A Review of ‘Making Manson’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

MAKING MANSON -- "The Summer of ‘69" Episode 102 -- Pictured: recreation from Making Manson docuseries -- (Photo by: PEACOCK)

Ask anyone on the street what they know about Charles Manson, and you’ll get back one constant answer. In that, he was a crazed lunatic that inspired a bunch of people to commit mass murder. Because well, that’s what we associate Charles Manson with. His precious family that he ‘raised’ at an abandoned movie ranch on the outskirts of Los Angeles, and the Tate-LaBianca murders that his followers committed at his behest. For that is how that story goes, and the man is iconic for his involvement in this act, and it was so heinous, that it has remained part of American Lore for well over fifty years, to the point where it is even enshrined in motion pictures.
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But that’s really all we talk about, Helter Skelter and the madness of one of America’s earliest cult leaders and few think upon Charles and his family beyond that, but that should not be the case. Simply because the crime that was committed, and the circus that followed it, has a lot to offer us from a lesson standpoint, and that is why, director Billie Mintz has taken the time to assemble a powerful, three-part docuseries about Charles Manson, and his life, and so much more. So that we can properly understand the why behind this crime and why it has influenced popular culture and the modern world, and that makes Making Manson on Peacock, an absolute must-watch for certain. Because in large part, how comprehensive a story it is.

For this series takes the time to explore something that few stories about Manson ever have, his childhood. Those formative years that we now know are critical to creating the monsters of the world, and it isn’t presented by way of some quick historical re-telling of the matter, it’s from Charles’ own mouth. Since there were, twenty years’ worth of tapes of conversations between Charles and his perhaps only friend in the world, and through those tapes, we learn of foundational damage and once the show gets beyond that… do we come to understand the chaos of the ‘family’, through testimony from the family members, and a deep dive into the hideous nature of the crimes committed and the wild trial that followed. One that was soaked in the same media attention big crimes receive now, complete with the circus atmosphere and grandstanding of certain individuals.

All of which offers, a complete perspective and understanding of these crimes, much of which has remained hidden for some time, and it also poses some questions about the validity of the trial and of Charles’ role in the murders in question. Not to exonerate Charles mind you, or to paint him as some of kind of saint that was nothing more than an innocent man caught in a whirlwind of lies. No instead, the point here is to humanize a man that has become larger than life, and a caricature of himself. To help us understand what creates bad people in this world, and how cults form and how sensationalizing crimes and the people involved in them, creates more harm than good. Because that is what a good documentary does, it presents everything in an objective light. 

Which brings forth, an incredible docuseries, one that really does provide us with the complete picture of Manson and his life, and his actions and truly… this is likely the definitive look at his crimes. Since beginning to end is put on display, and perspective from critical individuals is provided to us and you really cannot ask for much more from a documentary, and it is great that this story finally exists. Because it does set the record straight regarding one of America’s most infamous criminals and most infamous crimes, and now people can fully understand how this came to pass and why we remain obsessed about Charles Manson, decades after lives were lost, and decades after Charles took his last breath.

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