Episode 1

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**Episode 1** is the first episode of the first season and the 1st overall episode of **Mindhunter**.

## Short Summary

In 1977, frustrated FBI hostage negotiator Holden Ford finds an unlikely ally in veteran agent Bill Tench and begins studying a new class of murderer.

## Full Summary

**Braddock, Pennsylvania**

Holden Ford arrives at the scene of a hostage situation. The officers are having trouble getting through to Cody Miller, the subject. Cody yells out that he wants his wife. He believes they can't see him. Holden steps in and tries to make a connection with Cody. Cody asks to get the people away and agrees to relax with his visible hostage if they do so. Holden orders the cops and reporters to back off to calm the situation down. He turns back to find that Cody is now nude and still isn't convinced they can see him. Holden says he can see that he's naked and cold, so he pulls his pants back up and pulls his hostage inside the building. Holden talks to the other cop about his request, to speak to his wife and learns that the wife is on her way. Holden advises them not to let him speak to his wife. When Sissy Miller arrives, he talks to her and he explains that she's been worried about his mental health. He has medication he's supposed to take, but he may have stopped. He was talking to people who weren't there. Holden goes back to Cody after telling the cop to call his doctor and get more information. Cody steps back out with a hostage and a shotgun. He asks for his wife again. Holden says it's taking time to get to her. He suggests Cody can talk to her on the phone if he wants, but Cody refuses. Holden gets closer to Cody and tries to build more connection. However, Cody says he doesn't think Holden can help and shoots himself in the head.

**Fredericksburg, Virginia**

Holden enters his empty apartment and takes off his jacket. He drinks milk out of the bottle then notices blood on the cuff of his shirt. He takes the shirt off and tries to get out the blood, but gets frustrated quickly because he can't get it out.

**Quantico, Virginia**

Holden arrives at the FBI Academy. As he waits, he sees David Berkowitz on the cover of a magazine.

Holden is meeting with Shepard, who tells him he's not responsible for what happened with Cody. He says it wasn't the worst possible outcome. He didn't lose any hostages or bystanders. His courses are a big hit. Shepard wants him to teach more. Holden thinks he's being put out to pasture. Holden tries to turn down the teaching, but Shepard says it's already done.

Holden teaches a class and talks about de-escalating situations. He explains how to connect with subjects. He emphasizes finding common ground and not dominating subjects. They need to feel heard. He tells them about his office hours, but finds the students have already left and aren't listening.

As he leaves his class, Holden is entranced by Peter Rathman, who is teaching a class nearby. He's talking about Berkowitz.

Holden catches Rathman as he's leaving and asks him about his class. He's been teaching a version of the class for a while, he says, but Berkowitz is the hot headline right now. They talk about how crime has changed in recent years. Holden offers to take him for a beer and he accepts.

At a bar, they continue their conversation. They talk about recent events, such as the Kent State shootings and the Vietnam War. They agree democracy is vanishing. They think that's why crime is changing. Rathman takes a final drink and leaves Holden alone at the bar. His place is quickly taken by Debbie Mitford. Holden strikes up a conversation with her about their clothing. She reveals that it's her 24th birthday, though he says she doesn't look that old. She's not surprised to learn that he's FBI. They flirt for a while and she says she's there to see a band from Detroit. He says he was a brick agent there for a few years. He asks if he can buy her a drink.

Holden and Debbie watch the band and talk about her studies. She's on her way to a PhD in sociology. They talk about criminology and sociology. She's surprised by the gaps in his knowledge, especially considering he's a teacher. He tells her to give him a reading list. She pulls him onto the dance floor and they dance for a minute. He asks if they can go someplace where they can talk. She walks off and pulls him along.

Outside, she finally tells him her name. She offers him pot, but he declines. She leads them to a car and he's surprised she's going to drive after drinking, but gets in the car with her anyway.

At Debbie's place, she asks him about his work. He explains that he tracked soldiers who had gone AWOL. She lights a bong and offers it to him after taking a hit. After a moment, he takes a hit. He starts coughing.

The next day, Holden is running at the academy and startles at the gunfire from the range.

Holden and Debbie watch Dog Day Afternoon in a theater. Debbie falls asleep, but Holden is engrossed in the story.

As they leave the theater, Holden talks about the story and how he empathized with the characters even though they were criminals. He talks about the FBI sending women out of the room if certain words were being said.

Back at Debbie's place, they have sex and she says several of the words he listed.

Holden observes a class as cadets learn from a staged crime scene. He talks to Shepard about going to UVA to study criminal psychology. Shepard isn't convinced it's necessary, but Holden wants to know what current thinking is. Shepard says they don't understand the criminal mind, but Holden says they know something. Shepard says that as far as the FBI's concerned, psychology is for backroom boys. Holden doesn't know what a backroom boy is. Shepard says it's just frowned upon. Holden just wants to use everything they can. Shepard says he'll do what he can to get Holden money to audit some classes, but makes Holden promise to use the time for recruitment.

**Charlottesville, Virginia**

Holden has arrived at UVA. He is sitting in on a class and takes notes on criminology. The professor raises the question of if criminals are made or born.

After class, Holden sits down with the professor. Holden says that where he comes from, they believe criminals are born that way. The professor thinks that'll never change because it's easy. It lets them off the hook. Holden tries to introduce himself, but Leo Buchanan knows who he is. Everyone does. Holden says he's not a spy, but tries to recruit him to lecture at the FBI. He's shocked and quickly leaves, saying he won't.

Holden talks to Debbie about his lack of success with Buchanan. He's riled up that the professors seem to think they're worthy of a spying operation. Debbie says people will never forgive the FBI for John and Yoko. Debbie pulls the comb out of his pocket and tells him that people think he's wearing a wire. She dumps it in a cup and says he's one of them now.

Holden shows his class Dog Day Afternoon and asks them what law enforcement is doing wrong during the hostage situations. Holden explains to them that they always need to expect complicated.

He takes the cadets into a room and has them make up their own hostage scenarios and try to solve them. Holden gives guidances from the sidelines. When things get tense, Holden explains that they're doing the exercise to psychologically prepare them for the reality of a hostage situation. He wants them to have other solutions beyond firearms.

After the class, Holden talks to Shepard about what he's doing. Shepard's not sure it's effective. He says if Holden wants to create new exercises, he needs to talk to the Behavioral Science Unit. He agrees to set up a meeting.

At lunch, Bill Tench approaches Holden and introduces himself. He's with the BSU. They sit down together and talk about his new schooling. Bill knows he's recruiting at UVA. Bill knows he's eager to do good. Holden says he just wants to be a better teacher. Bill explains the work that he does, traveling the country to teach cops what they know. He offers Holden a job helping him.

Holden has sex with Debbie. Holden asks if she orgasmed. She's shocked he asked. He doesn't know why she's with him. They talk about it and agree she's his girlfriend. She says she's with him because he's smart and nice. He gets up to leave, saying he has to get up early.

**Fairfield, Iowa**

Bill and Holden drive to their first job and Bill gives Holden a heads up that the law enforcement there will be tense because they're spooked due to their new case. He tells Holden not to talk to reporters or say they're from the FBI. After they park, a reporter approaches them and asks for confirmation that they're from the FBI. They ask about the Jeffries case. Bill says he doesn't know what they're talking about. Bill says they're instructors.

Bill shows a slideshow about the psychology of crime with Holden's assistance. They talk about potential triggers for criminals who have never killed before. Holden goes more in depth on what they're talking about it, but loses the attention of his audience. Holden says they're looking for less obvious impulses. The cops ask why he didn't just say it like that in the first place.

At the hotel, Bill tells Holden to keep it simpler when they're teaching. Holden tells Bill about a psychological experiment, in which you get on an elevator and face the opposite direction. It makes people uncomfortable for reasons they can't explain. If you turn around, everyone relaxes. Bill asks how they do that. Holden asks what they have in common. What keeps them all awake at night.

Holden shows the cops a picture of Charles Manson and encourages them to ask about how his childhood may have influenced his crimes. One cop says Manson was just born that way: evil. Holden reminds the that technically, he never killed anyone. Holden talks more about how they should have seen it coming. One officer says they did see it coming. That's why he was institutionalized. Holden challenges them to think about how that may have contributed to him becoming a monster. Bill steps in and tries to calm down the situation. One cop is particularly upset because he's from the Los Angeles Police Department and knows everyone who worked the Manson Family murders.

At a diner, Bill tells Holden he needs to figure out his audience before he starts telling stories like that. The same cop, Frank McGraw, approaches them and introduces himself. He then apologizes for his reaction and tells them about the Ada Jeffries case. She was bound and stabbed. Her son's throat was cut. Frank says he doesn't understand the psychology entirely and doesn't want to bother them. They say it's fine and move to another booth. Frank tells them about Ada and how she was always trying to be helpful. Holden asks how they can help.

They review photos of the crime scene. Ada and her son with both sodomized with a broomstick before being killed. They believe he might be impotent. Frank says he has no suspects. They believe the killing was pre-meditated because he was prepared and didn't leave anything. Holden wonders if the murder was about Ada or about her son. Holden asks if the broomstick was the same broom she used to sweep the church steps. Frank gets upset because Holden can't give him the answers he's looking for. Bill tries to be diplomatic about it, but Holden just says he don't know anymore than he does and leaves.

In the car, Holden explains what he meant by being in the dark. They don't know why Ada was killed. It's not something they know anything about. Holden is upset about that. Bill asks if Holden has a girlfriend. Holden says he does. Bill says next time he's away from home and flips his shit, he needs to find a payphone and tell his girlfriend about it.

## Cast

* Holden Ford
* Bill Tench
* Debbie Mitford
* Robert Shepard
* Peter Rathman
* Frank McGraw
* Ninkovich
* Cody Miller
* Sissy Miller
* Leo Buchanan
* Hostage
* Quantico Instructor
* Trainee Mike
* Trainee Mark
* Trainee Chris
* Trainee Steve
* Trainee Sullivan
* Iowa Reporter #1
* Iowa Reporter #2
* 1x01IowaPoliceCaptain.pngIowa Police Captain
* Iowa Police Officer #1
* Iowa Police Officer #2
* Iowa Police Officer #3
* Iowa Police Officer #4
* Iowa Police Lieutenant
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### Main Cast

* Jonathan Groff as Holden Ford
* Holt McCallany as Bill Tench
* Hannah Gross as Debbie Mitford
* Cotter Smith as Unit Chief Shepard

### Also Starring

* Jordan Gelber as Peter Rathman
* Thomas Francis Murphy as Detective McGraw
* Lee Sellars as Ninkovich
* David H. Holmes as Cody Miller
* Julia Crockett as Sissy Miller
* Thomas Phillip O'Neill as Leo Buchanan

### Other Cast

* Joanna Lowe as Hostage
* Carter Bratton as Quantico Instructor
* Ben Mathews as Trainee Mike
* Jordan Kantola as Trainee Mark
* Zach Steffey as Trainee Chris
* Leighton Samuels as Trainee Steve
* Chris Boylan as Trainee Sullivan
* Courtney DeCosky as Iowa Reporter #1
* Derek Leonidoff as Iowa Reporter #2
* Paul Hickert as Iowa Police Captain
* Adam John Daveline as Iowa Police Officer #1
* David Bodenschatz as Iowa Police Officer #2
* Ari Blinder as Iowa Police Officer #3
* Alexander Stine as Iowa Police Officer #4
* Patrick Noonan as Iowa Police Lieutenant

## Notes and Trivia

* Holden and Shepard reference Elvis Presley's army career. The FBI also had files on Elvis.
* On his way into the campus in Charlottlesville Virginia to study and recruit candidates for the FBI Holden passes some Krishnas recruiting on campus as well. The Krishnas were one of numerous eastern inspired religious sects that began in the 60's and 70's, many of which evolved into dangerous cults. Krishna leaders and followers such as Kirtanananda Swami were charged with various crimes such as murder, extortion, and child abuse.

## Quotes

"Let me tell you something about aberrant behavior. It's fucking aberrant. If we understood it, we'd be aberrant too." —Bill Tench