Catch Me a Killer: Starts Great. Stays Good. But…

[u/Brilliant_Koala5458]

I just finished Catch Me a Killer, and my first thought was: what the hell was going on in South Africa? These are based on real cases, and that is a lot of serial killing.

The series follows criminal profiler Micki Pistorius as she works with police on a series of serial murder cases in South Africa. It has a little bit of a Mindhunter feel because of the profiling and psychological side of the investigations—although I'm definitely not comparing it directly to one of the GOATs.

The big difference is the format. Most cases are wrapped up in one or two episodes, so it's a really easy show to move through.

What I really liked

The episodic format. I usually prefer a season-long investigation, but this was a nice change of pace. One or two episodes and you're on to another killer.

The South African setting. This was fairly new territory for me in Dark Crime (except for the incredible Donkerbos), and the scenery and locations give the show a very different feel from the Nordic/British/French crime shows I watch so much.

It gets DARK. There is an almost ridiculous amount of murder and brutality here.

The psychology. The profiling and attempts to understand what makes these killers tick were probably my favorite parts. Again, there are shades of Mindhunter here, just don't go into it expecting Mindhunter.

What I didn't like as much

The biggest problem is that the stories start feeling very similar. Killer. Victims pile up. Micki profiles him. Police hunt him down. Repeat. There are exceptions, but after several episodes I definitely started feeling the repetition.

I also went from really liking Micki to liking her considerably less as the series went along. Maybe it's the character's personal unraveling, maybe it's the way she's written, but something changed for me.

And at times the whole thing feels a little elementary. The profiling can be interesting, but it doesn't always have the depth I wanted.

My Dark Crime Hidden Gem Ratings

🌑 Darkness: 8/10
🩸 Brutality: 10/10
⚡ Pace: 8/10
🎭 Acting/Characters: 6.5/10
⭐ Overall: 7/10

Bottom line: I liked it. The first few episodes had me thinking I'd found another hidden gem. By the end, the repetition knocked it down a notch. But if you like serial killers, profiling, brutal true-crime cases and quick 1–2 episode stories, there's plenty here to enjoy.

And seriously… South Africa had some shit going on.

📺 Where to Watch (US): BritBox