True Crime Gets Hairy in 'The Furry Detectives: Unmasking a Monster' on SundanceTV

The new SundanceTV series ‘The Furry Detectives’ is an insightful if disturbing look at a misunderstood subculture.

NOTE: SundanceTV is currently in Free Preview for all Sling Orange or Blue subscribers through August 12.

In an era where comic book movies shatter box office records and sci-fi/ fantasy shows rack up Emmy nominations, “Furry Fandom” – people who dress up in elaborate anthropomorphic animal costumes, often of their own design – has emerged as a new niche subculture. And like those formerly fringe interests, there are plenty of assumptions, stigmas, and misunderstandings around furry culture.

The new four-part true crime docuseries The Furry Detectives: Unmasking a Monster – which premieres Thursday, July 17 on SundanceTV and AMC+ – offers fascinating insights into a subculture where secrecy and hidden identities are an intrinsic part of the appeal. It also focuses on a series of crimes that are so upsetting and unusual, even the descriptions of their nature are censored. To put it plainly, The Furry Detectives is not for everyone. But if you’re a true crime junkie who is burnt out on or desensitized to your standard murder mystery (no judgement here), this new series from Oscar-winner Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Pictures will scratch your itch.

The Furry Detectives focuses on an infamous 2018 incident in the furry community that’s since been dubbed the “Furry Zoosadist Leaks.” Even if you’ve never heard words like “zoosadist” or “zoophilia,” you can probably decipher their meaning, and your reaction to them is probably a good barometer to whether or not you should check out the show – or even finish reading this post.

If you’re still with us, the furry zoosadist leaks were a series of Telegram chat logs that exposed a ring of animal abusers operating in the fringes of furry fandom. The docu-series takes great pains to emphasize that these abusers are a small portion of the overall fandom. In fact, The Furry Detectives uses this as its jumping off point, as a group of intrepid Furrlock Holmes’ with a specialized set of skills use their journalistic and investigatory knowledge to hunt for the criminals hiding within their ranks.

The interviews with the quartet of investigators looking into the animal abuse – the “Furvengers” as they playfully dub themselves – stand as a highlight of the show. While the crimes they’re looking into are obviously no laughing matter, the Furry Detectives themselves are quirky and open interview subjects. Director Theo Love has a knack for staging and reenactment: Furry journalist Patch O’Furr is interviewed in a trenchcoat reminiscent of McGruff the Crime Dog (undoubtedly a furry icon himself) and one reenactment features a suspect being led away by police with his furry gloves ringed in handcuffs.

These flourishes add a light touch to a series that focuses on crimes of extreme depravity. Furry culture has exploded in recent years in tandem with the rise of niche online communities, so there was always bound to be some overlap between the wholesome animal cosplayers and those who lurk in the darkest corners of the internet. But despite the show doing its best to shield viewers from the specific details of the crimes, animal abuse is not a topic that most people want to think about in passing, much less spend four hours diving into.

For those who can stomach it, the best parts of the show explore the mission the Furry Detectives see in policing themselves, and the limits that come with involving the actual police. Self-policing is actually a timely and topical subject matter in all kinds of communities, from political organizations to sports fandoms to church congregations and countless interest groups that have proliferated across the web, true crime aficionados included. The subject matter may be niche, but The Furry Detectives paws at something relatable to anyone involved in the affairs of a community they care for. Just be warned: in more ways than one, the subject matter is ruff.

To watch The Furry Detectives: Unmasking a Monster during the SundanceTV free preview with Sling, use the link below to subscribe to Sling Orange or Blue!

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