While my last post described a series that was relatively creepy, I have to say, this entry describes a show in a whole different ballpark. Today we’ll be discussing the new Netflix series “DAHMER,” which outlines the life story of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and the specific atrocities he committed. Just in time for Halloween, but beware, DAHMER is disturbing. I am not easily scared and I love to watch horror movies and learn about true crime, but this show is most definitely not for the faint hearted.
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DAHMER exploded in popularity on Netflix, and immediately made it its way to #1 on the top-watched television show chart. And quite frankly, I can see why. Many people have a love for the macabre, especially during this time of the year. Additionally, I would say the show is well done, regardless of the controversial and disturbing subject matter.
Clearly the directors and writers aimed to analyze the Jeffrey Dahmer murders from a critical standpoint, and there was a large emphasis on the cultural and societal biases of the time period which allowed Dahmer to get away with murder. For example, DAHMER analyzes the blatant homophobia of the 1970s which allowed Jeffrey Dahmer to “scare off” police officers by telling them he was gay when he was questioned about what a young boy under the influence was doing in his home. Furthermore, the show delves into the racism of the 1970s-1990s with an emphasis on Glenda Cleveland, Jeffrey Dahmer’s neighbor. The series emphasizes Cleveland’s countless efforts to contact the police about horrific smells and screams coming from Dahmer’s apartment, but due to their prejudices, she was never taken seriously. It is heartbreaking to see how people knew what Dahmer was doing, but because of societal biases and cultural norms, action was not taken until it was too late.
Glenda Cleveland, played by Nicey Nash: image source
However, the major premise of the series brings forth a larger, more controversial subject: the romanticization of serial killers in modern media. The world of true crime and public interest in such has exploded in popularity, especially with the rise of modern media, such as television and podcasts. However, does the publicity and attention brought to Jeffrey Dahmer out of this show have a negative impact on society? Could this potentially inspire other troubled people, or make it seem as though Dahmer wasn’t so bad? Additionally, the series could be perceived as disrespectful to the families of victims, especially if Dahmer is seemingly glorified unintentionally. This show and others of its nature might have the ability to implicitly glorify murder by presenting Dahmer’s story to the public through the lens of popular actors (Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer, for example) and good cinematography.
Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer: image source
Other shows and films have outlined the lives of serial killers in such a way. For example, the Netflix film “Extremely Wicked Shockingly Evil and Vile” outlines the life and murders of Ted Bundy, while extremely famous actor Zac Efron plays the killer. Additionally, celebrity Ross Lynch stars in another 2017 movie about Jeffrey Dahmer called “My Friend Dahmer.” Could the use of famous celebrities in these programs potentially glorify the atrocities committed by serial killers?
I haven’t watched this series yet, and I was afraid to for the same reasons you described above (the romanticization of serial killers). It’s interesting to see that Netflix chose to take a more analytic standpoint with this series rather than an overly- fantasized one. There’s definitely an appeal to serial killer stories: how they were so evil? how did they get away with what they did? And many of their crimes are so horrible they’re hard to digest. I think this is why the public is so fascinated by them. And I think you make a good point about the actors. I’ve never really thought about how casting popular and well-liked actors/actresses in roles of evil can change our perceptions of the ‘real’ person they’re playing.
First off, loved reading this knowing that we watched an episode together <3. But totally agree: with dramatized retellings of true crime the line between reality and romanticism can be blurred. Scrolling on TikTok for the past month seeing people make trends out of the Dahmer narrative has been horrifying. Imagine being a family member of one of the victims and seeing that. And it obviously doesn't help that they're picking traditionally attractive actors to depict him like Peters and Lynch. Although I enjoyed the show, I could see why some would call it problematic.
I can see why shows like this are so fascinating to people, as they attempt to investigate how true evil is born, or made. However, I think that whether intentional or not, this series is contributing to the romanticization of serial killers, especially since the families were not consulted on the production, and your point about traditionally attractive actors is well taken.
Also, I will simply never forgive Ryan Murphy for some of the crimes he committed via Glee.
I couldn’t express enough how much I dreaded the existence of the Dahmer series (Ryan murphy you will pay) and how it did more harm than good for society. Although educating people is great, being informed about these real life events is important because awareness of the situation could protect people from becoming victims, the exploitation of Dahmer with this series and only slightly grazing on the life of his victims is truly horrendous in my opinion. Serial killers are given too much fame and light in the media that is undeserved and people always seem to forget that they are monsters on earth.
I watched three episodes of Dahmer, and I have to say that I think it is really disgusting the way that people today love to watch shows like these. I mean, what does it say about our culture? I think that no good can come from shows like these, and I think that they will only inspire copycats, or at least strike sympathy into the viewer for the killer.