Dramatization of Dahmer

A recent addition to the collection of various criminal biopics on Netflix, the series “Dahmer–Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” portrays the life of Jeffrey Dahmer in an unusual fashion. Rather than making Dahmer the focal point, those in charge of the show chose to shine a spotlight on Dahmer’s victims by centering the plot around them (National Public Radio). The series reached Netflix’s Top 10 Category after 12 days and within the first week of its release, accumulated 196.2 viewing hours (British Broadcasting Corporation). Although some viewers believe the show honors the individuals assaulted and murdered by Dahmer, there lies a considerable amount of controversy surrounding the ethics of encouraging the true crime genre in mainstream media as well as making money off of the victims of these tragic events. Along with these beliefs, many also acknowledge the thriller series for how much factual accuracy it embodies. Sophomore Ashley Rodriguez credits the show for the amount of research put into it, the attention-to-detail with casting and the recreation of trial events boosting the integrity of the show for many tuning in. 

“The show itself is very accurate, and because of that I feel like it is easier to sympathize with the victims of Dahmer,” Rodriguez said. “I watched the real trial with all the victims speaking before him on Youtube and almost everything is recreated perfectly [from] the actors to  their words and their clothes.”

Despite the appraisals on accuracy, depicting the life events of Jeffrey Dahmer on-screen prompted backlash both from the general public and from the friends and families of the victims themselves (TIME). Relatives of the victims who were reimagined in the show were not told of the production, which led to Netflix being accused of insensitivity and crossing ethical boundaries. Clips from the new series recreating the emotional breakdown of Rita Isbell, the sister of the victim Errol Lindsey, were criticized by a relative of Isbell in a recent Twitter post that discussed the negative impact of the show for the families of victims. According to the New York Times, viewing this viral scene along with the rest of the show is demoralizing for the individuals affected by Dahmer, and glamorizes the man who committed these murders in the first place.  

The official synopsis of “Monster” communicates that the show aims to highlight the crimes of Dahmer, his victims from minority populations and the failures of the Milwaukee police department at the time for not recognizing the murders happening (Newsweek). The director of “Monster,” Ryan Murphy, denotes that he did not want to center the serial killer himself in his new show but rather bring to light the lives and tragedies of the victims coming from Black, Latino and Asian LGBTQ+ backgrounds and the assumed incompetencies of the police force during these events (Vulture). On the other hand, a number of viewers believe that the production simply was not executed properly or did not pay enough homage to the individuals most affected by the Milwaukee murders like its producers promised. Film critics such as Matt Mueller, a culture editor for On Milwaukee, wrote that the series does not uphold the promise of shifting the limelight to the survivors and the people murdered by Dahmer. According to Mueller, the series took the time to feature the growing obsessions and curiosities of Dahmer during the discovery of the murders, ironically leaving out the message of how systemic issues, such as the dismissive racism from police officers, are overlooked in the background.

Along with the criticism, news of the thriller series eventually gained more recognition through social media apps such as TikTok, where some users reportedly idolized Dahmer even further. Many argue how the trends on the app, which includes fans focusing on the attractiveness of Dahmer or overly sympathizing with his situation, prove that the show portrays the serial killer from a romanticized perspective (Newsweek). The popularization of the show also inspired the sales of Dahmer Halloween costumes on eBay,  though these costumes were eventually banned from the online marketplace (Kidspot). Senior Nicholas Cha acknowledges the significance of film producers commemorating victims and the lives they lead, but he finds the methods used stray off their main intent and end up becoming problematic in the process.

“I think it is important for the victims to be remembered, but there are also problems with creating a show about a serial killer,” Cha said. “I have already seen TikToks where people idolize and sexualize Dahmer because of his portrayal in the show. It is disheartening to see especially since the victims and their families are being overshadowed.” 

The popularity of true crime and the demand for it in mainstream media continues beyond the realm of Jeffrey Dahmer flicks. Thriller shows and films focused on real-life murders and assaults such as “I Am a Killer” and “Tiger King” are peppered across streaming services. The popularity of these films and series suggest a pattern of romanticization and encouragement that make light of the crimes committed by serial killers and sex offenders (Palatinate). The way that they are turned into sex symbols contributes to this romanticization. In the 2019 film “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” the popular actor Zac Efron is casted for the leading role as Ted Bundy. Good Morning America (GMA) mentions how fans commented on the appearance of Efron, viewing him as attractive, despite Bundy being known for targeting young women to murder, mutilate and rape. Senior Matthew Sun considers how some onlookers may choose to disguise their romantic treatment as film appreciation rather than their lack of courtesy for the families of victims and the victims themselves.

“I think it is fine to appreciate true crime media, but it becomes a problem when people glorify murderers because of how they are portrayed in a movie or show,” Sun said. “The fact that people like Dahmer and Bundy have fanbases is disgusting and disrespectful to the victims. I think the creators of Dahmer definitely should have taken more care to respect the victims and the wishes of their families.”