He cited that there is something refreshing in how little the subjects in the documentary seem to care about how they’re going to be presented in the series, which often makes it difficult to like the heroes in a conventional way because they aren’t experiencing epiphanies in ways that would be conventionally satisfying.
The series also plays as a terrifying thriller, because the producers got a level of access that is frequently astonishing. It isn’t just the high-ranking members of the KKK who speak with them, but the number of KKK events the producers was able to film, including cross-burnings, protests and a naturalization ritual for new members.
After watching the first four episodes of the documentary, the critic came out extremely conflicted. He said that it is most important than ever for people to be aware of the rise of hate groups in the United States, to see what these faces look like, to hear what their ideology sounds like, and to know that there are good people out there trying to help.
After what happened, A&E now has permanently colored any ability to appreciate the show’s special access. Any network or streaming service thinking of acquiring the documentary would get a potential teaching tool, but they also get a property that A&E has left sullied and that surely is open to the dreaded normalizing accusation, which is a lot to chew on.