Review: A Harrowing True Story of Survival in Hulu's "Stalking Samantha"

How do you balance kindness toward the lonely people of the world with the vulnerability that comes when you mistake a deeper issue for simple social awkwardness? This is the unsettling question at the heart of Hulu's new docu-series, Stalking Samantha, a chilling look into one woman's harrowing experience. A series of seemingly harmless encounters slowly escalates into a relentless campaign of fixation and ultimately, a kidnapping.

The show immediately immerses you in the high-stakes situation of her kidnapping, making it clear from the first frame what Samantha Stites endured. The series then rewinds us to the start, introducing us to Christopher, a man who initially seems unassuming and socially awkward. Samantha’s kindness is misinterpreted, and a fixation begins. It starts subtly, seeming to be in the same place at the same time, or watching her weekly frisbee practice. At the time, she brushes it off. But what begins as a seemingly harmless crush soon spirals into a relentless stalking campaign. A series of text messages wanting to visit her are initially dismissed, but the situation escalates dramatically when he tracks her down in a new town. The moment they realize he has found her apartment, two hours from his home, the true threat becomes undeniable.

Through interviews, primarily with Samantha herself, we piece together the events that led to her capture. Key perspectives are also provided by her childhood friends as well as the police who investigated the crime. The interviews are supplemented with dramatic reenactments of crime, all done very tastefully and avoiding sensationalistic touches.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the documentary is observing how many transgressions it took for Christopher's actions to be labeled as stalking by both Samantha and the courts. Through her own testimony, you can hear Samantha wanting to make excuses for his behavior, a stark contrast to how tough she is on herself. It’s not a surprise to find out she is a social worker because her empathy shows through her interviews. Even in retrospect, her disbelief is palpable, peppered with hedge language like being "like a prisoner" or it being "like a fight for my life," as if the reality is still too horrifying to state plainly.

The filmmaking itself is unnerving. The editing is tight, and an ominous score effectively builds suspense. In a particularly chilling move, the series incorporates footage from Christopher's own collection, forcing the audience into the viewpoint of the stalker. The series cleverly keeps you from hearing from Chirstopher himself until the third episode which keeps him as a mysterious and shadowy figure for the first two.

If there are any complaints, I’ll say I found the pacing on the first episode to be a bit of a slow burn. Because we know where the story is headed from the opening scene, the three episode structure forces the first one to be a long build up to the eventual kidnapping.

If you find yourself drifting, stick with it. The series truly hits its stride in the second episode. Post-kidnapping, the narrative transforms into a gripping battle of wits between Samantha and her psychopathic captor. As she quickly realizes in a chilling moment, the only hope she had to get out of the situation was through her mind. Her resourcefulness, analytical skills, and ability to keep her cool under unimaginable pressure make her as compelling as any heroine in a thriller novel. Her captivating account of how she outsmarted her attacker is one that audiences will find hauntingly unforgettable.

Stalking Samantha: 13 Years of Terror is an ABC News Studios production and is available to stream exclusively on Hulu starting August 19. Subscribers to the Disney+ bundle can also find it on Hulu on Disney+.

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