Unabomber: In His Own Words – Netflix Review (3/5)

UNABOMBER: IN HIS OWN WORDS is a true-crime docu-series on Netflix. It offers up quite a lot of insights and doesn’t glorify in any way. The documentary has four episodes so it’s a fairly quick watch. Read our Unabomber: In His Own Words review here!

Unabomber: In His Own Words is a true-crime docu-series on Netflix. It’s not a new favorite true-crime production but it does offer up a lot of details I was not familiar with. More importantly, it never glorifies what Ted Kaczynski (the man known as “The Unabomber”) did.

If you like true crime documentaries, then this one is definitely worth checking out. Even if it does have a first episode with some faults which I will get back to at the end of this review.

You might like: Check out our list featuring some of the best Netflix true crime documentaries here >

Continue reading our Unabomber: In His Own Words review below.

How much do you know about Ted Kaczynski?

While I did know some things about the Unabomber, I also came to find out that there was quite a lot I did not know. The one thing I did know was that his name was Ted Kaczynski, but other elements were new to me. Including just how much information was discovered through his very extensive journaling.

While Unabomber: In His Own Words does focus on the bombings and their victims in a chronological way, it does also focus on him. Which you probably gathered from the title. However, the main part of this documentary is not an interview. Then again, neither was the Netflix series Ted Bundy Tapes documentary series.

Relevant reading: Our review of Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes >

Still, you do get to hear tapes from Ted Kaczynski interviews, so the title is fair enough. Much of the docu-series also tries to examine how and why Ted Kaczynski became someone who built and sent bombs for decades. Mostly through interviews with his brother, David, and his neighbors of many years.

Watch Unabomber: In His Own Words on Netflix now!

To me, any good true crime documentary must focus on both the crime and victims as well as the perpetrator. Both are key elements that are crucial to making a good documentary. Even if I did really like a recent documentary that focused mostly on the victims. I am referring to the docu-series Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer on Prime Video.

Don’t miss: Our review of Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer here >

When it comes to Unabomber: In His Own Words, it does fall a bit short from episode 1 of the docu-series. Details and events are treated as if it’s basic knowledge for anyone who might watch this.

Just one example is the coded messages that we see in episode 1, but don’t get any background info on until episode 2. This is just a minor irritation but there are a few such examples. Still, this docu-series is well worth your time if you’re into true crime documentaries that deal with facts and details.

Also, I have to mention that by the final episode (episode 4), you will hear some very interesting theories. These concerns some very specific details about how, when and where things went very wrong for Ted Kaczynski.

With just four 1-hour episodes, this is something you can watch in one sitting or over a weekend or a week. And you probably will, if you continue past the first episode.

Unabomber: In His Own Words is out on Netflix from February 22, 2020.