Netflix’s True-Crime Satire Murder Mystery ‘Bodkin’ Is One of the Streamer’s Best Series

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Netflix is well-known for its thrilling murder mysteries and extensive collection of true-crime documentaries. While shows like The Perfect Couple, Luther: The Fallen Sun, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story, and Inside Man offer fictional suspense, documentaries such as Homicide: New York, Lost Girls, and American Murders: The Family Next Door have become particularly notorious. But one Netflix series stands out by cleverly combining fiction and reality, and playfully satirizing the often-debated true-crime genre. It’s a quick and easy watch, with only seven episodes.

Bodkin, created by Jez Scharf, centers around Dove Maloney (Siobhan Cullen), an experienced reporter who goes into hiding in a small Irish town after a source is murdered. Determined to continue her work, she becomes fascinated by a long-unsolved missing person’s case. However, her editor makes her partner with Golbert Power (Will Forte), an American true-crime podcaster, to cover the story. Dove struggles with her dislike of true-crime personalities, leading to frequent conflicts with Golbert as they investigate the stalled case in rural Ireland. The cast also includes Robyn Cara, David Wilmot, Chris Walley, and Kerri McLean.

Despite coming out in 2024, Bodkin didn’t get much attention from viewers or critics. It has a 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with audiences scoring it slightly higher at 72%. However, these scores are based on a small number of reviews – just 40 critics and 250 viewers – especially when compared to Netflix’s bigger hits. Don’t let those average ratings discourage you, though! Bodkin is a really clever dark comedy centered around a mysterious disappearance in a small town. It quickly becomes clear that almost everyone is connected to the missing person, and as the investigators delve deeper, they uncover a much more complicated and sinister situation than they anticipated.

‘Bodkin’ Is a Scathing Satire of the True Crime Boom

The seven-episode series Bodkin is a compelling murder mystery, but it also playfully pokes fun at the very idea of true-crime entertainment. Through the eyes of Dove, Jez Scharf cleverly examines our sometimes unsettling interest in these kinds of shows. Will Forte’s character thinks he’s a serious journalist, but Dove recognizes him as someone primarily motivated by profit, eager to capitalize on the misfortune of others.

Many people dislike the true crime genre, and even some popular shows on Netflix have received strong criticism. For example, when Netflix made Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, they didn’t get permission from the victims’ families. The show included graphic depictions of Dahmer’s crimes, which the families felt was disrespectful and further victimized their loved ones. They publicly criticized Netflix, arguing the show portrayed Dahmer as a misunderstood figure and, unintentionally, created some sympathy for him (according to The Guardian).

‘Bodkin’ Is a One-and-Done Murder Mystery, for Now

Netflix is known for making unpredictable choices with its shows – either extending weak series or ending promising ones prematurely, much to the disappointment of viewers. However, Bodkin seems to be a success story. As of now, it hasn’t been renewed for another season, and that’s perfectly fine. The show wrapped up its storyline, character development, and relationships in a way that felt complete and satisfying. Trying to continue the story would likely diminish the quality of what came before.

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2026-04-20 17:02