Netflix's Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story depicted the serial killer's life events. Dahmer murdered many young men and boys between 1978 and 1991, being dubbed the "Milwaukee Monster." Many of his neighbors were suspicious of the activities taking place inside his apartment, but the police didn't take their reports seriously, leading to a lengthy list of victims being killed at his hand. As such, Dahmer became one of the most infamous criminals of all time.
True crime has become a popular genre as people find themselves interested in how these unbelievably tragic events could unfold. Netflix partnered with American Crime Story executive producer Ryan Murphy, who had previously used Dahmer in American Horror Story to dramatize his life. Unfortunately, Netflix crossed the line when the streaming service promoted the series as something it wasn't, and social media made the error worse.
Netflix Attempted to Mislabel Dahmer for Views
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Netflix's first mistake was labeling Dahmer with the LGBTQ+ tag on the platform. Netflix removed the tag after receiving intense backlash, but it was evident that the streaming service attempted to lean into the LGBTQ+ genre to promote the series, especially since Dahmer primarily targeted gay and bisexual men as his victims. However, his own sexual orientation was irrelevant since his actions caused direct harm to the community. Under those circumstances, Dahmer isn't a symbol for LGBTQ+ representation, but a threat.
In a similar vein, Netflix also attempted an insensitive association with the horror genre. Dahmer appeared on many "must-see this October" lists the streamer put on social media, indicating the series would be a "fun" activity for people to enjoy at home. Netflix is known for its seamless social media campaigns, and this one was obviously in poor taste. While a true crime biopic about a serial killer is horrifying, it still should not be treated as a trivial event depicted for viewers' entertainment.
At best, the series could showcase the depravity of a serial killer like Dahmer and give viewers insight into the psychological reasons he committed these crimes without making him a sympathetic character. However, the series should also not be marketed as a jump-scare horror fest as Dahmer isn't a fictional character; he was a real person who caused real harm to many people, and their families carried the burden of being associated with his crimes. As such, the mishandled representation wasn't a good look for Netflix.
Social Media Validated Netflix's Poor Advertising of Dahmer
Social media similarly responded to the advertisements in a problematic way by creating content that aligned with the series' presentation. For example, many Netflix subscribers had uploaded TikTok videos of their reactions to the series, claiming it "wasn't scary enough" and that they didn't understand why it was considered "scary" or "horror." Although the individuals received backlash for their posts, the responsibility still sits with the mishandled advertisement for the series. Many of these unsuspecting viewers wouldn't have framed their thoughts around the series in such a manner if the promotion hadn't pushed it as a "must-see" horror series.
Netflix's Insensitive Marketing Hurt Families Affected by the Killer
Many families and friends of Dahmer's victims were insulted by the series' existence in general. The New York Times provided a platform for their shared thoughts on how reliving the story isn't beneficial to them, and now the series doesn't create justice around what happened. If the series had been promoted as a true-crime series that a select audience would have engaged in, the hurt might not have been as substantial. Unfortunately, however, Netflix's attempt to get Dahmer in front of as many eyes as possible was insensitive and caused harm.
When social media users trivialize real-life crimes -- even fictionalized versions -- by comparing them to horror shows and films, respect for the victims becomes lost in the shuffle. Netflix has released many positive projects in 2022 that have served to be inclusive toward a variety of viewers, but the choices behind the promotion of this series lacked foresight. The drive to promote the series attracted confused viewers who didn't understand the gravity of what they were watching, and the aftermath heavily impacted the series.
Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is available for streaming on Netflix.