Late last year, NBC Peacock announced it was producing a true crime documentary on Asa Ellerup, the wife of accused Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann. For $1 million, they get to follow the estranged wife through the next year and a half and see how her life unfolds as the case goes to trial.
Who knew marrying a serial killer was a stepping stone to a Netflix deal? Knowing that if “it bleeds, it leads,” the video-on-demand service wasted no time. Judging from its wildly successful “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” and “Dahmer” series, Netflix knows the true crime audience cannot consume enough of the genre.
There is something uninspiring about earning income from the deaths of young women. Heuermann has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He is also the prime suspect in the death of a fourth woman. Authorities believe he is guilty of more.
The purpose of the true crime genre is to transform a tragedy into entertainment, which damages the audience and the victims’ families, and its goal seems to be on target.
Often driven by social media speculation, the popularity of these mediums, such as podcasts and documentaries, begs the question: Why is such a violent topic absorbed or consumed by so many, and how is this enjoyment affecting our ethics and culture?
According to Pew Research, 34% of Americans who listened to a podcast in the past year said they regularly listen to podcasts about true crime, according to another Pew Research Center study from 2022.
Furthermore, video plays a significant role, with fans watching true crime content from Netflix (62%), followed by YouTube (42%) and Amazon Prime Video (36%). Consumers enjoyed an average of 3.8 hours of true crime per week, but Gen Z tuned in 4.6 hours per week.
A driving factor behind the popularity of true crime is the inevitable fame of these killers, which glamorizes them and their crimes. This, in turn, leads back to social media and podcasts flowing with admiration and curiosity that comes from true crime “fans.”
Riding the wave of the true-crime explosion, Netflix cast dreamboat actor Zac Efron as Ted Bundy in its movie “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” a documentary about the serial killer and his crimes.
This casting was apparently meant to represent the attractive and charming nature Bundy used to manipulate his victims, but it didn’t hurt that Efron has classic movie star looks. The movie and the Efron casting quickly led to social media content romanticizing Bundy and musing about his crimes.
Additionally, producing documentaries has never been easier. Once tedious and time-consuming, documentaries have become more accessible, and nobody produces a slicker documentary than Netflix.
With its trademark drone shots, single piano key accompaniment, graphic-designed timeline and dramatic titles, Netflix has patented the idea of a true crime documentary.
Regarding podcast production, all one needs is a microphone and the ability to edit and you’re ready.
Film professionals have always had access to production, but with easy accessibility, amateurs can also produce the genre, whether it’s in a YouTube video or a podcast.
Even if people have the tools to produce true crime, one still has to wonder how the genre has become such a benchmark in pop culture.
“Evil tends to fascinate us; we really want to read all about it. We want to know what drives someone to do these evil, thinkable acts because it’s so outside of our own realm—for most of us,” says Stacey Nye, a clinical professor of Psychology and director of the UW-Milwaukee Psychology Clinic.
Nye says people love the puzzle that true crime presents while loving the terror in a controlled environment. Like horror films, Nye explains, this genre allows people to imagine deep fear without experiencing it.
While we may feel safe engaging with true crime media, keep in mind the victims’ lives and subsequent deaths should not be capitalized for our amusement while their families suffer lifetime consequences.
We can’t stop the podcasts from rolling in or a Netflix production, but there are a few things we can do.
Stop scrolling social media, which offers a continued untangling of clues, details and motives.
While we’re at it, stop becoming caught up in glamorizing murderers. There isn’t any need to post about the latest actor or production, which will only encourage others to join in.
Finally, let’s stop true crime productions from exploiting true crime for profit. Stop lining their pockets by deleting your favorite true crime podcast and unsubscribing to Netflix.