Promos for "The Jinx" showed Robert Durst saying, "Nobody tells the whole truth." That seems to include the filmmakers, who canceled all interviews after Andrew Jarecki, the director, was challenged about having provided contradictory timelines. On "CBS This Morning," he said they'd been unaware of "the bathroom confession" until months later. That was inconsistent with a newspaper report that it had gone undiscovered for more than two years. The reason given for refusing to be interviewed was the producers expect to be called as witnesses by law enforcement so it's inappropriate for them to make further comments. They could, I'm sure, stipulate what's off limits and discuss the processes and challenges they'd experienced.
The man suspected of three murders was willing to talk, while those who'd asked the questions were not. Maybe they're afraid someone will tape what they say in the bathroom or that they'll be asked why no one in the room, including the sound person, heard what Durst was saying into the mike he was wearing.
Jarecki had promised that at the end of the series we would know what happened, but his refusal to speak has left me questioning his methodology and feeling mistrustful. I grew suspicious during the final episode, watching him prepare for presenting two envelopes with identical handwriting and the same misspelling, evidence that incriminated Durst. When a colleague asked why he was anxious, he said he'd come to realize that Durst was "volatile." That hadn't occurred to him when Durst admitted he'd killed and dismembered his neighbor?
The finale was dramatic, better than The Sopranos. While looking at a black screen, we heard Durst in the bathroom, saying, "There it is. You're caught. What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course." I took another look at that part of the show to hear if he continued talking while the toilet flushed, thinking that would reveal if it was, in fact, a stream of consciousness or a prepared statement. Like an actor who'd been directed, "hold for the flush," he didn't speak, resuming only when it was quiet and his voice would again be clearly heard. This was a most unique open mic experience.
"You killed" could fairly be said to the filmmakers, who crafted a brilliant and compelling show that led, conveniently, to Durst being arrested days before the final episode. "You killed," when said to Durst, will be more sinister.