“No one lives just one article or one headline of a life. There’s more.”
Last Call may be a true-crime docuseries, but it doesn’t pigeonhole itself as such; the advocacy for humanizing LGBTQ+ people is undoubtedly at its helm. The series expands past the context of each crime, giving testimonials and evidence of the lives, struggles, solidarity, and fears of the community. It acknowledges the efforts of the New Jersey State Police whilst shedding light on the inherent biases of society, law enforcement, and media when responding to crimes against gay people. Interviews with family members, detectives, and activists round out the narrative, ensuring that the lives lost are not forgotten due to shame, hatred, or sensationalism.
"Rarely does a true-crime documentary concerning senseless deaths feel so essential, and so full of life."
— Rachel Syme
"It’s gentle and careful and immensely loving, even when it’s also full of palpable fury — everything true crime so rarely understands how to be."
— Kathryn VanArendonk
In the early 1990s, with homophobia and hate crimes on the rise as the AIDS crisis worsens, a serial killer preys upon gay men in New York City, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims.
A four-part documentary series that dives into the deep-rooted biases of the criminal justice system and illuminates how the LGBTQ+ community fought to solve the murders and demand fair treatment of queer crime victims.
The first episode, though thorough, seemingly falls shy of how queer folks with intersectionalities are affected by the hateful and deadly discrimination in the community. Thankfully, episode two immediately centers on Anthony Morrero, a gay Puerto Rican sex worker. His is a delicate case, so kudos to the producers for taking it seriously. They even interview Anthony’s bisexual grand-nephew, Antonio, who strives to have an open dialogue with the rest of his family. Even though Anthony's family can't fully come to terms with the life he led, Antonio wants to remind them that he was much more than who he was attracted to and didn't deserve such a heinous death.
Two episodes in and I don't know the killer's name. AS IT SHOULD BE.
