Overall a decent true crime story, the point of view lies entirely with the victims family and investigation and keeps the focus on her. The interviews are relevant and the story flows easily through the episodes. A wild and kind of scary story.
32 Reviews
Too long, missing momentum and suspense
peter-spengler27 November 2021
It is a well known case in Germany, belonging to the so called Goehrde murders. There was a German TV which was much better than the docu covering the other murders as well. Netflix docus are too long in general, which is killing the suspense.
Slow-burn, but might be worth your time.
TreeFiddy536 January 2022
The show had me like - "Wooow!" and not for the reasons I'd expect from a show like this.
Without revealing much, the story is, of course, about true crime from 1989 and incompetence that made people look for answers for so long. You'd think people in power could pull things off, but this doc throws light on how that may not always be the case.
The storytelling/narration and the cinematography were good . I think overall show could have been SO MUCH better it were a 1.5 hr vid or a 2-ep series, because it felt kinda slow for 4 eps but I didn't mind it.
I think you might enjoy it more if you watch it in German. It's a slow-burn, but might be worth your time.
Without revealing much, the story is, of course, about true crime from 1989 and incompetence that made people look for answers for so long. You'd think people in power could pull things off, but this doc throws light on how that may not always be the case.
The storytelling/narration and the cinematography were good . I think overall show could have been SO MUCH better it were a 1.5 hr vid or a 2-ep series, because it felt kinda slow for 4 eps but I didn't mind it.
I think you might enjoy it more if you watch it in German. It's a slow-burn, but might be worth your time.
Bad Trend by Netflix!
Innacana27 November 2021
These Documentaries can easily be made in 1 or 2 parts. Netflix is making many 4 to 10 episode series, dragging the show unnecessarily. Speakers repeat same information in same shots as well as throughout the show.
Not only police were incompetent on this case, but also the second investigation team (group of criminal experts) was lackluster in proper investigation and searching the house. Everyone seemed blindly poked around the case. Even the victim's brother was busy for 27 years with his career and life, until he decided to check after retirement. At times he was making conflicting statements/information too!
Not only police were incompetent on this case, but also the second investigation team (group of criminal experts) was lackluster in proper investigation and searching the house. Everyone seemed blindly poked around the case. Even the victim's brother was busy for 27 years with his career and life, until he decided to check after retirement. At times he was making conflicting statements/information too!
Not just the story of a crime
josantoddi1 December 2021
Don't be fooled into thinking this is your run of the mill true crime story. It's so much more. Everyone should be loved as much as Birgit Meier.
I like to think that my family would have looked for me this hard. Honor to the family & loved ones of Birgit Meier.
I like to think that my family would have looked for me this hard. Honor to the family & loved ones of Birgit Meier.
This case could have been solved in 6 months...
tarkesin27 November 2021
And this documentary could have been told in two episodes. I think Netflix has a great selection of true crime docs. I must have watched every single one it has to offer. I would rate this one as one of the average ones. The storytelling is good, the production and all the other technical stuff is good. But it's way too long. I actually dozed off at the end of episode 2 and I never doze off when watching a true crime documentary.
Excellent true crime documentary
dan_c_ro27 November 2021
Go see this documentary if you are a true crime series fan. It is very well documented and the story and subject are very interesting. I was glued to the screen to see the outcome. It is also very sad and frustrating because you can see that the police is not doing their job very well.
Other reviewers said that it is too long. I didn't find it too long.
Thank you Netflix once again for bringing another crime documentary.
Other reviewers said that it is too long. I didn't find it too long.
Thank you Netflix once again for bringing another crime documentary.
Netflix can stretch better than a rubber
contactrohitnaik19 December 2021
Very Good
DavoZed1 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A fascinating story well told. The victim's brother never gives up and eventually her fate is discovered.
Puts the lie to the police being competent and hard working. The brother and his group found the victim's body after 30 years and the regional police chief wouldn't come to the site, because it was Friday afternoon and he wanted to start his weekend.
It was too long? I doubt the full scope of the story could have been told in a shorter time. 3 - 3 1/2 hours is not too long for a story that plays out over 3 decades and has many twists and turns.
Still too long for you? Get back to your coloring books and comics and leave the in depth stuff to others. Or take your ADHD meds.
The subtitles / dubbing are an issue? See my remarks above. If you insist on being lazy, much of what the world has to offer, will be beyond your reach. You need to be spoon fed everything or you aren't going to watch? Clearly.
You can mute the audio and just read the English subtitles. Or you can listen to the English dubbing. The German is there? Sure but it is at a lower volume and won't bother anyone with an IQ higher than their age.
Well worth a watch.
Puts the lie to the police being competent and hard working. The brother and his group found the victim's body after 30 years and the regional police chief wouldn't come to the site, because it was Friday afternoon and he wanted to start his weekend.
It was too long? I doubt the full scope of the story could have been told in a shorter time. 3 - 3 1/2 hours is not too long for a story that plays out over 3 decades and has many twists and turns.
Still too long for you? Get back to your coloring books and comics and leave the in depth stuff to others. Or take your ADHD meds.
The subtitles / dubbing are an issue? See my remarks above. If you insist on being lazy, much of what the world has to offer, will be beyond your reach. You need to be spoon fed everything or you aren't going to watch? Clearly.
You can mute the audio and just read the English subtitles. Or you can listen to the English dubbing. The German is there? Sure but it is at a lower volume and won't bother anyone with an IQ higher than their age.
Well worth a watch.
Very good
cwaller-479271 December 2021
Jaw dropping and heart breaking
baunacholi-861594 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Yes there are some true crime productions out there which have a tendency to be overly stretched - sometimes just for the sake of it. This one however is VERY different. Nuanced storytelling let u dig deeper and deeper into this twisted, mysterious and thrilling story which filled three decades. Unbelievable and horrific what got revealed & my biggest respect to the trio/family who never stopped searching for answers and ultimately for closure.
Camera work, music, editing, narrative etc. Spot on. If it wasn't for the tragedy of Mrs. Meier and god knows how many more victims, I'd say one of the most jaw dropping and heart breaking criminal stories out there.
Camera work, music, editing, narrative etc. Spot on. If it wasn't for the tragedy of Mrs. Meier and god knows how many more victims, I'd say one of the most jaw dropping and heart breaking criminal stories out there.
English version
misskenedy22 July 2022
The rating is because of the way the English version was made. This would be much easier to follow if they weren't talking in English over the original interviews. It's hard to follow even with subtitles. It's like two people constantly talking over each other. Some pets the English voice overs are not much louder than the original interview. It's a shame because I am really interested in the story.
Why drag the show out so long?
david_wayne-4513028 November 2021
Netflix seems to think the longer, drawn out the show is, the better it is. Way too long!
I love a good story, but watching some of this stuff on the streaming channels is painful. I bet YouTube he as a documentary in this, and will be 30 or 60 min long.
This is nothing more than background noise.
I love a good story, but watching some of this stuff on the streaming channels is painful. I bet YouTube he as a documentary in this, and will be 30 or 60 min long.
This is nothing more than background noise.
Um...okay, getting a little frustrated
revkunze11 December 2021
Granted I'm only two episodes in. I have to submit a review. Who taught these German police how to investigate a potential crime? And the laws in Germany that prevent further investigation on a person if they're dead? Really? I'm so proud of our LEOs, the way we conduct criminal investigations and the forensic scientist here in the U. S. Sorry, Germany. You make great beer and cars. Catching bad guys?? Not so sure.
Interesting story, documentary too long
iarntz28 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
It's an interesting story with enough twists and turns to be entertaining. I would recommend it for true crime lovers. However, Netflix could have covered this tragedy in 2 episodes (when will they learn). The show is simply too long for the story it's trying to tell. They reuse many scenes throughout the documentary and the interviews cover more or less the same subjects. I do think that it's a positive thing that this documentary actually has a kind of ending, in contrast to many other true crime docs where there is no closure at all after hours of watching.
good documentary
jakob-schomacker1 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
But could have been shortened to 2 hours IMO. Ep2+3 are rather slow with few progress.
Anyway, good and exciting documentary.
I was missing some background information (e.g. What did the wife of wichmann said to all of this? Didnt she notice that her husband burried a car in their backyard??)
Anyway, good and exciting documentary.
I was missing some background information (e.g. What did the wife of wichmann said to all of this? Didnt she notice that her husband burried a car in their backyard??)
Extraordinary documentary
AdCarrera13 December 2021
After having read some comments here on IMDB I have to say that from my point of view this documentary is not too long it is deep and intensive, with an excellent storytelling.
Impressive in every aspect, highly recommended!
Impressive in every aspect, highly recommended!
It Sags in Places in Episode 3 but DAMN
anthony_ian21 February 2022
What starts out as a missing persons case but then appears to be a murder turns out to be something even worse. That's all I can say without spoilers.
Most fun I've had watching a limited series (only four episodes) in a long time. You'll definitely be thinking about it afterward.
Straight-up documentary--no narrator, host or silly music. But what a story. Beautifully filmed too.
Most fun I've had watching a limited series (only four episodes) in a long time. You'll definitely be thinking about it afterward.
Straight-up documentary--no narrator, host or silly music. But what a story. Beautifully filmed too.
Excellent story telling
boraaltun2 December 2021
Far to long and drags on and on!
cdeanroane28 November 2021
Why Netflix thinks dragging these shows to multiple episodes will make these boring stories better makes no sense. You have speakers saying the same thing many times in an episode and repeating it in other episodes yet again. What is told in 4 episodes could easily and more effetely in two episodes.
Very well done
chopperDavo2 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I watch a lot of true crime documentaries and this is one of the best I've seen.
Others said it was too long, but I liked the way it was all laid out properly.
It was a great story about a tenacious brother and others who refused to give up and were thwarted at every turn by the incompetent local police. They eventually prevailed and solved the case.
One thing wasn't answered though, and that was what the car buried in the back yard was about. Who's car was it? They cadaver dogs signalled on the trunk but there was nothing stated about it.
Others said it was too long, but I liked the way it was all laid out properly.
It was a great story about a tenacious brother and others who refused to give up and were thwarted at every turn by the incompetent local police. They eventually prevailed and solved the case.
One thing wasn't answered though, and that was what the car buried in the back yard was about. Who's car was it? They cadaver dogs signalled on the trunk but there was nothing stated about it.
Unconditional Love
tamralea18 July 2022
Dig Deeper: The Disappearance of Birgit Meier (2021)
nebohr19 January 2023
Dig Deeper: The Disappearance of Birgit Meier
Stupidity Plus Laziness Equals Yet Another Unsolved Crime
This documentary has a better flow than most.
Do German police investigators receive any special schoolings? It would appear that they do not. German police investigating a crime wear no latex gloves. Why not?
Once again the police prove themselves to be both ignorant and arrogant. NO ONE just leaves, abandoning their beloved pets to starve to death. So much for two of the four police theories; of Birgit being a "drop out" or of her committing suicide. That leaves them, then, with death by accident and death "by crime".
Barely eleven minutes in and the police detectives are already considering whether or not to consult with a psychic.
We observe the police manhunt searching outside; literally beating about with old tree limbs.
Regarding the I. D. from the mailbox: Any adult knows that, without some sort of personal identification, one's ability to travel or get money from the bank is severely curtailed.
Stupidity Plus Laziness Equals Yet Another Unsolved Crime
This documentary has a better flow than most.
Do German police investigators receive any special schoolings? It would appear that they do not. German police investigating a crime wear no latex gloves. Why not?
Once again the police prove themselves to be both ignorant and arrogant. NO ONE just leaves, abandoning their beloved pets to starve to death. So much for two of the four police theories; of Birgit being a "drop out" or of her committing suicide. That leaves them, then, with death by accident and death "by crime".
Barely eleven minutes in and the police detectives are already considering whether or not to consult with a psychic.
We observe the police manhunt searching outside; literally beating about with old tree limbs.
Regarding the I. D. from the mailbox: Any adult knows that, without some sort of personal identification, one's ability to travel or get money from the bank is severely curtailed.
Thank you Netflix for Dubbing.
dayana42127 November 2021
Should've been a two episode documentary
qtfalco27 November 2021
The story itself was interesting. The narration was a little annoying because they kept the original German audible at the same time as the English translation. But the real issue is that, as usual, Netflix dragged the story out way too long. Two episodes would've told the story in a much more compelling way. Four episodes made it more of a chore to get through than the riveting watch it should've been.
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