Soon after the announcement Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer StoryNetflix returned with two more seasons and received a lot of backlash online. However, MonsterIt was popularly viewed, and was the second most-watched English-language show after Stranger things.
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Monster is a true-crime show, that charts Jeffery Dahmer’s crimes, who murdered 17 mainly Black men and boys between 1978 and 1991. One of the reasons for the backlash was the show profiting from Netflix, and how it made the victims’ families relive the trauma. Many of the victim’s family members spoke out against this, some even citing that they were never approached, a statement Ryan Murphy contradicted by saying the victims’ families Did not respond.
This tweet is a complete sham. This tweet is so wrong. https://t.co/OKVcHziypS
— ᴛᴏʙɪᴀꜱ (@Tobias_R__) November 8, 2022
Netflix has ignored all criticisms and controversy to launch despite it all. Monster’s anthology series. The streaming platform tweeted that the next two seasons will focus on “other monstrous figures who have impacted society.”
so glad that for years we’ve wrestled with the ethical consequences of true crime fanaticism and finally we’ve landed on a solution: “serial killer extended universe” https://t.co/M3SUspsrj7
— i want to bailey-ve 🛸 (@been_herde) November 7, 2022
This sparked another backlash from users, with the audience condemning Netflix on Twitter for the “commercialisation of murderers” for the sake of entertainment. Critics, too, have been probing Netflix’s choice to “Create a cinematic universe” of “monstrous figures” with newer seasons, and one even tweeted that this decision has “Society was pushed back by them for years.”
Netflix is considering American Horror Story the Monster. There are two more seasons to be ordered. No information on who will follow them (Gacy seems most likely, considering the increased viewership of the documentary post-Dahmer).
Dahmer “on target” to surpass 1B viewing hours (13.2M total views). pic.twitter.com/HAWdIc5NNm
— julia alexander (@loudmouthjulia) November 7, 2022
You can also ask someone else Tweet, “So glad that for years we’ve wrestled with the ethical consequences of true crime fanaticism and finally we’ve landed on a solution: ‘serial killer extended universe.” Another person agreed, saying, Netflix is “Franchising a bunch of psychotic, misogynistic serial killers like they’re the fucking avengers.”
Mhm, yep. Big fan of the dramatizations of serial killers’ activities for entertainment with no input from victims’ families and friends who would prefer not to have their loved ones’ stories used as a means of selling Netflix subscriptions.
— Ajax 🐀 (@ajaxtheabrasive) November 7, 2022
when you mix america’s fetish for heinous crime storytelling, a desensitized audience, and late stage capitalism this is what you get. it’s repulsive https://t.co/KEkAukA5IR
— kc🍒 (@vivrantgyal) November 8, 2022
While Netflix has been accused of ‘peddling’ people’s trauma for subscriptions, it has also sparked a larger discussion about the fascination with true crime. One user Tweeting: “When you mix America’s fetish for heinous crime storytelling, a desensitized audience, and late stage capitalism this is what you get. it’s repulsive.”
In addition to this, people have pointed out that while Netflix is at fault, it’s also the result of the obsession with the true crime genre amongst the masses. Another personTweet in conjunction with this, “I’m not a true crime fan but it’s funny how people are mad at Netflix and not the hundreds of millions of people who watched lol.”
ppl blaming hate watching but dahmer wasn’t successful bc of hate watch. avg ppl genuinely tuned into this bc the mythos of serial killers is alluring to one’s mundane life. that’s why true crime is so successful. These are fictional characters, not actual bad human beings who they victimize. https://t.co/zTFizGbRJJ
— unethical consumption of chiikawa (@thechurchofmoe) November 7, 2022
Some even agree with this side of the argument.Suggestions that Netflix should focus more on fictional crime stories, instead of “making money off the trauma of real people who are literally still alive today.”
Netflix is so wrong for that… y’all can be making new series with good and positive themes but they decide to profit out of tragedies and sadness
— by Nicole | YR2 💜 (@delightful_pov) November 7, 2022
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Netflix and other streaming platforms like it, have to rethink their content offerings. There are many ways to ensure that there is not too much commercialization of content, even if there is demand. Here’s an example: YouTheir hit series, ”, has a large fan following. There are many people who will take any kind of content. It all depends on the storyteller.
