Some critics, such as those at RogerEbert.com , criticized director Joshua Zeman for appearing to believe Terry’s unproven claims about a nationwide Satanic cult without providing enough pushback or counter-evidence.
The use of Paul Giamatti to voice Maury Terry's written notes received mixed reactions; some found it helpful for immersion, while reviewers from Decider and The Daily Texan found it "cheesy" or "distracting". The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness
The Netflix docuseries The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness received from critics, holding a 58% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic . While praised for its atmospheric archival footage and compelling central mystery, many critics argued it leaned too heavily into "Satanic Panic" conspiracy theories and was overly long. Critical Review Highlights Some critics, such as those at RogerEbert
Critics generally praised the "grimy aesthetic" and the meticulous use of historical NYC footage, which effectively conveyed the terror of the late 1970s. Audience Perspective While praised for its atmospheric archival footage and
Reviewers from The Chicago Sun-Times noted that the series is less about the killer, David Berkowitz, and more a tragic profile of investigative journalist Maury Terry , whose life was derailed by his obsessive pursuit of a multi-killer theory.
According to reviews on IMDb , many viewers found the series gripping and appreciated the detailed breakdown of the police investigation's inconsistencies, even if they remained skeptical of the broader cult conspiracy.