This documentary is chaotic, the storyline is as disjointed as the choppy editing. While the story is interesting, there is just too much going on and the doc tries to cover it all. Spending too much time in the first two episodes replaying the same interview footage and then rushing through 40 years in the last two episodes. Too many people were interviewed, and what was with the French psychologists?! A wild story but a poorly made documentary.
118 Reviews
Great story, horrible production.
Sleepin_Dragon26 September 2021
The story of Billy Milligan is fascinating, a serial rapist and habitual criminal, who had a unique defence, multiple personality disorder. The story is fascinating, if you have an interest in psychology, or indeed in films such as Split, there really is a fascinating story here.
My advice however would be to read the various texts published, as this production isn't good. This is the most over produced documentary series that you will ever see, the cutaways, made up footage, and interviews are all over the place, it is a jumbled mess.
Too many people are interviewed, and the information is all too sporadic, too chaotic, it makes it so difficult to follow and engage in.
There are some fascinating accounts, Billy's siblings are fascinating to hear, unfortunately the camera is zooming all over the place, and the music overtakes, which is a real shame.
A fascinating story, unfortunately it's an over produced mess, which is two episodes too long, 5/10.
My advice however would be to read the various texts published, as this production isn't good. This is the most over produced documentary series that you will ever see, the cutaways, made up footage, and interviews are all over the place, it is a jumbled mess.
Too many people are interviewed, and the information is all too sporadic, too chaotic, it makes it so difficult to follow and engage in.
There are some fascinating accounts, Billy's siblings are fascinating to hear, unfortunately the camera is zooming all over the place, and the music overtakes, which is a real shame.
A fascinating story, unfortunately it's an over produced mess, which is two episodes too long, 5/10.
Ridiculous interview setting
eryui23 September 2021
I'm sorry to say but I'm not sure the director of this documentary know what he is doing. The scenarios where the various actors are interviewed are hilarious out of place: inside a safe? Between two shelves? In a cell? Along some corridors? The editing is confusing, musics excessive.
The story is interesting but very poorly told.
The story is interesting but very poorly told.
Good story
Deliberatedan24 September 2021
I can't believe the horrendous reviews here. Definitely deserves some of it especially the interview sites. Weird choices. Music maybe overdone. Otherwise, for whatever reason, I was completely unfamiliar with the story. Glad I watched it.
Quite an interesting story, with a lot of confusing decisions in the production process
Penroze27 September 2021
I felt very mixed on pretty much every aspect of this series, but in the end I'd have to say it's fairly good. The complete story it ends up telling is very padded out with lots of unnecessary filler, but is still quite fascinating. The visuals are pretty ridiculous, with the interviewed parties being placed in random decrepit buildings and giant bank vaults, but I got used to it eventually. And I'm seeing a lot of these reviews complain about the music, but it never really impacted my experience. I'd recommend this series if you're fine with getting through a lot of boring stuff to see interesting story.
Interesting story but poorly put together
Kimsy172428 April 2022
When I discovered this one on Netflix, I thought it would be really interesting. The idea of somebody that had multiple personalities being culpable for a crime and how they dealt with it seems like a really interesting story and it was fascinating to watch and try to determine whether this was somebody with multiple personalities or somebody with a very dedicated and clever cover story. Would you really be committed for 10 years in a mental institution and be studied every day over just going to jail? I still feel undecided either way.
However what really let this production down was how it was put together. There was an actor that had been used for reconstructions that looked similar to Billy Milligan at the time of the crimes and in between interviews with family members and people that worked with Billy, there were constant cutaway scenes that were in and out of focus, zooming in and out and spliced together just to look very erratic.
They were also newspaper articles for things being highlighted or underlined quickly I'm just in general it was a little bit garbled and actually distracted you quite a lot from the storyline. There was also for some reason this really melancholy cowboy influenced country music in the background and it quite honestly reminded me of playing something like red dead redemption. I didn't really feel that the music was relevant to Billy Milligan. Normally crime documentaries like this I am absolutely captivated by but with this particular one I found myself losing interest in drifting onto my phone instead without really losing any of the storyline.
I have to admit that I got to episode 3 and by that point I'd had enough of trying to follow the storyline with all of the cutaway scenes and the cheesy effects so I remove the series from my watchlist and went in researched it myself online.
The story itself is very interesting and the archive footage of Billy being interviewed under several "personas" were fascinating to watch but apart from that, I don't feel that this really did justice to telling his story and was let down by all of the irritating cut scenes.
However what really let this production down was how it was put together. There was an actor that had been used for reconstructions that looked similar to Billy Milligan at the time of the crimes and in between interviews with family members and people that worked with Billy, there were constant cutaway scenes that were in and out of focus, zooming in and out and spliced together just to look very erratic.
They were also newspaper articles for things being highlighted or underlined quickly I'm just in general it was a little bit garbled and actually distracted you quite a lot from the storyline. There was also for some reason this really melancholy cowboy influenced country music in the background and it quite honestly reminded me of playing something like red dead redemption. I didn't really feel that the music was relevant to Billy Milligan. Normally crime documentaries like this I am absolutely captivated by but with this particular one I found myself losing interest in drifting onto my phone instead without really losing any of the storyline.
I have to admit that I got to episode 3 and by that point I'd had enough of trying to follow the storyline with all of the cutaway scenes and the cheesy effects so I remove the series from my watchlist and went in researched it myself online.
The story itself is very interesting and the archive footage of Billy being interviewed under several "personas" were fascinating to watch but apart from that, I don't feel that this really did justice to telling his story and was let down by all of the irritating cut scenes.
Fascinating, but...
fleurvorstenbosch2 October 2021
I find it quite ironic that the documentary ends stating that the victims were forgotten throughout all those years, and yet that's exactly what the makers of this series have done. It's sad that the victims (and or loved ones) didn't get a say. Again.
Other than that: it's an interesting story about an interesting man. With interesting settings 😃.
Other than that: it's an interesting story about an interesting man. With interesting settings 😃.
Interesting but too long.
lionelperalta-7233923 September 2021
Interesting story, bad documentary
segesta65-440-67705421 November 2021
The music video production style, the weird interview locations (a bank vault?) etc we're a disservice to a genuinely interesting story. Read the Wikipedia entry first, get some background, then watch the documentary.
Better story than presentation
bgar-8093230 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The story here of Billy Milligan is pretty good but I think it's directed fairly poorly. Bad cinematography trying to make it something it's not was the start of it. Then there's the poor editing and jumbled timeline and presentation of the story. Still it's worth a look at a pretty convincing sociopath who cheated the system.
Interesting study of a hoax
danielmartinx20 January 2022
This is a difficult subject to present in a documentary. They present all of the jumbled accounts, without saying anything about the truth value of Billy's claim. As you listen to the mental health professionals speak, the flimsiness of his facade becomes less and less believable.
One of my favorite touches is the fact that when psychiatrist expressed skepticism, they were told to watch a Sally Field mini series in order to understand multiple personality disorder.
One of my favorite touches is the fact that when psychiatrist expressed skepticism, they were told to watch a Sally Field mini series in order to understand multiple personality disorder.
Messy Production
noahharrigan9 March 2022
The story of Billy Milligan was very interesting but horribly edited and over-edited. I thought this series spent too much time running the same clips over and over (the scene of Billy's Mother for example). The series, especially the last couple episodes, were too dragged out and the series could have easily been a lot shorter. I thought this series could have easily been wrapped up better in less episodes.
I'll put it this way - if someone was interested in Billy Milligan I would perhaps recommend them doing some research or watching some videos online before I would recommend this overproduced documentary.
I'll put it this way - if someone was interested in Billy Milligan I would perhaps recommend them doing some research or watching some videos online before I would recommend this overproduced documentary.
🙄
hugh-2504222 September 2021
Haven't finished but sources questionable
mkebeck7 July 2023
They are sourcing the Dr from the Sybil case which now has been proven that Sybil faked it and the Dr basically played along. Not to say Billy did, also not sure if the story about Sybil and the dr came out prior to this.
Haven't finished it yet so maybe that's talked about, regardless it's an entertaining documentary so far.
And now there's a 600 word count limit so I have to fill some space here. I'm watching "the crowded room" based off Billy which brought me to this documentary. I know already people will base their idea of "facts" on the Netflix show even though it's very far off from the real story.
Haven't finished it yet so maybe that's talked about, regardless it's an entertaining documentary so far.
And now there's a 600 word count limit so I have to fill some space here. I'm watching "the crowded room" based off Billy which brought me to this documentary. I know already people will base their idea of "facts" on the Netflix show even though it's very far off from the real story.
Could have been an insightful documentary
tony-52-6543617 November 2021
The 24 backgrounds of this documentary...
edwin-wks28 September 2021
Were quite something. Lobby. Church. Vault. Corridor. I think they put more effort into canvassing for these backgrounds than actually making a coherent documentary about Billy Milligan and those whose lives he touched. Psychology has evolved since the 1970s; multiple personality disorder is now renamed dissociative identity disorder. The fact that it remains in DSM-V today means that it is still a recognized disorder in spite of the popular hysteria in the 1980s. The experts who were involved in the case then and appear in this documentary take on an impersonal stance, furthering the impression that psychologists and psychiatrists see only symptoms that make up a disorder, instead of a person who is suffering.
Instead of debating about Billy Milligan, the nature of his disorder and the impact on his victims, it may be more effective to think about him in a parallel universe where he did not become a manipulative sociopath with dissociative psychosis. In this universe, his mom grew up with a loving dad, instead of one who abandoned her when she was young. Even if her first marriage had failed, she could have made a decent living as a single mother providing for her three children because of gender and pay equality. This meant that she was not forced to marry a man like Chalmer Milligan and none of her children would be raised in an unsafe environment. Without the intense physical and sexual child abuse, Billy Milligan of this universe would have fulfilled his true potential and may have raised his own children who would grow into healthy functioning adults like their parents. This Billy Milligan would not have raped or killed anyone. Ultimately, people are rarely born monsters. It is the environment that creates them.
Instead of debating about Billy Milligan, the nature of his disorder and the impact on his victims, it may be more effective to think about him in a parallel universe where he did not become a manipulative sociopath with dissociative psychosis. In this universe, his mom grew up with a loving dad, instead of one who abandoned her when she was young. Even if her first marriage had failed, she could have made a decent living as a single mother providing for her three children because of gender and pay equality. This meant that she was not forced to marry a man like Chalmer Milligan and none of her children would be raised in an unsafe environment. Without the intense physical and sexual child abuse, Billy Milligan of this universe would have fulfilled his true potential and may have raised his own children who would grow into healthy functioning adults like their parents. This Billy Milligan would not have raped or killed anyone. Ultimately, people are rarely born monsters. It is the environment that creates them.
Interesting, good story
leicasimona-9097522 October 2021
In the Facebook's era where people's attention span is diminished to a couple of seconds, I'm really not surprised by the negative comments. Sure, there are a lot of people interviewed but, my guess is, to give the story as many angles as possible. Plus, a lot is happening, they had to cover over 20 years in a few episodes. The great story and solid work takes prevails the editing or God knows, what else people are criticising.
Overall, a sad story about a man who didn't stand a chance. The truth, my guess, is somewhere in the middle, mental illness and probably also manipulation from his part!
Overall, a sad story about a man who didn't stand a chance. The truth, my guess, is somewhere in the middle, mental illness and probably also manipulation from his part!
Best Liar ever.
ernestrx2 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
A well composed series digging into numerous interviews. Shows the gullibility of the doctors. As a magician there is a saying, the smarter they are, the easier they are to fool. That is why children are difficult to fool. Billy fooled the smart ones Still a good watch. Oh Syble was proved to be a fraud. As many of the things taken as gospel in the old interviews. It would be interesting if Billy was tried today (2022). In short. Here is a goy who knew how to work the system and win. Well done to the late Billy. Wonder what argument he will give at the pearly gates ;-) Billy was a horny criminal who used the Doctors to create a reason for freedom.
Starts good...
brucewillisisaghost25 September 2021
Very interesting, if a bit bloated.
tupkczavvn11 March 2022
The pretentious reviews by people who not only have no idea what they're saying but also (falsely) think anyone cares what they say. I hear "bad editing" a lot and then exactly zero explanation about what makes it bad. Suicide Squad (2016) has bad editing. Resident Evil 6 (2017) has bad editing. The editing here, from a technical perspective, is fine. The only editing that is lacking here is slightly too much information.
The victims deserved more
tomchimeramag29 September 2021
I watched this and was very disappointed at how little they talked about the victims of this "person"
It centered on making Billy the victim, trying to gather sympathy for him, and all the while the real victims are largely forgotten.
Wow
mikeiskorn24 September 2021
First of all I really have to disagree with the other reviewers of this documentary. I've been watching it here with a bunch of friends in Taiwan and we have found it absolutely fascinating from start to finish. We all read the book a couple of years ago and was very surprised to see that this document she was coming out. I think there is a flow to this documentary and we get to see a real insight to Billy.-1 think that he is an absolute psychopath or sociopath and knew exactly what he was doing.
Of course there are other people who won't agree with that but everyone's got their own opinion there's only one person in the world that will know the true answer. If you read the book and you're interested don't listen to the other reviewers and just watch it for yourself.
Of course there are other people who won't agree with that but everyone's got their own opinion there's only one person in the world that will know the true answer. If you read the book and you're interested don't listen to the other reviewers and just watch it for yourself.
Really let down by production.
mckennam-4260515 August 2023
This is a truly remarkable story, if you are interested in Mental Disorders of Criminals then this is the story you want to watch. Sadly this telling of the story is shocking, each episode feels like it's been on for hours and you're only half way through the episode, if it had been filmed differently you actually wouldn't mind this as you'd be enthralled by the story but oh my this is boring, why so many interviews with people who didn't add anything to the story? Why do the interviews to camera in strange locations to add drama ?
Clearly there was enough film of Billy under questioning by Police or Doctors to create a more interesting documentary.
Clearly there was enough film of Billy under questioning by Police or Doctors to create a more interesting documentary.
Hi, locations manager? Is this your first Rodeo?
GeorgeTinNYC27 September 2021
I haven't finished this series yet but it must be said... I'm DISTRACTED from the story being told by whomever is the locations manager for the interviews. These places are tight and off putting. I'm not interested in what's being said because I'm trying to understand who put this attorney in a bank vault? Or these doctors in RANDOM jail cell settings? Or a Church!? You're taken away from the story and distracted by the settings because of 1. The actual setting itself and horrible lighting 2. The way in which a camera is allowed to setup in that right setting. One doctor looked as though she was a hundred feet away stuffed between two grills!?! It's insane and TERRIBLE!
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