The Jinx Part Two review: Robert Durst documentary makes a dramatic return
The groundbreaking documentary returns with a new season on Sky and NOW in the UK
The Jinx ended in 2015 on one of the most shocking moments in true crime documentary history, with its subject Robert Durst —who had attested his innocence to the murders of Susan Berman and Morris Black, and the disappearance of his wife Kathie— being recorded saying he "killed them all, of course".
How do you top a jaw-dropping finale like that? It's a difficult question but director Andrew Jarecki is ready to try answering it, and is continuing the story exactly where he left it off. The shocking closing moments of the 2015 documentary were only half the story after all, and it's only fair that viewers find out what happened next in The Jinx Part Two which comes to Sky on Monday, 22 April.
Read more: Everything you need to know about true crime series The Jinx Part Two
It's been almost a decade since that defining moment in Durst's life, and a lot has taken place in everyday life let alone in the case against the New York real estate heir. Durst was arrested hours before the 2015 documentary finale's aired, with the evidence found and recorded by the filmmakers in Part One being handed over to police so that they could bring a case against him. What follows is a complicated examination of what happened when Durst faced trial for the 2000 murder of Berman.
What Part One benefitted from was the enthusiastic participation of Durst himself, who had contacted Jarecki after the director made the film All Good Things (which was inspired by his wife's disappearance in 1982) and suggested they do an interview. His erratic conversations with Jarecki were fascinating to witness, namely because of the expert way in which it was juxtaposed with the evidence against Durst — with new discoveries, and that damning final remark, seemingly pointing towards his guilt.
Without it, Part Two does feel like what is expected of the true crime genre — though it's easy to forget that Part One helped redefine it.
The new season features interviews with the various parties involved in Durst's trial, as well as recordings of Durst's conversations with his second wife Debrah Lee Charatan and his friends whilst in prison. It also goes into the details of his trial, which took place over several years due to delays during the Covid pandemic.
It may hit some familiar narrative beats, but that doesn't mean The Jinx Part Two doesn't have a few surprises in store for viewers.
Within the four episodes given to press there are quite a few shocking revelations made, for example, namely around Berman and her decades-long friendship with Durst, and the testimony made by other figures in Durst's life like his friend Nick Chavin. These revelations may be easy enough to research, but we won't give away the show's big moments here.
What critics thought of The Jinx Part Two:
The Telegraph: True-crime’s most grotesque villain returns for a compelling second act (3-min read)
There are also a number of touching scenes in the series, namely the show's first episode which shows Kathie's family reacting to the finale of Part One, and the emotional moment they receive some closure over what happened to their loved one all those years earlier.
Durst, by necessity, is more of a separate figure in Part Two than in Part One but this is to be expected given he was behind bars throughout the course of production. Even without him in front of the camera, it is still intriguing to see how Durst's sociopathic tendencies leak through his conversations with the people around him, and how he used his supposed charm to try and get his way.
Jarecki's approach to examining this for viewers makes it clear that Durst may seem amenable, but to take him lightly would be a mistake.
Given the impact of the first season, the fact we get to see the aftermath of the Part One feels right and Jarecki once again delivers a gripping, binge-worthy documentary. It is an exploration of what happened next, and there's enough interesting first-hand commentary and new evidence that can —and will— keep you watching.
?? Where to watch The Jinx Part Two: Sky Documentaries and NOW from Monday, 22 April
?? Our rating: 4/5
?? Watch it if you liked: The Jinx Part One, The Tiger King, Making a Murderer.
?? Who's in it?: Robert Durst, Nick Chavin, Dick DeGuerin, John Lewin.
? How long is it? 6 x 50 minute episodes
?? What’s it about? In the aftermath of The Jinx Part One, Andrew Jarecki returns to tell viewers what happened next to Robert Durst from his arrest to his trial for the 2000 murder of Susan Berman.
Watch the trailer for The Jinx Part Two:
