If you’ve been bingeing the new Netflix original series Mindhunter since it dropped a couple of weeks ago, you’re not alone. The show, which explores the early days of criminal profiling in the FBI‘s Behavioural Science Unit, is truly gripping and contains some pretty fucked-up stuff, including but not limited to the main character’s name.
We meet Special Agent Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) in the first few moments of the premiere ep, and when he introduces himself every single Aussie has found themselves snort-laughing.
Holden. Ford. They may as well have named him “Special Agent Car Vehicle”.
Of course, Twitter has become the forum for everyone to air their Holden Ford-related grievances, and plenty of Aussie/car enthusiasts have done so with much enthusiasm.
mindhunter looks interesting, but i’m not sure i could take a lead character called holden ford seriously
— dadmiral hackett (@rennemiles) October 25, 2017
2. Jonathan Groff’s character is named Holden Ford, and we just can’t believe no one checked that in Google.
— Liz 🦑 (@_lizbarr) October 14, 2017
ok who is the australian jokester writing mindhunter pic.twitter.com/v9byDFLy77
— Bec Shaw (@Brocklesnitch) October 21, 2017
The lead character in the new Fincher series is ‘Holden Ford’ and it is [sniffs] so great to see Bathurst make the big time [single tear].
— Andrew Weatherall (@AndyDW_) October 14, 2017
Watching #Mindhunter on #Netflix. Detective’s name is Holden Ford. Does he realize he’s a walking car advertisement?
— Elizabeth Best (@ElizabethBest) October 14, 2017
Talk about cognitive dissonance. Netflix’s Mindhunter lead character name Holden Ford will blow bogan minds. #Netflix
— SimonMaudeJourno (@MaudeJourno) October 14, 2017
Quick one. So the main character of Mindhunter is Holden Ford… Was Mazda Renault taken?
— SFW (@cinnamonwalsh) October 14, 2017
https://twitter.com/simonmiraudo/status/919349333543174144
Trying to get through VERY SRS CRIMESHOW Mindhunter without snickering at the character name ‘Holden Ford’. Was Dodge McChryslerson taken? 😂 pic.twitter.com/HCVqjDLMDj
— Meredith (@mezosaurus) October 14, 2017
https://twitter.com/laylaviiolet/status/919035742856155136
https://twitter.com/allanahfaherty/status/919201054532816896
https://twitter.com/JackDeeth/status/918936960122712065
That last Twitter user was sorely mistaken. Because shortly after the show premiered, it was revealed that Mindhunter‘s creator Joe Penhall is from South Australia and he was trolling us THE ENTIRE TIME.
“The hero of the show is indeed named after the cars,’’ the now London-based Penhall told News.com.au. “I started with (the name) Holden after Holden Caulfield in Catcher In The Rye, the ultimate young green antihero of American literature. But I was driving a Holden when I came up with the idea, a rental, and it got me thinking…and Ford seemed the obvious second name.”
A little too obvious, some may argue. But good for the LOLs all the same.