Hollywood Keeps Casting Hot Serial Killers and We Seem to Like It

Transcript

00:00This week we notice a fascinating, if a little creepy, trend in Hollywood.

00:05The deluge of hot serial killers on our screens right now.

00:10From Zac Efron to Penn Badgley and Evan Peters, these handsome actors have captivated audiences

00:17while portraying some of the most reprehensible characters imaginable.

00:21Obviously we're used to everyone in Hollywood being way hotter than us civilians in real

00:26life but we wanted to understand this trend and also why do we find ourselves drawn to

00:32these on-screen murderers.

00:34Stephen Colbert once posed a thought-provoking question to Penn Badgley about the popularity

00:38of his character Joe in the hit series You, who commits horrific crimes yet remains oddly

00:45relatable.

00:46Badgley admitted that the conflict of playing such a character while being charming and

00:50likeable resonates with many viewers.

00:52This obsession with serial killers isn't new.

00:55Shows like Dexter have paved the way for this phenomenon.

00:58With America's growing infatuation with true crime, there's an influx of stories featuring

01:03these brutal killers and audiences can't seem to get enough.

01:07From Peter's chilling portrayal in Dharma to Efron's take on Ted Bundy, we're seeing

01:12a pattern where fans are swooning over characters that embody violence and horror.

01:17Criminologist Scott Bond refers to this as the bad boy syndrome, explaining that these

01:22fictional killers provide a safe, no-risk fantasy for viewers since these characters

01:27are confined to the screen or behind bars.

01:30The danger feels distant, allowing fans to indulge in their attraction without real-life

01:36consequences.

01:37However, Bond cautions that these depictions should be viewed as popcorn entertainment.

01:43While they may be thrilling, they often dilute the true stories behind these heinous acts.

01:49By glamorising these characters, we risk losing sight of the gravity of their real-life

01:54counterparts and the focus on the victims who suffered at their hands.

01:59So as we enjoy the excitement of our favourite shows, let's remember that this is just storytelling,

02:04a thrilling escape, but not a reflection of reality.

02:07Stay curious and enjoy the ride.