Essential Points
- Cancellation of Mindhunter resulted from low viewer counts and prohibitive production expenses, despite high expectations from fans.
- There is still hope among fans that Netflix may consider a new season, even though both the show’s creator and Netflix have not shown much interest.
- Hints of prior creative directions from Andrew Dominik, who directed episodes in the second season, suggest a prospective third season exploring Hollywood-based profiling.
Netflix continues to be a hub for true crime programming, releasing new documentaries and series on a weekly basis. Yet, among the array of acclaimed true crime dramas, one standout remains without continuation. Mindhunter debuted on Netflix in 2017, adapted from the book by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker. A second season rolled out in 2019, but despite earlier discussions regarding a potential third season, five years have gone by without any substantial news.
Mindhunter’s Non-Existence Is Disheartening For Many Reasons
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Mindhunter |
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Cast |
Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Sonny Valicenti, Stacey Roca, Hannah Gross, Joe Tuttle, and Cameron Britton |
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Seasons Available |
2 |
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Developed By |
Joe Penhall and David Fincher |
Mindhunter has not progressed to a third season primarily due to its dwindling viewership numbers alongside substantial production costs. Given the current fascination with true crime stories—which has propelled various serial killer-themed series to the forefront—it is surprising that Mindhunter did not gain more traction. Ryan Murphy’s anthology series, Monster, has been a notable success for Netflix since its debut in 2022, suggesting that a third chapter of Mindhunter might find its footing on the platform as well.
In terms of quality, Mindhunter arguably surpasses many of the other true crime productions led by Ryan Murphy, making its apparent cancellation even more disappointing. While future possibilities remain open for another network to revive it, the show inherently resonates with the Netflix brand. Director David Fincher’s ongoing collaboration with Netflix—having previously produced his passion project, Mank, in 2020—does not seem to indicate strong efforts on his part to revisit Mindhunter. When asked about future seasons in a 2020 interview with Variety, he stated:
“I don’t know if it makes sense to continue. It was an expensive show. While it had a dedicated fan base, we never reached the viewership numbers that justified the cost.”
Netflix Should Invest in One More Season of Mindhunter to Conclude Storylines
Fans are eager to see the next chapter featuring the FBI profiling journeys of Holden Ford and Bill Tench in a potential third season of Mindhunter. Although the likelihood of a new season seems slim, optimism remains, highlighted by a petition that has amassed over 80,000 signatures. This petition demonstrates the continued intrigue surrounding plot developments from the second season. A representative from Netflix responded with a vague ‘maybe in five years’ regarding the future of Mindhunter season 3. As five years have elapsed without further announcements, the outlook remains bleak. Nevertheless, David Fincher has fluctuated in his stance about a potential return. During a 2020 interview with Vulture, he mentioned:
“At some point, I’d love to revisit it. The hope was to continue through the late 90s and early 2000s, ideally getting to the point where people come knocking at Dennis Rader’s door.”
The abrupt end of Mindhunter in 2019 leaves fans particularly frustrated, especially regarding the unfinished storyline revolving around Dennis ‘BTK’ Rader, which had been set up with great anticipation. It’s noteworthy that Fincher expressed a desire to eventually transition to an early 2000s timeline. This raises the possibility that we might see a new season of Mindhunter twenty years in the future. While it’s a long waiting period, many fans may endure the wait for a fulfilling conclusion. Additionally, John Douglas, the FBI agent whose work inspired the character of Holden Ford, authored a book titled Inside The Mind of BTK: The True Story behind The 30-Year Hunt For The Wichita Serial Killer. Adapting this material for season 3 could be a fitting approach, providing a compelling BTK-centric narrative to wrap up the story arcs introduced in the initial two seasons.
Initial creative intentions for a possible Mindhunter season 3 were discussed by Andrew Dominik, one of the directors from season 2, during a 2022 interview with Collider. His insights resonate with the plot strategies emerging in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming Monster season 3:
“What they planned for season three involved Hollywood—one character would collaborate with Jonathan Demme while another would intersect with Michael Mann. It was intended to integrate profiling into mainstream culture, capturing the season everyone was looking forward to, stepping out of the basement and into the light.”
This storyline could have been a brilliant direction for Mindhunter season 3 and appears to echo the theme of Monster season 3, which will explore true crime intersecting with Hollywood, focusing on figures like Ed Gein and Alfred Hitchcock.
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