Does Netflix’s ‘Dahmer’ drama trivialise real tragedy?

Before looking at the reactions online and in LGBTQ+ spaces, it’s important to note that the show is incredibly popular.

It has been the most streamed programme on Netflix consistently since it dropped. Whatever anyone’s feelings are toward Dahmer, it’s clear that the general public deem it interesting and engaging enough to spend time watching. However it is received, the show is profitable, which will in turn encourage even more shows of this nature.

Still, outcry has been bubbling online since the show began to gain traction. It originally was tagged as an ‘LGBTQ’ programme, apparently falling into the same lane as shows such as Queer Eye and Sex Education. This was a daft categorisation for a series that depicts the murders and torture of marginalised groups – the tag has since been removed, unsurprisingly.

The show being so clearly mislabelled is indicative of how many in the LGBTQ+ community feel.

there is a whole trend of white women on tiktok flexing how they were so “unbothered” and “unfazed” by the dahmer series on netflix. if you find the depiction heinous targeted murders of LGBT and black/brown people “not disturbing enough” then something is wrong with you pic.twitter.com/Jjv8Bg5gKL

— °. ✧ 🍵emily🪷✧°. (@uhhmmily) September 30, 2022

Despite claiming to tell Dahmer’s story through the narrative lens of marginalised groups, the show fails to properly honour their perspective in a sensitive and genuine way without inevitably making the killer the central focus. It’s worth noting that the victims’ families and others affected were not contacted to contribute to the programme.

As Aja Romano from Vox said in a piece last week, ‘If you must tell a story without the victims’ perspective, then realize that it’s all the more important to put them at the centre of your story rather than at the edges.’

Ultimately, it comes down to a question of necessity. The Dahmer case has been examined every which way for decades and remains a cornerstone of true crime history. Must we repeatedly drag up the details of this story for the sake of entertainment?

Netflix keeps repurposing actual, tangible history for quick promotion, reducing it down to strategized marketing. This tweet, for example, starts with the phrase ‘can’t stop thinking about’, and ends with ‘now on Netflix.’ It feels insensitive and unfairly self-serving.

Can’t stop thinking about this disturbing scene from DAHMER where one of Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims finally manages to escape… and the police actually bring him back inside the apartment.

Now on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/vcsFWOco0p

— Netflix (@netflix) September 21, 2022

Both Netflix and audiences are to blame.

Of course, it is the responsibility of the platform to regulate its content and how it markets programmes but, by equal measure, Netflix requires a hungry viewership to produce them in the first place. If we didn’t care about them as much as we do, there would be far less true crime documentaries happening at all.

The only solution is simple. Stop watching every true crime documentary out there or, at the very least, demand more responsible storytelling and representation. The genre isn’t inherently problematic, but it’s soaring popularity opens doors to offensive and dismissive material as companies scramble to be atop the documentary food chain.