doesnt get any better for enjoying each one. The main character also plays her part faultlessly and does not put a foot wrong, My hat is off to the director, all actors and everybody involved with this mini series. I especially hope another one will be coming down the pipeline. If you liked Mindhunter, you will love this.

Thank God For Micki

[2Pass_Time · 9/10 · 21 April 2024]

So well written, Directed, produced and the actors, really nailed it. A sad way to see South Africa, a country I have longed to visit.

The ugliness of human beings is hard to witness. What I have learned in the past, and what this show reinforces, is that HOW a person is treated, during their formative years, directly determines what kind of human they will become. Nurture trumps Nature nearly all the time.

Reduce unwanted pregnancies, encourage people to form a 'family' before having kids, support neighborhoods and remove by any means necessary all gangs, and we will dramatically reduce violent crimes.

On another note, I avoid American movies because most are violent, overly sexualized and lately are nearly always pushing a false/fake political narrative vs just telling a story.

Solid But Could Have Been Better

[lostfan2009 · 8/10 · 6 May 2024]

I like this show, it was better than I thought it would be, but it's hard to believe the science part in all of the storytelling. I know it's based on actual events, but I just can't imagine in 1994 she's allowed to walk right up to bodies smoking cigarettes with no gloves on. Not to mention, we get it, she smokes, but it doesn't need to be a thing every 5 minutes of every episode. BY the end of the season, they've literally wasted a half episode worth of time focussing on her smoking. She's also constantly handling evidence and moving in crime scenes smoking. It just doesn't make any sense, and I can't believe that's how the handled crime scenes in the mid to late 90s in South Africa. But she's good, the cast is solid, the stories are compelling, its beautifully shot, so it was a solid watch.

Boring.

[dhagar-10903 · 2/10 · 29 April 2024]

The show focuses too much on the personal struggle of the chain smoking main character and not enough on the crimes or profiles. The production quality reminded me of a low budget Indy project. The main character made what appears to be super accurate profiles based on some basic psychological theories (mostly psychosexual). It would have been much nicer to have the series be more realistic and intellectual rather than the cliff notes of each case. The show leans into the main character's ability to sypathize and empathize with the killers but does little to demonstrate how she empathizes with the destroyed communities. All and all it was an unrewarding snooze.