True Crime Shows: The Reality of Victims and their Families

Audiences are drawn to media that takes them out of their own reality and into someone else’s, and sometimes that can be fiction or non-fiction. The reason so many people love Game of Thrones, is because it allows the audience to take a risk and fight battles from the comfort of their home.

This is also the reason audiences love watching true crime on a Friday night with their friends or family. Instead of going into battle in a mystical and fictional world the show takes viewers into the minds and events of real people who have endured terrifying and traumatic event.

The suspense keeps people on their toes and can be even more thrilling when realizing that these events are not fiction, but real moments that happened to real people.

It is the media’s responsibility to release disclaimers that their programs are not based on fiction. The media must remain respectful to the people who experienced their scripted show as a reality. However, networks and other media platforms have the responsibility to create captivating and interesting shows.

However, for the families and victims that lived through these moments first hand, it may not be as exciting or as thrilling as it is for everyone else. True crime media is meant to allow others into the very personal moments of someone’s life, however, these retellings are not meant to disrespect the victims and their families.

True crime media can be watched, read and listened to on so many different media platforms. There are editorials, books and news articles that go into intense and often gruesome details. Those platforms dig deep into the facts and specific events that are involved in specific cases. Documentaries,  TV specials and series do the same but have an added layer that focuses on the emotions and personal aspects of those events.

For example, the TV special on the O.J. Simpson trial that aired in recent years gave a better face to those involved than any book or article could. Documentaries show clips of the actual trial and moments that would have only been seen on news stations at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7jwUVj0hHE

By being able to show the emotions or lack thereof of people like O.J. Simpson, his family and children or his lawyer, Robert Kardashian, it gives the audience the opportunity to feel personally involved.

Would this be considered disrespectful to the victims and families? No, because news stations airing the events and the trial were able to create the exact same reactions as the show did.

Another example is Making a Murderer. This documentary series went into detail about a man wrongly committed of assault and then was convicted of murder, and how the lack of care in our system influenced the outcome of the trial and the course of his life. This documentary shows all aspects of what these real-life events entail.

Not only do these shows reveal the real events, but they show the aftermath and the consequences of a person’s actions. These shows show how the court system sometimes works well and how it sometimes falls short. It gives the audience an insight to what our justice system looks like and how it works.

However, some media platforms and their shows, podcasts or books change information to gain more audience attention and create a more exaggerated storyline. This creates a gray area because the false telling of a real experience can paint the victims, their families and the suspect or guilty party in a light that is different and untrue. If networks and authors stick to solely focusing on the entertainment aspect, then it could possibly be disrespectful. However, there is nothing wrong with telling the actual truth.

It would be illegal for a documentary to claim truth and retell a story that is far from the truth. The true crime podcast The Sword and the Scale does extensive research and their own interviews with victims, family members and trained professionals to give their listeners the best and most accurate experience.

The narrators speak about every individual in a respectful way even if the person and their actions don’t deserve such. They do not take their podcast lightly and ensure that what they are saying isn’t coming from a lazy and unprepared place. The narrators, researchers and producers understand that these stories are someone’s reality and that these moments make up their lives and so they give them respect when discussing these cases.

It is very interesting because they approach each event from a neutral perspective and never show favor to either side. They discuss cases both big and small and involve their listeners by allowing them to request or include their own opinions in the comments.

True crime media draws in the audience because of the real-life aspect of the events and of the people. True crime shows, documentaries and podcasts are not created to hurt or cause any kind of pain. They are for entertainment and to bring awareness to what can happen in our world.

Like any other reenactment or retelling old feelings may arise and sometimes with topics and events that are so intense those feelings may be negative. However, it is never meant to disrespect victims and their families. In some ways these podcast and shows are meant to pay tribute to those who experienced these events first hand.

These stories show the strength and courage of those who have dealt with these situations in their reality because at the end of the day every viewer or audience member can turn of whatever they are using and step away from true crime.