The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness

Plot

Maury Terry, an investigative journalist, dedicated his life to proving that David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam, did not act alone during his killing spree. Berkowitz is serving a 300-year prison sentence for shooting 13 people and killing six between July 1976 and July 1977, and was the only person charged. Terry insisted Berkowitz acted on behalf of a satanic cult called The Children, allegedly connected to Charles Manson. Terry detailed his suspicions in his 1987 book The Ultimate Evil, citing police sketches that did not resemble Berkowitz and Berkowitz's own statements that he did not commit all the murders and was a cult member.

NYPD detectives reportedly told Zeman off the record that they believed Berkowitz did not act alone. Zeman calls Terry the last victim of the murders due to his consuming obsession. Zeman first met Terry during the making of his 2009 documentary Cropsey, and Terry's evidence inspired the docuseries.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 58% approval rating based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 6.3/10. Metacritic gives it a 58 out of 100, indicating mixed or average reviews. Joel Keller of Decider said the series should put a new perspective on the case. Tony Sokol of Den of Geek called it compelling, exquisitely inconclusive, and long overdue. Dan Jackson of Thrillist described the footage as startling and tense, while Nick Schager of The Daily Beast praised its harrowing account. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times noted that director Joshua Zeman makes the series as much a profile of Terry's obsessive attempts to reopen the case as a re-examination of the investigation. Screen Rant criticized inaccuracies and omissions about Berkowitz, Satanism, and Terry's life after his interview with Berkowitz.