'Making A Murderer' Filmmakers Say Steven Avery Is "In A Good Place" — But Hasn't Watched His Own Season
By Joseph D. Lyons
As rumors of a possible season two percolate online, the Making A Murderer filmmakers have been touring the globe receiving accolades for the first season of their documentary series. Just last week they were in London to attend the BAFTA TV awards. And although surely Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi are enjoying the recognition of their success, it also means they have been out of touch with one key person, especially if a season two is to come to pass. On Wednesday, the filmmakers said they haven't spoken to Steven Avery in two months due to their travel schedule.
They sat down with Radio Times while they were in England, and Ricciardi explained what's up:
It's been a while since we've spoken to Steven just because of our intense travel schedule internationally. Steven has to call us, he has to originate the call from the prison and, for the most part, he calls us on the landline in our edit room so it's definitely been challenging for him to reach us.
That said, the two think that he's in a "good place." Of course they mean figuratively. He's literally still locked up in Waupun Correctional Institution. But looking at the bigger picture, he does have the support right now of Kathleen Zellner, his new lawyer. She's been teasing out pieces of evidence on Twitter and in interviews that she hopes will exonerate Avery. Ricciardi also said he has been encouraged by messages of support from viewers; plenty have been reaching both Avery and his mother.
One other somewhat shocking revelation from the two is that Avery himself may be the only one around not to have seen the documentary he stars in. Ricciardi said it has to do with the prison:
He actually put in a request with the warden and his social worker to watch the series and he said they denied his request. I asked him why and he said they told him if we do this for you, we'll have to do it for everyone.
It's rather doubtful anyone else at the correctional facility has had a hit Netflix series made about them, but rules are rules. Despite the lack of contact with Avery and the rumors that Brendan Dassey could become the focus of a second season, the filmmakers expressed interest in following Avery's case — maybe even capturing Zellner's search for the truth. They've already spoken with her several times. Demos explained:
We've talked at length about the prospect of filming with her. One of the things that really appeals to us about including her as a subject in the series potentially is her unique status as someone who's had success and really made a career of challenging convictions that she thinks were achieved unjustly. We think what following her and her current efforts might offer to viewers is a window into the situation of someone who's been convicted of serious crimes such as the ones Steven and Brendan have. It would be really interesting for people to understand how challenging it is to take on the system at this point and try to get the courts to meaningfully take a new look at the case
They also are keeping tabs on the federal case that could set Dassey free or result in a new trial. The filmmakers said that Dassey's legal team will have at most two days notice when the decision is going to be handed down. It could be any time, and the filmmakers are trying to keep tabs even while traveling.
So even they're not working right now, you can expect Demos and Ricciardi to document whatever comes next.