True crime: Society’s growing interest in the despicable actions of others and how it proves to be good entertainment
EntertainmentOpinions February 9, 2020 Admin
BY JAELYN YEAMPIERRE
The true crime community has been rapidly growing over the last few years and with it has come an influx of true crime shows and documentaries across a variety of platforms. YouTube, Hulu and Netflix are some of the biggest platforms in which true crime stories have been recounted and this list contains the most intriguing ones.
1. “The People v. O.J Simpson” (2016)
“The People v. O.J Simpson” is a 10 episode FX narrative of the trial of former football player O.J Simpson for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. The O.J case is the center of the first season of FX’s true crime anthology “American Crime Story.” The show not only focuses on Simpson but also on the experience of lead prosecutor Marcia Clark.
2. “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” (2019)
Netflix released a bone-chilling limited series about America’s most famous serial killer Ted Bundy in January of 2019. Unlike other true crime series, “The Ted Bundy Tapes” use the actual recordings of serial killer Ted Bundy’s interviews with journalists in which he analyzes his own life while on death row. Although only four episodes long, “The Ted Bundy Tapes” are shocking and impactful.
3. “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” (2019)
Netflix’s film adaptation of the progression of serial killer Ted Bundy’s crimes stars Zac Efron as Bundy and is told from the point of view of Bundy’s then girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer (Lily Collins). Not only does it provide a fresh outlook on the story, but it also provides insight as to how Bundy’s charming personality managed to sway those closest to him from suspecting him to be a murderer. It’s disturbing in a different way once viewers are able to see the life Bundy lived with his girlfriend and her daughter, in which he was assumed to be a caring father figure.
4. “Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime” (2016)
The popular Youtube series “Buzzfeed Unsolved” is hosted by Buzzfeed entertainers Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara. With each new season comes the retelling of several unsolved true crime cases, with episodes typically averaging 20 minutes or longer. The series has become extremely popular since its premiere in February 2016, and has acquired thousands of viewers in the four years it has been running.
5. “The Act” (2019)
The Hulu original series “The Act” follows the life of Gypsy Rose Blanchard (Joey King) and her overprotective mother, Dee Dee Blanchard (Patricia Arquette). Gypsy Rose grew up with the knowledge that she had been chronically ill her entire life, living day-to-day with meticulous restrictions on what she could and couldn’t do, whether it was eating or simply going outside. “The Act” tells the story of Dee Dee Blanchard and how Munchausen syndrome by proxy led to her murder in 2015.
Overall, the true crime community continues to grow, with both older and younger generations showing interest in the shocking tales told each day. As the interest in true crime builds up, media platforms continue to provide viewers with content to satisfy their need to hear the truth unfold.
Photo courtesy of NPR
