No One Saw a Thing | Thursday, 11 p.m., Sundance
In the six-part docuseries “No One Saw a Thing,” Israeli-born filmmaker Avi Belkin stitches a psychological thread through nearly 40 years of seemingly unrelated violent events in dusty Skidmore, Mo., current population 263. They include the 1981 vigilante murder of town bully Ken Rex McElroy, whose killing by multiple gunmen was witnessed by dozens of residents, yet no one was arrested; the unsolved April 2001 disappearance (and presumed murder) of 20-year-old Branson Kayne Perry; and the December 2004 strangulation death of 8-months-pregnant Bobbie Jo Stinnett, 23, whose unborn baby was cut from her womb.
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LA-based Belkin, 41, also produced “Mike Wallace Is Here,” a documentary on the legendary “60 Minutes” journalist, in theaters now. Belkin talked with The Post about Skidmore’s history of violence.
What drew you to the events in Skidmore?
I’m more attracted to the steam of the story than the subject matter. Why is this violence happening ? Not looking for a true crime story, but looking for an answer for that.
Did you find one?
Well, there’s a lot of different layers, especially about the origin of violence. An element that goes unnoticed in today’s society is the legacy, the influence, that vigilante phenomena have in culture and society. Especially people in that rural area of Missouri, who grew up on Jesse James, grew up on the Bald Knobbers — one of the first vigilante groups in America — grew up on stories of outlaws in the Wild West, taking the law into their own hands. It prioritizes solving problems with violence.
What questions did you have about McElroy?
A question we raise is, “How do you become a bully?” He was No. 13 out of 14 kids. His father was very tough and beat him. I imagine that trickles down into Ken. One of the most interesting questions raised was that if he was the bad apple, the only cause of trouble, why didn’t the violence end when he was killed?
What effect does the killing of Ken Rex McElroy have on the town?
The message to them is the same and perpetuates a cycle of violence. It was a community act. The numbers vary between one to four shooters, but at least 60 people — basically the whole town — knew who did it. They’re all covering up; they all sanctioned that killing and have lied about it for decades. But all those people have kids and family members who sit in that bond of silence, that conspiracy.
Several of McElroy’s children talked for the first time on the record with you. Were you surprised?
I wasn’t surprised because we went about it the right way. Up until this point, most stories have been told from the town’s perspective: that he was a monster, that we had to get rid of him because law enforcement was not doing their job, and we killed him. We were very much interested in getting both sides of the story.
Do some residents seem proud about the so-called “vigilante justice” that was carried out?
Yeah, of course. Vigilantism today in American culture is celebrated. Most of the heroes glorified on screen and TV are vigilantes because they took the law into their own hands and got rid of the problem. A lot of people feel justice was done that day — but others feel that whatever he did, this was still murder, and the price the town paid and keeps paying was too high.
— Eric Hegedüs
And here’s what else to watch this week:
Summer Under the Stars: Marlon Brando | Saturday, starting at 6 a.m., TCM
America’s greatest actor owns two roles: Stanley Kowalski in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” on view at 5:45 p.m., and Terry Malloy in “On the Waterfront” at 8 p.m. Grouped around these classics is an assortment of films, from “Mutiny on the Bounty” at 2:30 p.m. and “The Freshman” at 4:15 a.m.
Shark Week | Sunday-Saturday, Discovery Channel
The annual weeklong festival about the lives and times of the world’s shark population. Among the highlights: “Legend of Deep Blue” (Mon, 9 p.m.). Shark experts head to Guadalupe Island to search the depths for Deep Blue, believed to be the largest great white, measuring nearly 22 feet and weighing over 2 tons. And then there’s “I Was Prey” (Fri., 10 p.m.). Leeanne Ericson is out for an afternoon swim in sunny California when suddenly she is attacked by a great white shark and dragged under.
Million Dollar Listing | Thursday, 9 p.m., Bravo
Fredrik Eklund stands to score big on a property near Billionaire’s Row, but he may need a DeLorean back to the ’80s to find a buyer for its totally dated look. Ryan Serhant takes time out from the birth of his first child to come up with a clever idea to sell a Brooklyn Heights mansion perched over the BQE.
Four Weddings and a Funeral | Wednesday, Hulu
Series premiere. Maya (Nathalie Emmanuel) travels to London to attend the wedding of a college classmate (Rebecca Rittenhouse). Maya’s presence produces a chain reaction among her set of friends.
Snowfall | Wednesday, 10 p.m., FX
Sergeant Andre Wright’s (Marcus Henderson) battle with the Saint family becomes personal. Teddy (Carter Hudson) is forced to clean up the mess left by Gustavo (Sergio Peris-Mencheta).
A Black Lady Sketch Show | Friday, 11 p.m., HBO
Series premiere. Issa Rae co-produces this show featuring her and her friends, including the effervescent Yvonne Orji of “Insecure,” doing skits that range from the suggestive to the crass and prove that women are better off without men — and maybe vice versa.
City on a Hill | Sunday, 9 p.m., Showtime
Jackie (Kevin Bacon) goes on the rampage after his daughter’s brush with death. Meanwhile, Frankie (Jonathan Tucker) and Jimmy (Mark O’Brien) try to buy guns for the next hit.