Penn Badgley, best known for playing Joe Goldberg on You, criticized the How Netflix projects tell the story of serial killers. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, when asked what he thinks of people who fall in love with murderers, Badgley said the following:
“You need to look inside yourself… on our show, it’s for you to fall in love with him, that’s on us. Ted Bundy? This is with you. Jeffrey Dahmer? That’s with Netflix. This is entirely Netflix’s responsibility.”
(Source: Netflix/Disclosure)Source: Netflix
The actor has spoken out several times over the years, about how viewers are not supposed to like Joe, let alone fall in love with him. The series exists precisely to show how psychopaths manage to enter people’s minds and manipulate them easily.
- You: 10 Worst Things Joe Did During the Series
However, there is a big difference between portraying and romanticizing the behavior of a serial killer. And it is precisely this point that many critics of Dahmer: An American Cannibal point out that the miniseries was not able to differentiate.
Dahmer’s Repercussions
Since its premiere in September 2022, the miniseries based on the life of Jeffrey Dahmer has been the talk of the town. Several viewers pointed out the lack of responsibility with which the series was made.
The narrative created by Ryan Murphy was criticized for somehow trying to make the audience empathize with the killer. When telling Dahmer’s past, which was not good, many viewers ended up revealing the crimes he committed. As if his traumatizing past justifies his murders and cannibalistic practices.
- Dahmer Season 2 will be about which serial killer?
After the series premiere, several social media accounts were created in honor of Jeffrey Dahmer. It is possible to read posts in which the owners of these accounts talk about the killer’s beauty or how they would like to relate to him.
(Source: Netflix/Disclosure)Source: Netflix
These facts were pointed out as extremely problematic, and many blamed the miniseries and Netflix itself for this repercussion.
Still, due to its success, two new Murphy miniseries concerning other serial killers are in the works.
So, have you watched any of these projects?
