Watchlist Wednesday: Mastermind – To Think Like a Killer (Hulu Documentary)

Mindhunter in the Flesh

What happens when the darkest corners of criminal psychology are mapped not by fiction, but by a real woman who sat across from killers and studied the wreckage they left behind? Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer doesn’t just revisit crime scenes, it reconstructs the very architecture of how we understand them.

Anatomy of a Mastermind

This three-episode true crime docuseries premiered on Hulu in July 2024, running just under an hour each episode. The focus is Dr. Ann Burgess, a pioneer in criminal psychology who helped shape the FBI’s early efforts in criminal profiling. The series examines how her research into trauma, victimology, and serial killers reshaped investigations and left fingerprints on everything from courtrooms to the way true crime itself is told.

What makes Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer (Hulu) documentary stand out

This isn’t another recycled true crime documentary padded with B-roll and ominous strings. The interviews with Dr. Burgess anchor the entire series, giving it a gravity few productions achieve. Who better to narrate the evolution of criminal profiling than the person who built it? The production may flirt with familiar tropes (typewriter fonts, headlines flashing across the screen) but the depth of Burgess’s testimony keeps the noise at bay. Her perspective transforms the series into something more than entertainment: it becomes a living record of how criminal psychology entered the investigative mainstream.

You’ll find yourself hooked because...

The story is captivating, plain and simple. While the pacing drags in spots, the momentum builds steadily until you’re immersed in the psychology of killers and the persistence of the woman who dared to study them. It’s rare to see a true crime documentary balance forensic evidence, victim impact, and criminal psychology with such quiet force. What makes this genre worth returning to isn’t just the crimes themselves, but the minds determined to decode them, and Burgess’s mind is the sharpest blade in the room.

Why this case made it to the watchlist

Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer is an essential addition to the watchlist because it reframes the genre around intellect, empathy, and the anatomy of violence. The story is interesting enough to stand on its own, but Burgess’s voice makes it unforgettable. It’s a reminder that the best true crime doesn’t just profile murder cases, it profiles the people brave enough to stare into the abyss. If you’ve seen it, I’d like to hear your impressions in The Emerald Order. If not, consider this your cue to add it to the watchlist.

Case closed.🔍 Verdict delivered. ⚖️

Stay hydrated.💧 The watchlist never sleeps 👁️

🕵️‍♀️The Emerald Sleuth, calling it a night. 💚