I was hesitant to jump into Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes with my Netflix subscription for a couple of reasons. First, I’ve read Helter Skelter and numerous other books about the 1969 slayings, and I’ve seen almost every documentary and TV show about the murders. I didn’t think there was much I could learn from a new series. Second, I’ve also heard countless tapes of Manson talking about the murders, and the killer’s lunatic rantings just aren’t very interesting to me anymore.
After watching the series, which hit the 2026 TV schedule last week, I was right about the Manson stuff. I found the tapes to be boring filler for the rest of the story it told. However, I was fascinated by the interviews with the surviving Manson Family members who are featured in the show.
