Documentary

Don't Pick Up the Phone

DocumentaryCrime

Follows the investigation into a hoax caller who convinced managers to strip-search employees at fast food businesses across the United States.

Year

2022

IMDb

6.7

Episodes

3

Trailer

Cast

SM

Sara Mast

Director

Susan Spano

Narrator

BS

Buddy Stump

Self

CL

Connie Leonard

Self

VF

Victor Flaherty

Self

LO

Louise Ogborn

Self

DS

David Stewart

Self

SR

Steven Romines

Self

Geraldo Rivera

Self

Javier Leiva

Self, Host of Pretend Podcast

Daphne Lewis

Female Detective

WN

Walter Nix

Self

AO

Ann Oldfather

Self

RE

Randall E. Connelly

Self

AW

Andrew Wolfson

Self

TM

Tom McDonald

Self

JM

Jerry M. Burger

Self

WP

W.R. Patterson

Self

CH

Chris Hubbard

Self

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Comments

10 comments

laboudeuseAug 31, 2023

Nayara SilvaAug 31, 2023

Khawla ElhamiAug 31, 2023

Nedu WazobiaApr 28, 2023

The documentary was difficult to watch because of the content, but many of the reviews here are scoring it low because of the content the documentary presented rather than the way they presented it. If you aren't fascinated by the events, don't watch, but scoring a documentary low because you can't believe how stupid people can be is pretty stupid, as well. The documentary was well made. It could be slow at times, but overall, it did a great job presenting the information from the cases and balancing that info with true victims' statements. It's hard to believe that people could be so gullible and how compliant people can be when an authority figure is doing the instructing.

Z4UApr 28, 2023

We all know the kids who work at fast food joints aren't the brightest, but they are working and getting experience for the future. We now know that their managers are idiots. Anyone who strip searches a child, or anyone else for that matter, because someone on the phone tells him to is an incompetent, criminal, idiot. Each of the managers complicit in these crimes should be prosecuted. The evidence against Stewart was threadbare, and I can understand why a jury would not be convinced of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If MacDonalds knew about prior incidents, it should have warned its managers, but again they are idiots. I understand why MacDonalds was held liable for damages. I suspect that had MacDonalds warned about the prior incidents, the managers would have continued their criminal behavior, but MacDonalds would have not been found liable. Sending a warning is a whole lot cheaper than that lawsuit was. This story could have been told in a one hour episode instead of three. The podcaster added nothing to the story. The psychologist could have provided more information about the Milgram experiment. Like most Netflix documentaries, this was poorly done. Incidentally, Law and Order SVU (Season 9, Episode 17) deals with these crimes, with Robin Williams as the caller. It's well done. He got away too.

Madhouse GhanaApr 28, 2023

I truly feel for the victims in this case who were completely violated. It was very courageous of them to recount what happened. It made me sick that people in authoritative positions didn't question the caller. There was a good explanation of coercion. However, in the cases where it got to the point of sexual acts, it should've been an even more glaring red flag. The lack of informing employees from the fast food businesses where this occurred was an absolute failure. The lack of care from police and victim blaming is absolutely appalling for what these employees endured. I have the utmost respect for the detectives who didn't let this go and were determined to locate the person responsible. I appreciated the lawyers who fought for the victims and hearing their input. I was disappointed with the ending as I'm sure everyone involved in this case was as well. I have a theory. The guy's brother was a police officer and spared no expense with the bail and attorney. I think he purchased the cards and his brother made the calls. I wonder if they ever looked into the brother. This was a well-made documentary that highlighted the need to educate on what is not acceptable from anyone in a place of authority. I'm happy one of the victims was able to get some justice. I hope to see more justice for the others though. Either that or karma intervenes with the evil person responsible.

BikkingApr 28, 2023

I can't recall the last time I watched something engrossing and interesting on Netflix- the story only required 3 episodes to come together, and was told very well. That aside, it's an incredibly tough watch. I feel proud watching the officer from Mt Washington- what a great officer whose work came second to none. His horror over the crime was our horror as viewers, and I found myself wiping tears away, as well. I'm so sorry for all the TRUE victims of this monster, and the secondary monsters who were the real perpetrators of the many horrors committed on these young people. The attorneys trying to excuse this indescribable, horrific behavior is mystifying- yes, they were tricked into committing the crimes, but BY PHONE. No one forced these abhorrent deviants to commit the actions they did, yet they went forward anyway, making reprehensible decisions, AND THEN try to force the actions on to a monster on the phone, who at any time could have been ended, and it wasn't. How these monsters can proclaim them the victims is beyond my understanding; one even goes so far as to discuss HIMSELF as the victim and makes the obligatory apology at the end of his interview, but only as it relates to his own experience. My God, he committed assault and rape on a young girl and all he could whine and complain about was HIS treatment in society. Even when a cursory apology comes, it's only in relation to HIM. Exactly what part of being a manager of a fast food establishment makes you IN ANY WAY QUALIFIED to perform strip searches of employees, much less cavity searches, or having any contact with an unclothed MINOR? I don't care what your flimsy excuse is, there's no amount of convincing you can provide to get a rational person to perform this. The telling by the MA officer is infuriating- he's so full of himself and his abilities that, rather than taking the time to survey the suspect, is convinced of his supposed superior interrogation skills and blows the case. With zero proof other than very weak circumstantial evidence to go to trial, the inevitability descends and the case is blown to hell. As an impartial observer, I knew immediately there was no evidence a jury would convict with- only some calling cards that you see him buying. Of course no other jurisdiction will seek to prosecute, there's scant legal evidence and not much to charge this monster with under the law. This is the most apt comparison to Nuremberg I've seen in quite some time- despite the voluminous claims recently to the contrary, that simply following orders is never a valid excuse for committing unspeakable crimes. Despite the sociologist claiming evidence of 6 of 10 willing to follow orders, that still leaves 4 people who would do the right thing. Please, as a society, strive to grow that 40%, and despite an order, do what's right.

thakursadhana000Apr 28, 2023

Clearly this is a subject many reviewers have a strong opinion about, and I don't blame them. However, rating this doc a 3 or a 4 because YOU think the victims were stupid for falling for the hoax? That's just unnecessary. This documentary series could've been more concise, which is why I've rated it a 7, but overall it is a brutal and angering conveyance of an abhorrent man who got away with doing these despicable things for 10 years and to almost 100 people. I have truly never been more disgusted than when I heard the words of the defendant's lawyer. He clearly stated even that he thought his client was not innocent, but then still had the audacity to bring up true cases of police misconduct uncalled for.

Lane_y0195Apr 28, 2023

This program illustrates the fundamental moral depravity of the American people, the depravity of the McDonald's corporation, and the fact that no one should ever believe anything from police or others in authority. The fact that McDonald's managers in a position of authority were so eager to commit depraved crimes just because someone suggested it it to them is proof that the US is powerless against an evil, illegitimate government, an evil corporate oligarchy, and a general population that is ready willing and able to commit evil. America is a lost nation. It is Sodom and Gomorrah on a supernatural scale. This program illustrates the fundamental moral depravity of the American people, the depravity of the McDonald's corporation, and the fact that no one should ever believe anything from police or others in authority. The fact that McDonald's managers in a position of authority were so eager to commit depraved crimes just because someone suggested it it to them is proof that the US is powerless against an evil, illegitimate government, an evil corporate oligarchy, and a general population that is ready willing and able to commit evil. America is a lost nation. It is Sodom and Gomorrah on a supernatural scale.

zawwa🌸Apr 28, 2023

I have never heard of this story until this documentary came out and it left me heated. I know times were different but not that different to know that no police officer would call you and ask you to perform a strip search for them. Putting that aside, the caller asks for the bra size and that doesn't even raise any red flags to any of these managers?? Now, lets talk about sick Walter. I don't care what any "cop" says over the phone, you do not spank or rape someone PERIOD. There is no type of reasoning to me at least as to why any of these managers fell for this hoax. I'm sorry I just don't get it. All they had to do was hang up the phone and call the real police.