Burden of Proof

Whilst the events surrounding Jennifer's disappearance and strange and intriguing the main thing I took away from watching this is the awful way Margie was treated both by the police and Stephen, her own son.

The officers in the 2006-2009 investigation were disrespectful, obnoxious, accusatory and borderline abusive. The way the spoke to Margie was appalling and downright out of line, they should be ashamed.

As for Stephen he was nothing but mentally abusive towards Margie. He was so obsessed with the notion that his father murdered Jennifer and that Margie was complicit in covering it up that he veered of the path of justice to that of pure vengence, he just wanted his mother to pay whatever the cost. In my view he was cruel and abusive to his mother. He dangled promises of reconciliation and the prospect of allowing Margie a relationship with his daughters like a carrot. She could have these things but only if she (Margie) told him (Stephen) what he wanted to hear regardless (in my opinion) of what was true.

Margie was nothing but consistent in her denial of involvement or that of Ron's involvement and yet Stephen, so blinded by his obsession, was determined to break her down and get her to confess. He comes out of this badly, very badly. He ruined his relationship with Margie and denied her and his daughters any kind of relationship. He doesn't deserve forgiveness for his treatment and abuse of Margie. Shame on him and respect to Margie for somehow remaining decent and dignified through out.

There are aplenty of detective shows with savant, heavily invested in truth and have always the right intuition. This true crime documentary puts you in the shoes of an a brother who is obsessed with finding out what happened to his missing sister, as parents suspected of crime against their own kid and detectives as they process the case.

This documentary is not just a mystery, but also a family drama and a psychological exploration. It shows how we can be biased, mistaken and misled by our own emotions and assumptions when we judge others. It also raises the question of what could happen when we are not patient and compassionate, but heavily biased, thinking the worst. It follows the folly with police process when not done correctly but also highlights some incredible techniques that are used.

The brother, Stephen, believes that his parents are somehow involved in his sister's disappearance. He thinks his father did something terrible and his mother helped him cover it up. He spends years trying get an answer in the way he likes, even at the cost of his relationship with his mother. He takes keen interest in the case police reopened and he conducts his own investigation, uncovering new evidence and secrets.

The documentary follows his journey as both a victim and an accuser, as well as the work of the police, who face challenges, errors and breakthroughs in their quest for justice. The direction is impressive, but not flawless. The series could be shorter and avoid some repetition. It could also give more insight into the bond between the siblings and what Stephen was doing when his sister vanished. The ending is powerful but unsatisfying, as it leaves many questions unanswered and many details unexplored. It seems like the makers have made up their minds about the case and do not want to share more information. Stephen gets some closure, but not the kind he expected.

Despite these flaws, the show is captivating and the ending is shocking. It will leave you wanting to know more about the case and its aftermath.

Fascinating immersion into a troubled family and the disappearance of their youngest member. Small details are pitch perfect, extremely well done.

It's difficult to write a fulsome review without spoilers. I highly recommend it - it has a Mare of Easttown feel, but it really happened.

Stephen Pandos, no matter the failings of his parents, is such a decent, strong man. His dad gave me the full-on heebs. He seems to be always banking down a dark, unsettling menace while trying to appear as a righteous straight shooter.

But Stephen's mother has, obviously, done something right because her son is quietly remarkable.

Gotta say too, the private investigator seemed a waste of money. The filmmakers appear to be the real sleuths who moved this case along.

Also, Wendi Reed, an investigating officer, is straight out of the Fargo series.

The mother though, she will drive you nuts...her actions, comments never help her, why? You'll be mentally Rubik's-cubing this for a long time afterward. Highly recommend.

I would give this a 6.5 if I could. Burden of Proof avoids most of the pitfalls of the genre, with the exception of padding. It could've been a tight three episodes just by cutting repetitive and meandering content. Which might have helped nudge Jennifer Pandos, the missing 15-year-old whose brother relentlessly pursues justice here, more squarely into the center of things.

From the start, the Pandos parents hurt themselves in the investigation. Until Stephen has to suspect their involvement, becoming estranged from them after hiring investigators and experts in an attempt to tell Jennifer's story.

Increasingly, though, the focus is on Stephen's agonizing over his sister's fate, setbacks in the case and his mother's honesty. I question whether the documentary team had free rein...or if they were beholden to Stephen Pandos for funding.

To wit, one question I waited for: In an abusive home, with a violent, controlling father who isn't getting along with his increasingly troubled teenage daughter, was there also sexual abuse?

It would explain Jennifer's emotional issues and her parents' unfathomable choices and behavior during the investigation. For an outspoken kid, I noticed none of her friends knew exactly what was going on in the house where she felt unsafe.

Without spoilers, I think the issue of the note is far from settled and the final testimony we hear raises as many questions as answers. Possibly more.

It is definitely an interesting and sad story but the interviews with the father, Ron, and his watered down Walmart-level 3rd wife are so unnecessary. Who need to hear from that couple? He's a felon and still acts arrogant although a christian? He's as trash as they come. That 3rd wife has absolutely no reason to talk about this issue at all. She should have been wiped from any footage. The other interviewees contributed more to this series and were much more interesting to watch. All the father contributed was his little man syndrome machismo.

The brother spending his life looking for his sister is just heartbreaking and his parents are the epitome of deplorable human beings.