The Netflix True Crime Series Hooks You From The First Shot
If you’re a true crime junkie but also love it when truth is stranger than fiction, then Evil Genius should be the next miniseries you binge on Netflix. While series like Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal boast your typical linear narrative involving witness testimonials and publicly available court documents, Evil Genius is more like an onion of deception that gets more convoluted with each layer that peels off. Across four episodes, the series does a deep-dive into a cold case involving an ill-fated bank robbery, but it doesn’t take long before a much more sinister conspiracy is uncovered.
Evil Genius Starts With A Bang
Evil Genius begins with a bank robbery, and we learn about the death of Brian Douglas Wells, a Korean War veteran working as a pizza delivery man. After getting apprehended by the police for robbing a PNC Bank in 2003, Wells warns the authorities that he has an explosive collar strapped to his neck that he doesn’t know how to disarm. But before the situation can be fully assessed, the bomb goes off, killing Wells.
Evil Genius Tries To Uncover The Real Culprit
Though investigators first assumed that Wells acted alone, Evil Genius reveals to us that multiple parties were involved in the heist. At the forefront of the investigation is Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, a highly intelligent but mentally unstable woman with mounting financial issues and a propensity for hoarding. With the assistance of William Rothstein and Floyd Stockton, the group carries out an elaborate plot with a huge payoff in mind.
The Documentary Is Filled With Wild Twists
Based on extensive interviews carried out by co-director Trey Borzillieri, Evil Genius takes a look at the life of Diehl-Armstrong and debates whether Wells was a willing participant in the heist or an innocent victim who got way in over his head.
But as more evidence emerges in Evil Genius, the narrative becomes more confusing. The series starts with a bank heist, but we learn that this plot was just a way to raise money to pay Wells to murder Diehl-Armstrong’s father. We also learn about another victim, James Roden, who was killed and hidden in Rothstein’s freezer months after the robbery.
It’s difficult to go into further detail without spoiling every twist and turn in Evil Genius, but it’s a wild ride that will leave you guessing throughout the entire four-episode run.
Evil Genius Was A Hit With Critics
Evil Genius is not without criticism, however. Despite its 80 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, the docuseries has been criticized for being disjointed in its delivery. But the story itself is so compelling that you’ll find yourself picking your jaw up from the floor with each new piece of evidence and testimonial presented.
Jen Chaney of Vulture also criticized the series for leaning a little heavily into Diehl-Armstrong’s mental illness. It goes without question that Diehl-Armstrong demonstrates anti-social tendencies and other myriad psychological issues through her recounting of events. But her manipulative nature suggests she’s more cognizant than she’s letting on.
The Story Of Evil Genius Doesn’t End With The Documentary
But even if you’re dissatisfied with Evil Genius’ conclusion or delivery, there’s plenty of supplemental material on the internet if you want to look more deeply at all of the moving parts involved in the case. In other words, Evil Genius is not only a solid Netflix original but also an excellent primer for those who want to arrive at their own conclusions after watching the series.
