Page 47 - ADU Voice Volume 4 Issue 1

FALL 2024 • • • 47
and serial killer drama
Contrasting Views: all started. e roots of this genre can be traced
shows, one might wonder where it
back all the way to 17th-century China, but it
was the 1924 debut of the rst true crime mag-
Why True Crime SHOULD NOT ed its popularity. Magazines of the true crime
azine called “True Detective” that truly ignit-
genre saw a booming success during this time,
with six million copies sold every month.
be made into drama series Interestingly, true crime as a video media
genre saw its highest rise in popularity in the
early 2010s, and it’s no surprise big production
companies jumped on the wave of popularity,
with various TV shows and documentaries of
this genre appearing on our screens over the
last decade.
Nowadays, a new drama series based on true
crimes is being aired every month. However,
despite their widespread appeal, these dramas
are not without their ethical pitfalls.
Firstly, casting choices often prioritize attrac-
tiveness of the cast over sensitivity to the re-
al-world victims and their families.
e consequences of this approach became
painfully evident a er the release of Ted Bun-
dy’s Net ix series. Young individuals, having
developed problematic parasocial relationships
with on-screen Bundy, went on TikTok and be-
gan mimiking his victims, revealing the dan-
gerous romanticization fueled by sympathetic
portrayals of violent criminals.
Furthermore, true crime dramas force victims
and their families to relive traumatic experi-
ences. In the case of the infamous series “I am a
Killer,” documentation reveals how one victim’s
mother pleaded with the company not to re-
lease the project, stating, “As a parent, a fellow
human being: I beg you not to do this.” Unfor-
tunately, these pleas o en fall on deaf ears, and
the toll on the mental health of those who have
endured such horrors is immeasurable.
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Consequently, frequent exposure to this con-
tent might become the driving force behind a
viewer’s violent tendencies in the real world.
Viewers, becoming accustomed to these
shows, are at risk of desensitization, meaning
the viewer becomes less psychologically and/
time. Research suggests that this contributes
or physically a ected by violent content over
to a society more tolerant of real-life violence.
e ethical concerns go beyond the screen,
as many production companies operate with-
out legal obligations to consult the families of
victims’ stories. As these shows gain public
victims or seek permission for appropriating
attention, families o en nd themselves am-
bushed by reporters and paparazzi seeking
the best inside scoop.
Some claim that true crime dramas serve ed-
ucational purposes and increase awareness
of one’s surroundings. However, this claim is
easily invalidated due to the shows’ inherent
aim to entertain consumers through highly
dramatized scenes involving excessive vio-
lence for shock value.
Extracting useful information about protec-
tive measures from these dramas has limita-
tions and can fuel unnecessary paranoia. As
Dr. Chivonna Childs, a leading Cleveland
Clinic psychologist, warns: “When we watch
too much true crime, we start to worry
about the what-ifs. It can cause us to isolate
and to not fully live our lives.”
In conclusion, the explosive popularity of
true crime dramas comes at a high cost.
ey expose audiences to serious issues such
as romanticization of the o enders involved,
insensitivity towards the actual crime and
victims, and desensitization to aggressive
actions. True crime dramas, turning real-life
trauma into a pro table business venture,
should be scrutinized for the harm they may
in ict rather than the awareness they claim
to raise. ■