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Over the recent years, popular entertainment culture has gone one step too far by creating content that glorifies and romanticizes the stories of murderers— both in true crime and crime dramas.

True crime is a popular genre in television and the film industry. Over half of Americans claim to consume some form of true crime content.

Between Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, the Zodiac Killer and now the Menendez Brothers, Netflix has found no shortage of murderers to highlight through entertainment. 

I am admittedly a true crime consumer. I have taken forensic science classes, listened to serial killer podcasts and binged on the shows that streaming services like Netflix have to offer. However, when I consume this content, I am especially aware of how the stories are portrayed and received within pop culture.

So, what is it about true crime that draws people in? 

Although there are multiple theories and reasons behind what piques people’s interest in true crime content, the overarching themes are the excitement of mystery and the desire to know “why?”. It attempts to understand a side of humanity many of us will not experience. 

Dean Fido, a psychology lecturer, explains that true crime stories are exciting because they are so far removed from real life and allow us to experience these horrible events safely.

Netflix seems to have a hold on trending true crime shows and films. According to Variety, when “DAHMER: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” was released in 2022, it hit an estimated 22 million views within the first five days. 

Again, in 2022, “The Watcher” was released, receiving around 22.5 million views within the first four days. In 2024, Netflix released another series, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” which, according to the Variety article, received around 12.3 million views in four days.

However, I think that true crime content increasingly blurs the lines of truth and fiction. This becomes especially prevalent when stars like Evan Peters and Zac Efron are cast to portray these horrific characters based on real murderers. However, their stardom and arguable attractiveness make it harder to separate the romanticization of the actor from the real-life character. 

Now, with the case of the Menendez brothers, two men who murdered their parents back in 1989 and were sentenced to life in prison are looking at potential freedom. Their revaluation is motivated by the push from family members and the support of Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón and now from the public, who feel they know the case based on nine Netflix episodes. 

Don’t even get me started on the Kardashian family’s involvement— actually, let’s talk about it.

NBC News published an editorial piece by Kim Kardashian, whom they credit as “a businesswoman, media star and criminal justice reform advocate.” In the article, Kardashian explains why the Menendez brothers deserve a reevaluated sentence, claiming they were not treated fairly and deserve a second chance to live better lives. 

While I am often someone who believes strongly in second chances, premeditated murder is where I draw the line. Regardless of motivation, when it came down to it, they chose to murder two people: Their parents. 

In other words, unless the Kardashian family themselves offer to be held accountable for the Menendez brothers, their influence needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Celebrities already hold much power in the culture, and our judicial system is not the place.

People are desensitized by the amount of true crime content to consume. Although these are fictitious demonstrations with actors and cameras, these events were very real at one point. These events led to the deaths of children, created societal unrest and left lasting effects on countless families.

I encourage everyone to be conscientious of their true crime content and consider where it’s coming from. Consider what kind of bias this information may be portrayed as. Most importantly, remember that these are stories of people with families and friends who suffered a loss because of another human being’s choice. 

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