The past few years have seen a major upsurge in true crime shows, which are gripping the attention of audiences all over and catching record-breaking ratings. These crime stories often have viewers glued to the screens and provide top-notch entertainment whilst generating millions in profits for streaming companies. However, the genre is met with unavoidable conversations about the glamourisation of serial killers and the exploitation of real-life tragedies. Nowadays, many viewers seem to have an unhealthy obsession with these shows and can be seen romanticising criminals. Beneath the innocent fascination with true crime lies a never-ending debate regarding the psychological and societal harm the genre has on the world and its viewers.
Portraying true crime
As true crime falls into the entertainment industry, companies such as Hulu and Netflix are often well equipped with the formula of making a show a viral success. The problem comes in when considering how ethical it is for an entertainment company to deviate from the true events of the crime, adding scenes that aim to have the viewer empathise with the criminal. Netflix’s miniseries The Staircase received strong backlash, as many critics noticed calculated omissions in the retelling of events that allowed the criminal character to be portrayed more favourably.
Because a company’s overall goal is to maximise profit, they tend to blur the lines between entertainment and reality. Shows often adopt a “selective victimisation approach”, with notable disparity in how stories about people of certain demographics are covered. American entertainment companies often favour shows with white female victims, failing to cover stories involving African American victims. This is disconnected from the unfortunate reality that African Americans make up a higher percentage of crime victims. For example, according to the Statista Research Department, the FBI reported that of the total number of murder victims in 2022 in America, 10 470 were African American, while 7 704 were white. However, white victims and stories seem to dominate the true crime genre, contributing to misconceptions about what the common victims and perpetrators look like.
The commercialisation of crimes contributes to this debate regarding the ethical, or rather unethical, nature of true crime. The repetitive retelling of crime stories through the lens of the perpetrator has become a popular approach that seems to generate higher views. This approach often creates a romanticised version of the serial killer, moulding a fanbase that tends to ignore the killer’s harmful acts. True crime productions often justify their programs by arguing that they are shedding light on the lives and stories of these victims. Yet, when met with resistance from victims and families, the production team gather their forces and push on.
It is imperative to realise the real suffering and consequences of true crime obsessions. Some of these re-enactments are insensitive to victims and, if not done correctly, this glorification may cause viewers to forget who the true antagonist is. Often, shows do not request or receive consent from the victim or their families, and this raises the morality issues of the production. Eric Perry, a relative of one of Dahmer’s victims, had expressed on social media how Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story had re-traumatised him. The darker side of true crime stories can also be seen in a real-life event where a South Korean girl who loved true crime became obsessed with “trying out a murder”. After taking inspiration from crime programmes, she ultimately crafted a murder and was later incarcerated.
The casting
The casting of seemingly attractive actors to portray killers and creating a sympathetic backstory leads the viewer to empathise with and romanticise the criminal. Casting Zac Efron, a man who has twice been voted “the sexiest man alive”, as the infamous serial rapist and killer Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile seemed a rather specific and peculiar choice. Another good example is the casting of heart-throb Evan Peters in Netflix’s hit series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and the addition of a “quirky” nature to his character. The series quickly became one of Netflix’s most watched shows, with many viewers tuning in to not only indulge in the intriguing story, but also the attractive lead actor. Online viewers expressed sentiments of understanding “why Dahmer ended up killing people” based on the isolation and bullying he endured, as if those are fair grounds to excuse murder. True crime often narrates the events in a way that allows viewers to develop an emotional connection with the criminal. The addition of an unfortunate childhood backstory makes viewers perceive the criminal as merely a product of his environment, deserving of sympathy.
The obsession
There is no definitive explanation for why viewers have fallen in love with true crime. People have explained how these crime stories allow them to become familiar with the legal system and the world. Although education on the justice system and human interaction is of great importance, it is equally important for viewers to remind themselves of the vital element of true crime: entertainment. Dean Fido, a Psychology lecturer at the University of Derby, suggests that true crime offers “excitement and an intellectual challenge” for viewers, which can be a reason for this ever-growing fascination. Fido further posits that it is inherent in humans to be drawn to new situations that activate their problem-solving skills in their homes. Subsequently, viewers find satisfaction in seeing justice being served for heinous crimes and are drawn to these shows for that very feeling.
True crime also allows people to experience dangerous situations without actually being the victim thereof, adding to the excitement factor of these productions. Vicariously living through a dangerous situation can also help viewers discover what to do if they ever fall victim to such a crime, and this can give them an idea of what type of people and situations they should probably avoid. This explanation is not uncommon when one looks at the female audience, who make up the largest portion of viewers. Female viewers appreciate true crime shows because in the real world they often feel like victims, and they watch these shows in an attempt to learn strategies for survival and understand a killer’s common motives.
Responsibility falls onto the viewer to establish that true crime stories are told for many reasons: to spread news and awareness of crimes and to keep you watching to generate a profit for streaming companies. Although this fascination with true crime can be explained through various factors relating to psychology, portrayals, and society, viewers must be self-aware and consume this type of media mindfully. The entertainment industry is a product of combining freedom of expression with profit. Life imitates art, and art imitates life. But when companies blur the lines between life and art, and viewers are left with sexy serial killers and real-life trauma, the script of Making a Murderer is left in the hands of the viewer, to either embody or leave on the screen.
