MTV jumps on the serialized true-crime bandwagon with Unlocking the Truth (Series Premiere, 11 p.m. Wednesday, MTV), a docuseries hosted by Ryan Ferguson, a Missouri man wrongfully imprisoned for almost 10 years until he proved his innocence, as he meets other convicts fighting their charges and investigates their cases.
In 2001, when Ferguson was a 17-year-old high school junior, Columbia Daily Tribune sports editor Kent Heitholt was found beaten and strangled in his work parking lot. Ferguson and his friend Charles Erickson had been partying in the area, and as a result of being heavily intoxicated neither had any memory of the night. While there was no physical evidence to tie the young men to the murder, Erickson grew paranoid as the case went unsolved for two years. Eventually the police were tipped off about two guys who were in the area at the time who couldn’t account for their whereabouts.
While Erickson could provide little details about the crime, investigators led him into a false confession that implicated Ferguson. At age 19, Ferguson was convicted of second-degree murder and robbery and sentenced to 40 years in prison; Erickson was sentenced to 25 years in exchange for the testimony against his friend.
Ferguson spent the next decade working to prove his innocence with the help of high-profile wrongful-conviction attorney Kathleen Zellner. Both Erickson and a witness recanted their statements, admitted they lied on the stand and were coerced by investigators. On top of that, it was found that the prosecution withheld evidence from the defense. Ferguson was exonerated and released in 2013.
Ferguson’s story is a perfect storm of popular crime drama elements — the lack of memory is right out of The Night Of, while his attorney Zellner this year joined the Steven Avery case featured in Making a Murderer. But Unlocking the Truth does not focus on Ferguson’s case. Instead, it follows Ferguson and co-investigator Eva Nagao of Chicago’s Exoneration Project as they look into the cases of Byron Case, Michael Politte and Kalvin Michael Smith — three men serving jail time for crimes they claim they did not commit.
Whether the network of Catfish and Teen Mom can produce a serious documentary on the level of The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, Making a Murderer or even the Serial podcast remains to be seen.
WEDNESDAY 17
Mr. Robot (10 p.m., USA) – Elliot tries to get along with Mr. Robot; Dom confronts Angela; Darlene acts on a feeling from her past. And just in time for the Fourth of July, fsociety releases a video for Uncle Sam. But can we talk about that amazing slice of ’90s sitcommery that was the first 20 minutes of last week’s episode? Has any show ever committed so much to a twisted nostalgic theme — down to the retro USA logo and faux old-school commercials? Mr. Robot never fails to keep us guessing.
FRIDAY 19
Fearless (Series Premiere, Netflix) – This six-episode documentary follows a group of Brazilian professional bull riders as they train for the Las Vegas championships.
SUNDAY 21
Fear the Walking Dead (Midseason Premiere, 9 p.m., AMC) – Nick’s quest leads him down a deadly path, where details about his dark past are revealed. Followed by Talking Dead at 10 p.m.
The Night Of (9 p.m., HBO) – The defense makes its case in Naz’s trial.
TUESDAY 23
Halt and Catch Fire (Season Premiere, 9 p.m., AMC) – Season 3 of the ’80s tech drama moves from Texas’ Silicon Prairie to California’s Silicon Valley. Joe launches a new product; Gordon settles into his role at Mutiny; Cameron and Donna try to move beyond chat capabilities as they try to acquire venture capital.
CONTACT JAC KERN: letters@citybeat.com
This article appears in Aug 17-24, 2016.