The first season of Wild Crimes is about the death of Toni Henthorn. You may have seen this on one or more of the news magazine network shows. This is the most fleshed out portrait of convicted murderer Harold Hawthorn. I recommend this only if a deeper dive is of interest.
The second season episodes of the series Wild Crime keys on a random discovery of a human forearm in Yellowstone Park. After further searching fails to turn up additional evidence park rangers were left with a mystery. Who, when, how, and by whom would be like a puzzle with scant pieces to work with. Time, technology, and many people's long-standing efforts create an amazing journey of twists and turns In the end it is compelling for what was found and the likely way it happened.
With the above said, these 5 episodes play out like a book. By this I mean slow and steady. The high-points would be able to be condesnsed, but then it would just be a crime story. Here the writers and director show all of the principal players in depth. The viewer will feel as if you know these people and the climate of their lives as all intersect. It is crucial to understanding of a murder leaving scant evidence to go on. This crime could have easily remained a big unknown, yet so much eventually fell into place whereby not only the victim is identified, but also a likely scenario of how a particular perpetrator rises to the fore. Adding to this is it most likely can never be positively solved in one crucial aspect of if the most likely suspect actually did it. I like to think, "this was a book worth watching".
