Black Bird TV Show Review: These Violent Delights…
Black Bird is an Apple TV+, 6-episode TV show, that’s based on a true story and set primarily in a high security prison. The premise is that a convicted drug dealer, Jimmy, gets an opportunity from the FBI to go undercover and elicit a confession out of a convicted serial killer in exchange for freedom. The show stars Taron Egerton as Jimmy Keene and Paul Walter Hauser as the serial killer, Larry Hall. I thought this show was deeply interesting, but it also had moments of slowness. I definitely appreciate that it gets capped at 6 episodes and doesn’t drag. I think the best parts of this show were definitely 1) its intrigue as a serial murder mystery and 2) the absolutely riveting acting from Paul Hauser as Larry Hall.
Black Bird tells a really fascinating story that goes back and forth between feeling like a serial killer documentary and a prison thriller. Each character feels nuanced and you can read the expressions on their faces as they’re saying one thing and maybe meaning another. This is very important for a show where everyone is harboring deep, dark secrets and connections are born out of false pretenses. I think if you enjoy the intrigue of mysterious and creepy documentaries, this show would also be super interesting for you because it’s very much based on a true story.
One thing I didn’t like about this show was the violence. In the very first episode, there’s a very heated scene that involved guns and I really hated watching people potentially getting murdered right off the bat. I will say that the show isn’t filled with violent scenes, maybe only around 10% is actually bloody where people are pummeling each other into the ground or seriously hurting others. The most “violent” and eerie moments might actually have been when Larry Hall was talking about his murders in a matter-of-fact and almost proud way.
What really made this show amazing was Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall. Hauser has the daunting task of playing a really complex and messed up character. What sane person can truly understand the motivations and potential joys of being a serial killer? I’ve never seen actual footage of Larry Hall speaking, but the way Hauser creates these creepy mannerisms that make others feel uneasy is really astonishing. I was drawn in to his performance from the very beginning. While Taron Egerton might have been the reason I started watching the show, Paul Walter Hauser is the reason I decided to finish it. Hauser was incredible to watch from the very start. I was dying to figure out exactly what he did and hear his confession.
Black Bird is a dark and mysterious show that is filled with quietly intense conversations. It’s also not entirely a show set in prison because the prison scenes get contrasted with the investigation scenes, where the FBI characters are trying to gather more clues. It really works because the stakes feel high and the acting is superb.