TV Review: “Death in Apartment 603” Reexamines the Mysterious Death of Ellen Greenberg

Please Note: This review and docuseries heavily feature talk of suicide. Discretion is advised.

In 2011, the promising life of a young Philadelphian woman came to a tragic end when Ellen Greenberg was found dead in her apartment. The authorities quickly ruled her death to be a suicide, but a more devious motive was lurking not too far beneath the surface – in fact, plainly obvious for all to see. The death of Ellen Greenberg is the focus of Hulu’s latest true-crime docuseries from ABC News Studios – Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg?

Ellen Greenberg was just 27 years old when she tragically died in January 2011, but her upbringing showed promise for this beautiful young lady. Many clips of a joyous Ellen from her time hosting her high school’s news report are shown. As the narrative moves into Ellen’s adult life, we learn that she has an infatuation with love and finding the right person, which appears to happen when she meets her eventual fiance, Sam. Everything appears to be going perfectly for the couple as they approach their wedding day, but as the events of January 26th soon show, that was not meant to be.

When Sam reportedly found Ellen dead in their apartment with a knife sticking out of her, he frantically called the police, and they ruled her death a suicide – even though her autopsy ruled her death a homicide. But, anyone who bothered to look at her body would find 20 stab wounds and 11 bruises, many on her back – likely impossible for her to do to herself. By the end of the first episode, the case is ruled a homicide instead, but the question remains: why was it ruled a suicide in the first place?

The docuseries does an excellent job painting a portrait of Ellen, making you really feel for her and some of the struggles she’s going through. We get to hear from many of Ellen’s family and friends, including her parents, who have been fighting for justice for their daughter in the 14 years since her untimely death. The docuseries puts a lot of the suspicion onto Ellen’s fiance, Sam, explaining some of the weird ways he behaved in the time around her death.

From an aesthetic perspective, I appreciate the timeline that pops up on the screen from time-to-time, as it really helps you keep things straight in your mind as the narrative jumps around. After just watching the first episode, I’m absolutely intrigued enough to continue to find out the rest of Ellen Greenberg’s tragic story. You can do the same for yourself, as all three episodes of Death in Apartment 603: What Happened to Ellen Greenberg? are now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

Read More ABC News Studios Reviews: