Quibi · DiCaprio · Robert Durst
Plus: We're two years old!
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We didn’t realize it until this morning. But the first Best Evidence went out to subscribers on May 13, 2019, which means we’re two years old today. That’s two years of true-crime content reviews, analysis, and commentary — all of which you can read anytime in our archives.
We’re so grateful that all of you have joined us on this ride. If you want to celebrate with us, well, we have an idea…
And for those of you who already have paid subscriptions, well, this two-year landmark is all thanks to you. Our appreciation knows no bounds.
AT LAST I will be able to watch Murder House Flip.* As you likely recall, poorly considered phone-only streaming service Quibi bit the big one last fall, leaving its roster of broken-up-into-bite-size content unavailable for viewing.
In early 2021, Roku announced that it had acquired all of Quibi’s 75 or so shows, and on May 20, 30 of those titles will launch on its free streaming hub, “The Roku Channel.” Deadline has the full list of shows that drop on May 20 here: in addition to my Murder House obsession, there’s Big Rad Wolf (the American Apparel misconduct show), fashion crime series Last Looks, and Forensic Files-style show Murder Unboxed (both of which Sarah reviews here). I do think I’ll be more inclined to watch these shows now that I can consume them via TV instead of my phone; how about you? — EB
*I know, Sarah says it sucks, but I can’t be denied.
DiCaprio’s Killers Of The Flower Moon look has launched a wave of memes. The road to get David Grann’s book on the systemic slayings of members of the Osage Nation to the screen has been slow, with director Martin Scorsese engaging in negotiation after negotiation with the tribe to quell fears that the project might not correctly represent the indigenous culture and community.
Paused by the pandemic, production has resumed — but a photo from the set of actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who is arguably paid to look like people other than himself, appears to have freaked out august journalistic organization the New York Post.
The one-time teen heartthrob is playing Ernest Burkhart, who (historical spoiler alert) ended up in jail for his role in the crimes. And maybe I’m just super smart, but he…isn’t that unrecognizable? According to the LA Times, I’m not the only one who thought DiCaprio looked like DiCaprio, as “by Tuesday morning, Twitter had registered about 18,000 tweets in the trend,” most if them sarcastic in nature.
For my part, I’d like more information on the bowls on that table. They look cute! Those of us eager to look at a radically transformed DiCaprio/source tableware will have to wait for a bit, as the Apple+ movie has yet to announce a release date. — EB
Peacock has made a deal for a true-crime series with a highly click-baity title. Perfect World: The Gamer Murders sounds very Mazes and Monsters, but I’m not so sure about that: the three-part doc is about 2019 quadruple homicide of an Ontario, Canada family.
The gaming connection was well laid out in a Vice piece that same year. Confessed killer Menhaz Zaman admitted to the crimes in a private group on messaging platform Discord, a channel occupied by folks who’d met while playing fantasy adventure game Perfect World Void. Does that make the crimes “gamer murders”? Your mileage on that one may vary.
Zaman’s currently serving life in prison for the death of his grandma, parents, and sister, who he says he killed because “they were about to find out he had lied for years about going to university to become an engineer.” So, there’s definitely a story there — but if I were a person who identified as a “gamer,” I might be frustrated by the show’s name. It looks like there’s time for a rebranding, however, as Collider suggests that production on the doc has yet to begin, and Peacock hasn’t announced a release date for the series. — EB
Want to be in The Staircase? The HBOMax adaptation of Michael Peterson case — yes, the one with the A-list cast of Toni Collette, Colin Firth, and Rosemarie DeWitt — is seeking extras for the show. Atlanta-based casting agency Hylton Casting is handling the recruiting, offering $104/day for a variety of types, all of whom must test negative for COVID-19.
Based on the extra casting info, the series will be shooting from June-November in Atlanta, which suggests that unlike some production companies, HBOMax isn’t taking much of a stand against the state’s new voter suppression laws. Anyway, if you’re in the region and are interested, here’s where to apply. — EB
Robert Durst’s trial kicks off next week, and it will be televised. Via press release, TV network Law&Crime says that their “live gavel-to-gavel trial coverage will begin on May 17.” The Los Angeles Superior Court trial is over the death of Durst’s longtime friend Susan Berman, who prosecutors say Durst killed in 2000 to keep her from disclosing details in the 1982 disappearance of Durst’s then-wife.
Right now, Law&Crime’s daily listings don’t note when they expect to air the trial — which makes sense, as if it’s live they’re probably at the mercy of the LA courts’ schedule. Your best bet might be to figure out how to find Law&Crime first, then follow its listings to see what time the case will begin. — EB
Friday on Best Evidence: More second-anniversary shenanigans!
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