Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer – Netflix Review

CRIME SCENE BERLIN: NIGHTLIFE KILLER on Netflix is a true crime docu-series about a serial killer targeting gay men in Berlin. This is the first German production of the series. Read our Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer review here!

CRIME SCENE BERLIN: NIGHTLIFE KILLER is a new Netflix docu-series in three parts. Each episode is around 40 minutes, so you can easily watch this as a documentary feature film. This is the first German production of the Crime Scene series, and I’ll get back to the previously released seasons later on.

This season focuses on a serial killer who targeted gay men in Berlin. While police detectives are – as per usual – shown as the heroes, the actual story seems to tell a different story. One of ignoring certain evidence and making hasty and questionable conclusions. You’ll see – and you should watch this season!

Continue reading our Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer review below. Find it on Netflix on April 3, 2024.

Targeting gay men

While the official description of Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer makes it seem like everyone was afraid, this was hardly the case. The whole “In 2012, a mysterious series of murders strikes fear and dread in Berlin” ignores one huge fact: The victims were gay men!

Or at the very least presumed to be gay men by the serial killer.

When gay men are targeted, the police (and media) can sometimes be a little slow to recognize that a serial killer is on the loose. And saying that the victims are “seemingly chosen at random” is true, but from the relatively small group of gay men out in gay bars in Berlin.

The LGBTQ+ community was quick to stand together, but the police seemed to catch on quite a bit slower. As you’ll see in Nightlife Killer one of the victims didn’t meet the killer in a bar or club. Also, his death was deemed an accidental drug overdose despite his wallet and cell phone missing.

Yeah, it doesn’t look very good for the police, but this isn’t really a focus of the docuseries. To me, it should have been. Not least as it makes me wonder if maybe there are many more victims whose deaths were seen as accidental drug overdoses. And yes, the serial killer did drug his victims.

Fortunately, one victim survives the drugging and can testify and help the police.

Have you watched the other Crime Scene seasons?

There have already been several Crime Scene seasons, but this is the first German production of the true-crime series. We’ve reviewed the past three seasons which all focused on US-based true crime cases.

FORMER SEASONS OF CRIME SCENE

First came Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel >

Then Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer, which didn’t focus entirely on the area >

Finally, we got Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields which came out in 2022 >

To me, using the same concept to cover other true crime cases is a no-brainer. I don’t know that I found the production of Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer to be the most obvious choice. However, the fact that it took place more than a decade ago is a good thing.

For one, it means the case is solved and the serial killer is no longer active.

Watch Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer on Netflix!

The three 40-minute episodes in Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer were written and directed by Caroline Schaper. It was developed by Beetz Brothers Film Production and Joe Berlinger, who has made many true crime documentaries. Both with the Crime Scene concept and other documentaries.

As mentioned earlier, I’m not sure this case was the best way to expand the docuseries concept outside the US. However, I did find the case to be both interesting and enjoyed that there was a focus on the victims. What I didn’t particularly enjoy was the somewhat amputated way it was told.

Some details are mentioned in passing as if they will be covered later. But then they are never brought up again. I’m thinking about the serial killer himself, who gets the usual “He was such a nice man”-description.

We do hear details about him not really wanting to be in Berlin, yet moving there for a partner. And then we never hear more about this partner again, which was just strange to me.

Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer is on Netflix from April 3, 2024.