'The Jinx: Part Two': After Robert Durst's famous hot mic murder confession, there's more to uncover
Andrew Jarecki exposes more information about Durst nine years later
When Andrew Jarecki's HBO series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst premiered in 2015, the story of Robert "Bob" Durst shocked the world, specifically his hot mic murder confession. Following his death in 2022, Jarecki's The Jinx: Part Two premieres, digging deeper into the case of this convicted killer.
When does The Jinx – Part Two premiere: April 21 at 10:00 p.m., with new episodes weekly
Where to watch The Jinx – Part Two: On Crave in Canada, HBO and Max in the U.S.
Number of episodes: 6
Watch The Jinx - Part Two on Crave in Canada, plans start at $9.99/month
In March 2015, in the final episode of The Jinx, we watched Durst being interviewed by Jarecki. Taking a break to go to the bathroom, with his mic still connected, we hear Durst say to himself, "There it is. You’re caught. ... What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course."
While that shocking moment will likely never be replicated, what we find out in The Jinx: Part Two is that there has been a lot more information about Durst and his victims to uncover.
As journalist Lisa DePaulo says in this new docuseries (more of a continuation of the original docuseries), Durst expected "unconditional loyalty" from his friends, and a lot of them were "scared" of him. But for Jarecki's series, some witnesses have come forward for the first time, reigniting our fascination with this particular killer.
Where does 'The Jinx: Part Two' begin
Just before the finale of The Jinx aired, Durst was arrested in connection to the murder of his friend Susan Berman in Los Angeles, California in 2000. In 2021, Durst was convicted of murdering Berman, later dying in prison at the age of 78.
But even knowing the ultimate ending for Durst, the first four episodes of The Jinx: Part Two provided to critics prove that Jarecki is one of the best in captivating a true crime audience, even years later.
The Jinx: Part Two begins in 2015, where we hear Durst call his lawyer, telling him that he was arrested by the FBI in New Orleans, Louisiana, and his lawyer's response was a repeated, "Oh boy."
Los Angeles deputy district attorney, John Lewin, is a core voice in the series, who we see sitting down with Durst after his 2015 arrest.
"There's a certain image, even as a seasoned prosecutor, you have of a killer, you can’t help yourself, and it’s not Bob," Lewin says.
In the first four episodes, the most captivating information comes from people particularly close to Durst, including Nick Chavin (also known as Chinga Chavin, an X-rated country music artist), who was introduced to Durst by Berman. Chavin shares what he, and Berman, thought after Durtst was the prime suspect in the disappearance of his wife, Kathie Durst, in 1982.
As Lewin describes, when he initially asked Chavin if Durst killed Bermen, Chavin's response was, "That’s one I’m not going to answer."
Speaking to Jarecki, Chavin poses a particularly disturbing question in The Jinx: Part Two: "What do you do when your best friend kills your other best friend?"
Watch The Jinx - Part Two on Crave in Canada, plans start at $9.99/month
Why did Robert Durst participate in 'The Jinx'
There's also a core question that comes up early in the series: Why did Durst decide to participate in Jarecki's original series?
As Charles Bagli, a journalist with The New York Times, says in The Jinx: Part Two, Durst would have been "free" if he "kept his trap shut."
In this case power, money and fame are linked to Durst speaking to Jarecki in the first place, but also how, as we find out in The Jinx: Part Two, many people kept quiet about what they knew about the convicted killer.
"It kind of offended me as a detective that this person was able to get away with three murders because of all the privilege, money, power he had," LAPD homicide detective, George Shamlyan, says in the docuseries.
It's interesting to see how The Jinx impacted Durst's trial, including how the defense team used Jarecki's work as a way to try to prove that Durst was manipulated, or the footage was constructed in a way to make him seem guilty. But really, The Jinx: Part Two is an exploration of the absurd, but very real, impact of money, power and celebrity.
