This was an entertaining enough true crime miniseries, and arguably stretched out (typical of Netflix). However, I quite enjoyed the peephole into sleazy 1970s New York; which is now an expensive strip mall reminiscent of every city in America.
What bothers me about this installment, is that it heavily blames the mere existence of pornography, sex work, and sexual freedom in general as the sole reason that these crimes happened to people. Aside from one interviewee, everyone conveniently ignores the brazenly horrifying way in which sex workers and all those associated with that area were treated by both society and the law. Could the increased likelihood of them being victims have less to do with sex, and more to do with the utter lack of protection they received due to plain legal indifference and prejudice?
Any true crime follower knows these types of people are targets because the police generally do NOT care about them--especially in this time period. Then they pat themselves on the back for sweeping the area outside of Times Square in lieu of soulless corporate gentrification, as though all those sex workers and dangerous predators just vanished and didn't simply move elsewhere. Sort of like "cleaning" a room by throwing everything into the closet. The only people who lose in this situation are small business owners and sex workers.
I'd still recommend the documentary, because it was well made (albeit overlong), but I find the general opinions within ignorant of much larger issues that are still highly prevalent in this country.
What bothers me about this installment, is that it heavily blames the mere existence of pornography, sex work, and sexual freedom in general as the sole reason that these crimes happened to people. Aside from one interviewee, everyone conveniently ignores the brazenly horrifying way in which sex workers and all those associated with that area were treated by both society and the law. Could the increased likelihood of them being victims have less to do with sex, and more to do with the utter lack of protection they received due to plain legal indifference and prejudice?
Any true crime follower knows these types of people are targets because the police generally do NOT care about them--especially in this time period. Then they pat themselves on the back for sweeping the area outside of Times Square in lieu of soulless corporate gentrification, as though all those sex workers and dangerous predators just vanished and didn't simply move elsewhere. Sort of like "cleaning" a room by throwing everything into the closet. The only people who lose in this situation are small business owners and sex workers.
I'd still recommend the documentary, because it was well made (albeit overlong), but I find the general opinions within ignorant of much larger issues that are still highly prevalent in this country.