Series Reviews with Sarah #3: Manhunt: Deadly Games

This true-crime series detailing the hunt for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games bomber is a must-watch if you are into criminal justice. You may have heard the name Richard Jewell before, and this show will show you both sides of his story. It was only 10 episodes on Netflix, and I think I honestly watched the whole series in one day. It was that enthralling. (Warning, may be spoilers ahead.)

Security guard Richard Jewell took his job more seriously than anyone else. He was hyperattentive to what was going on and what people needed. This came in handy one night in Atlanta during the Olympic Games. He spotted a suspicious package and convinced fellow security personnel at the event to clear the area where the bag was. This probably saved a lot of lives. But however heroic it might’ve seemed, Jewell was quickly identified as the prime suspect. This moment is where Kathy Scruggs came to the attention of the audience. She was a dedicated journalist, who made it her mission to prove that Jewell was guilty. We also learned about Earl Embry, an ATF agent who specialized in bombings. He recognized a string of bombings that had the same characteristics, or M.O., of the Olympic Park bombing. Jewell, however, had been under close surveillance, and had been afraid to leave his home, meaning he couldn’t have had anything to do with it. As these bombings became worse and worse, the authorities began to put the pieces together, but not until Jewell, his family, and his attorney had already been humiliated.

The show goes into much more detail than that. It dives deep into the hunt for the real killer, portrays encounters with a militia group, exposes bombings designed to target police personnel, and shows how Jewell’s life would be changed forever. I highly recommend this show and its partner “Manhunt: Unabomber” (which could be good to watch first since that is the order of release and how the events unfolded chronologically). I would rate this a 6.8/7.5. It would be especially good if you have watched shows like “Mindhunter”, “Criminal Minds,” or other crime shows.

Ps. Richard Britton stars in it (you may know him as Hazel from “The Umbrella Academy” or as Ed Kemper in “Mindhunter”).