HBO’s The Mortician Is So Gross I Almost Turned It Off—Why I Can’t Stop Watching

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❗️Caution: This discussion might reveal minor spoilers from the premiere episode of “The Mortician”. Watch it exclusively on Max if you wish to proceed, as viewing is done at your own peril!

Being a fan of gripping true crime dramas, I was captivated when I came across “The Mortician” on the 2025 TV listings. However, my initial excitement waned as HBO’s new series delved into the heinous crimes committed by David Sconce, a cremator who ended up behind bars for disrespecting human remains in ways that left me feeling queasy.

Upfront admission: The first episode of “The Mortician” was incredibly grim and almost had me changing the channel. However, despite Sconce, a character who has served ten years of his sentence, casually discussing some of the most distressing true crime topics I’ve encountered, I found myself drawn to finish it. Before diving into why I’m hooked, let’s discuss what makes this series so unsettling.

Viewers Will Need A Strong Will To Get Through Some Of The Gruesome Details In The Mortician

Initially, I thought that watching the show “The Mortician” would not be a big challenge for me since I’m accustomed to hearing gruesome details about murders during investigations. However, I underestimated it significantly. Contrary to my assumption, what David Sconce did to dead bodies was far more disturbing than merely taking someone’s life.

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Instead of delving into every gruesome detail uncovered in the docuseries about Sconce and his staff’s crimes at their crematorium, let me share one particularly harrowing account: His ex-wife recounted discovering him in their garage armed with a hammer and some teeth. It turns out that there’s significant profit in reselling gold fillings, if you can stomach the repeated act of crushing teeth with a hammer.

One example among many graphic details found in “The Mortician” is shockingly gruesome compared to what I anticipated, especially since Netflix’s “Con Man” was more about sadness than gross-out scenes. In actuality, this documentary may rank as one of the most extreme true crime productions I’ve seen recently for its graphic descriptions of crimes, and my impression of it as such was formed after watching only the first episode.

Anticipating what lies ahead, given the powerful introduction of some truly disturbing events in the initial episode. The conclusion suggests even more intense content may follow, and while I recoil at the thought of how much darker it could become, there’s a compelling draw that keeps me engaged, hoping the emotional turmoil I experience is justified by its impact.

The Tease Of A Suspicious Murder Has Me Hooked On Finishing This Series

It’s not unexpected, given HBO produced the intriguing true crime series The Jinx, that The Mortician also concludes with a mysterious murder hinting at Sconce’s guilt. Generally, I dislike such suspenseful cliffhangers to end the first episode of a true crime series, but this one has me captivated nonetheless.

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As a cinema enthusiast, I must say, this film has captivated me in an unprecedented way because it skillfully paints a vivid picture of Sconce’s character. What strikes me is his fixation on human remains and the cold disregard he shows for their former identities as living, breathing individuals with families and loved ones who mourned them deeply. It’s chilling to see how he turns these tragic losses into profits, seemingly unbothered by the humanity that once was.

In the chilling portrayal of this film, the graphic depictions serve a grim necessity, leaving no doubt in the viewer’s mind about the character Sconce’s propensity for violence. However, it remains to be seen whether the mounting evidence will convincingly implicate him in cold-blooded murder, particularly given his alleged involvement in clandestine activities that threaten to unravel his criminal empire. The trailer tantalizingly hints at Sconce’s potential confession of a hitherto unknown crime, adding an intriguing layer of suspense to the storyline.

The Mortician May Not Feel Like The Standard True Crime Series, But I Have High Hopes

I’ve chatted with some friends who are fans of true crime, and they’re interested in watching “The Mortician”, but several have expressed reservations because it doesn’t seem like the typical kind of narrative we usually see from this genre. Instead, they tend to prefer stories about high-profile cases such as Gabby Petito or other well-known murders, and less inclined towards those that don’t feature a known perpetrator.

In case you missed it, there’s a possibility we might uncover fresh insights about David Sconce by the conclusion of this docuseries. Moreover, the debut episode demonstrated to me that true crime can still be unsettling, captivating, and graphic even when the subject isn’t necessarily a murderer outright. To reiterate, I was taken aback by how much the initial episode chilled me, more so than any other true crime series I’ve watched in recent years, leaving me feeling uneasy and squeamish.

If you share my fascination with “The Mortician” but found the disturbing details in the first episode challenging, you’ll be glad to hear that this series is shorter than many true crime docuseries. This three-part series will wrap up within a few more weeks, giving you the option to binge-watch it all at once if you wish. However, keep in mind that after watching the first episode, I might advise against anyone I know opting for cremation! Once completed, the series will be available on HBO Max.

If you want to follow the series as it unfolds, don’t forget to tune into “The Mortician” on HBO every Sunday at 9:00 p.m. ET. I’ll be there, maybe hiding my eyes when things get gruesome, but I can’t wait to see where this story leads us.

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2025-06-04 22:08