Why true crime stories keep us hooked
Gruesome murders, icy psychopaths and hallways straight out of your worst nightmares—true crime content has long had us hooked. Why are we morbidly fascinated with these horrendous tales, and are our binge-watching habits the real crime? Let’s take a Deep Dive.
🎬 Crime movies have long been a staple of Hollywood. While they often highlight the negative consequences of criminal actions, they can also portray the protagonists as charismatic and intelligent.
🚩 True crime has become one of the fastest-growing genres among younger audiences, who are drawn to the thrill it triggers.
🗣️ 🗣️ Critics warn that romanticising crime and criminals while sidelining victims can unsettle viewers and risk normalising them.
QUOTABLE
“We want some insight into the psychology of a killer, partly so we can learn how to protect our families and ourselves, but also because we are simply fascinated by aberrant behaviour and the many paths that twisted perceptions can take.”
— Caitlin Rother, author
BY THE NUMBERS
57% Fifty-seven per cent of US adults consume true crime content, with women making up a larger proportion of the audience than men.
4.6 hours Zoomers spend 4.6 hours consuming true crime content each week.
US$407 million The Wolf of Wall Street, a biographical film about Jordan Belfort who was convicted of stock market manipulation, grossed US$407 million worldwide at the box office.
QUIZ
When did the true crime genre originate?
A. 16th century
B. 17th century
C. 18th century
D. 19th century
Scroll to the bottom for the answer.
DID YOU KNOW?
Businesses have capitalised on the public’s fascination with criminals by organising crime scene tours and selling related merchandise, further amplifying their publicity.
THE EDIT
🚨 Moral mystery. Netflix, the kingpin of true crime content, has faced criticism for its portrayal of convicted killer Jeffrey Dahmer in its drama Dahmer, with many questioning whether it sensationalised the serial killer’s crimes.
👀 Killer curiosity. Filmmakers have announced plans to create documentaries about Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione has developed an online fan base, proving that even alleged killers can go viral.
🪞A stab at fame. Serial killers like Ted Bundy and Aileen Wuornos have disturbingly become pop culture icons, with fandoms fuelled by online content and shows that frame them as aspirational figures.
WATCH
In this TedX talk, researcher Lindsey A Sherrill proposes four questions for true crime fans to reflect on, encouraging a more ethical approach to consuming such content.
THE FULL PICTURE
A 2023 survey by smart security brand Vivint found Netflix to be the leading platform for consuming true crime content, followed by YouTube and Amazon Prime Video. On Netflix, 65 per cent of true crime viewers were millennials.
KEY PLAYER
Reed Hastings
Reed Hastings, Netflix’s executive chairman in 2023 after 25 years as CEO, co-founded the company with Marc Randolph in 1997 as a flat-fee DVD rental service. In 2007, Netflix transformed into a streaming platform, revolutionising how users watch content online. By 2024, it had amassed a global subscriber base of 282 million.
HONOUREE TO KNOW
He Shuming
He Shuming’s debut film feature, the upbeat fish-out-of-water comedy Ajoomma, received four nominations at the 59th Golden Horse Awards. He also won Best New Director and was selected as Singapore’s submission for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards after premiering at the Busan International Film Festival.
ONE FINAL THING
William Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers, a fictional movie about a serial killer couple, was accused of inspiring numerous murders in North America and has been banned in some countries.
