Serial Killers in the Spotlight: A Content Analysis of Biographical Dramas

Abstract

The following paper deals with the popularity of the true crime genre, moreover, analyzes how biographical dramas depict serial killers and murderers. For the analysis, the paper uses productions such as Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019), Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022), Monster (2003), and the series Love and Death (2023). Biographical dramas can blur the lines between fact and fiction by focusing on the perpetrator’s life and using actors viewers may associate with positive characters. The paper also deals with the ethical questions that surface in the true crime genre, for example, whether these productions are exploitative or not. It also examines how racially or ethnically inclusive the genre is.