Blood Relatives

Blood Relatives is a gripping crime series that ran for six sensational seasons from 2012 to 2017 on Investigation Discovery. This chilling series delves deep into the complex dynamics of family relationships, unveiling how familial bonds can sometimes twist into dreadful tales of despair, deceit, and death.

Each episode of Blood Relatives explores a different family's journey, steadily unraveling the narrative of a gruesome crime committed within the private confines of what appeared to be typical homes. Viewers are brought along a mind-bending ride of suspense and shock as they piece together the details of crimes, whose perpetrators have emerged from the most unexpected of places - their family.

What sets Blood Relatives apart from other true crime shows is its extensive focus on the intricate relationships and emotion-fueled interactions between family members, painting a holistic and often harrowing picture of their shared history. Dripping with atmospheric tension, Blood Relatives lays bare the fact that lethal peril can lurk in the most familiar and beloved faces. The show suggests, quite unnervingly, that one's worst enemy isn't necessarily lurking in a shadowy alley but may be found sitting across the dinner table or within the sacred safety of one's home.

The show crafts a chilling narrative, interweaving accounts of crime-scene investigations, interviews of family members, friends, police officers, and attorneys involved in the case, coupled with expertly-crafted re-enactments of key events leading up to and including the tragic event itself. Taking the viewer backwards through timelines and memories enables Blood Relatives to rebuild the chain of events that contribute to a shocking climax and disturbing revelations about unsuspecting kin.

Blood Relatives is known for the creative construction of its storytelling. Beyond the traditional talking heads and dramatic re-enactment techniques common in most crime shows, it incorporates unique, symbolic visual techniques. Each episode begins with a mysterious and somewhat cryptic scene featuring a set of unspecified symbolic elements. These elements, often in the form of objects like an abandoned toy, a torn letter, or a broken piece of jewelry, make recurring appearances throughout the episode. The significance of these objects is only fully understood by the viewers towards the end, when their connections to the crime are revealed.

This dramatic show not only provides intriguing crime stories, but also delves into darker aspects of the human psyche by revealing how jealousy, greed, hatred, passion, or resentment simmering beneath the facade of familial love can lead to deadly consequences. The theme of the show forces a reconsideration of the meaning of 'family' and how deep-rooted problems, if left unaddressed, can shatter its foundations and ultimately lead to a catastrophic end.

Blood Relatives brings to light a chilling truth - sometimes the most grotesque evils hide behind the mask of familiarity and trust within a family. Dissecting complex relationships within a family setting, it is an engaging mix of detective-style investigative work and deep psychological analysis that holds up a disturbing mirror to the complexities of family dynamics and the lengths to which people will go when pushed to the edge by the very individuals they call 'family'.

Fans of true crime and mystery stories will find themselves captivated by Investigation Discovery's Blood Relatives. The intricate, almost puzzle-like narrative structure married with the twisted tales of family ties gone wrong, offer a unique entry in the overpopulated world of crime television programming. For anyone seeking something a bit different from the run-of-the-mill procedural fare, this show is, undoubtedly, a must-watch.

Blood Relatives is more than just a true crime series. It’s a deep, psychological appeal to humanity’s morbid curiosity about the unimaginable horrors that can fester within a family framework. As they say, ‘blood is thicker than water,’ but as Blood Relatives chillingly demonstrates, sometimes that same blood can be chillingly cold indeed.