Netflix has changed the game for television production. The streaming service allows directors to have more creative control, free of the red tape and advertising limitations that come with network or cable TV. And in addition to producing a ton of scripted content, Netflix has quickly become a hub for both comedy specials and sobering true crime documentaries. This true crime trend began largely with the docu-series Making a Murderer, and was followed up by more horrifying documentaries like The Keepers and recently The Confession Tapes. I recently had the chance to speak with Confession Tapes creator/director Kelly Loudenberg, and asked if a Season 2 might be happening on Netflix. When asked if she'd be interested in another season, she told me:
Yeah. There's other problems within our system I'd like to tackle, I'd say that too. But there are more false confession cases. It is hard, unfortunately, to find cases with a full taped interrogation. And even the cases we had don't have that. I'm confident we can find another six cases, but the sad thing is, like we're limited. If we're really going to talk about the confession in depth, we're limited because police officers don't feel the need to tape the entire interrogation. So yes, I would do a second season, but I would have more help, and I would spread the emotional weight across more people.
Although Kelly Loudenberg does seem interested in continuing on with The Confession Tapes, she's certainly a realist. There are a variety of obstacles in the way of a possible sophomore season, making it unclear if the popular docu-series will return.
It appears that the main issue with possibly producing The Confession Tapes Season 2 is the hard evidence. Each episode of the Netflix series opens with the subject's confession, and then backtracks to give context and background surviving the reportedly false convictions. While interrogating officers may have the actual point of confession on tape, they don't always record the full session with the accused. And as such, Kelly Loudenberg has a harder time attempting to tell the full story.
Additionally, Kelly Loudenberg told me how she'd like to see the work of a possible Season 2 spread across more folks. Loudernberg was extremely hands on in The Confession Tapes, serving as the creator, director of each episode, and an executive producer. But because the subject of the series is often so harrowing and challenging to grasp, she'd like some more folks to assume responsibility-- and therefore take on some of the emotional toll of the series.
The Confession Tapes was released in its entirety this past September on Netflix. Each episode follows another alleged false or coerced confession, which resulted in the accused being convicted of murder. The series attempts to shed a light on the flaws in our legal and justice system, specifically through cases that the world had forgotten.
All seven episodes of The Confession Tapes are currently available on Netflix. Be sure to check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
