Why doesn't Netflix true crime documentary attempts to explain the 2013 disappearance and death of its 21-year-old subject, with various web sleuths exploring every possible conspiracy theory. By the end, the interviewees collectively reach the same conclusion about what actually happened to Lam, which may leave viewers wondering about the odd storytelling structure.
Directed by Joe Berlinger, Crime Scene does indeed present the most basic facts right way. In the first episode, a dozen interviewees discuss the history of the infamous Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, and how Lam went missing there in January 2013. When the LAPD released the last-known footage of the young woman displaying strange behavior in an elevator, the clip quickly went viral and sparked numerous conspiracy theories. By late February 2013, Lam's corpse was discovered in a water tank on the Cecil Hotel's roof, which made the case even more bizarre. However, forensic pathologist Jason Tovar ultimately concluded that Lam accidentally drowned, presumably while experiencing a manic bipolar episode after going off her medication.
Crime Scene eventually leads viewers to the truth, but only after exploring multiple theories that are more about sensationalized speculation and less about evidence that could be used in court. The Netflix series capitalizes upon the investigative aspect, making it seem like the Lam case is somewhat of an unsolved mystery. Storywise, the documentary leans heavily on the perspectives of the featured so-called online sleuths, which gives the impression that they're slowly moving towards a huge revelation that could break the case. One of the featured interviewees, John Shobhani, gives the impression that something went majorly wrong with the investigation, when in fact the docies ends with him accepting the painful truth that Lam's mental health issues played a major role in her death.
Overall, the structure of Berlinger's Netflix documentary favors suspense over transparency. In that sense, Crime Scene gets the job done by providing audiences with a story about downtown L.A. mythology and the legacy of the Cecil Hotel. Once upon a time, the Night Stalker reportedly stayed there during his 1985 killing spree, and legend has it that "The Black Dahlia," Elizabeth Short, visited the bar on the night of her disappearance in 1947. For three-plus episodes, Crime Scene wants the audience to believe that something, or someone, played a role in Lam's demise, however, Berlinger then backs off that idea and reveals that the Lam story isn't all that salacious or mysterious. The subject went off her meds and didn't receive the help that she needed.
The story of Elisa Lam is both complex and bizarre, but so are the stories of many people who live on Skid Row or at the Cecil Hotel. What's especially tragic, however, is that downtown L.A. is just strange enough where a 21-year-old Canadian woman with mental health issues can blend in with the crowd. Day to day, Lam kept in touch with her parents during her California trip, but then something happened that led her astray. That's the real mystery. Lam was apparently kicked out of a talk show and left threatening notes for her roommates, but these events seem to have transpired after something went seriously wrong. Crime Scene provides shock entertainment for Netflix viewers, but perhaps more time should've been spent exploring what triggered Lam to go off her medication. Depression? A troubling downtown L.A. experience? Unfortunately, viewers learn little about the specifics of Lam's bipolar disorder and more about how the Night Stalker once roamed the Cecil Hotel in his bloody underwear; another part of L.A. lore.