I finished watching the latest true crime series I’ve been binging: Behind Mansion Walls. Now you’re going to hear all about it. Lucky you.


The title screen. Swanky.

Behind Mansion Walls aired from 2011 through 2013 on Investigation Discovery, but I’ve been watching it through the True Crime Files channel on Amazon Prime. The series focuses on crimes revolving around wealthy individuals, usually corporate big-wigs, tycoons, or heirs to a wealthy family. But let’s talk about the highlight of this series:


Christopher Mason, the most dapper gent on Investigation Discovery.

Christopher Mason is the host of the series, and I am in love with his outfits. He usually pairs a very loud bow tie with an equally loud shirt and I am living for it. When his trousers are also loud, then it’s like some sort of vibrant fashion Yahtzee! or something. But, I digress.

Like many of the other shows on Investigation Discovery, this one seems more focused on the drama of the cases (portrayed by over-the-top reenactments by actors who apparently skipped out on the Subtlety 101 class in acting school) and less focused on the actual investigation. The interviews are mostly with journalists, authors, or historians, and not as many with the investigators or anyone involved with the investigation, prosecution, or defense. At times it felt like I was watching a soap opera, and wished someone would mention “luminol” or “gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer” just once.


This is acting. (Apparently.)

I mean, I guess the show was okay. Obviously it wasn’t terribly awful, since I watched all three seasons. It was more just something to have on in the background while I sewed face masks. I’d say if you really like reenactments within the context of a true crime series, this one has acting turned up to 11, so it’s probably your jam. But, if you’re like me and really just want to know the facts of the crime and investigation, the series lacks that.