Murder In Big Horn

By turns enraging, inconclusive and damning, Murder in Big Horn tells a story with deep roots and few easy answers.

Access is key to the doc’s success. By amplifying those voices on the ground and capturing expert opinions on the legal framework and journalistic responses to the cases, Benally and Galkin strike that balance between emotional and informative. The directors deliver a layered portrait.

“Murder in Big Horn” is at its best when it digs into the historical factors that have led us here, including colonization efforts that sought to tear down the female leaders of Indigenous communities and the kidnapping of children.

It’s a well-made series that exposes corruption, trafficking and injustices perpetrated on families.

This series will prove disappointing for true crime fans looking for a cheap thrill. And history buffs should look elsewhere, like last year’s riveting “Lakota Nation Vs. United States,” for a more comprehensive background about how the American government deliberately destroyed the cultures of indigenous peoples. But make no mistake: “Murder In Big Horn” is as harrowing as shows like this get.

If this show seems one-sided, its villains edited to appear almost cartoonish, that’s a fair criticism. But if these [law enforcement] dudes aren’t willing to speak for themselves here, maybe that’s on them. ... But in any event, Murder In Big Horn provides education on and promotes awareness of a pressing issue facing Native American women, and that feat alone makes it something of a must-watch.