Excellent re-creation of the 1993 FBI attack on the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas

The 2018 (Netflix) series Waco (John Erick and Drew Dowdle) is a surprisingly thoughtful and multifaceted re-creation of the horrendous 1993 ATF/FBI raid on the Branch Davidian complex. What makes the series work so well is its double vision: Some seen from inside the complex, where some 130 people had settled under the dubious reign of David Koresh (Taylor Kitsch), a self-described prophet and savior, based on his interpretations of the various signs in the Book of Revelations (this material based on a memoir by one of the few survivors, David Thibodeau (Rory Culkin); others seen from the POV of the FBI crisis/hostage negotiator, Gary Noesner (Michael Shannon) who struggled over nearly 2 months trying to negotiate a peaceful surrender (based on Noesner’s memoirs). The Dowdle team does a great job in building the drama and tension and in the spectacular and terrifying re-creation of the eventual government shootout and attack. They build our sympathy, or at least our understanding, of both sides and are unequivocal in their contempt for the FBI over-reaction at the well-known tragic conclusion; I would say that they went a little too easy on the Davidians themselves – Koresh, of course, is depicted as a completely deranged and power-hungry fanatic, quite accurately I suspect, but the followers themselves are portrayed as sweet and angelic and completely harmless, which I found hard to believe – though they were by no means deserving of tragic fate.