As true crime docuseries and films become more popular than ever, TV shows that feature unapologetic murderers follow in their footsteps. Since many of these shows take viewers inside the twisted minds of these cold-hearted protagonists, audiences often end up rooting for these characters and hoping they never get punished for their wretched crimes.

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Overall, this type of viewing experience is not inherently harmful and offers a unique way of consuming media by featuring compelling antiheroes who refuse to see the atrocity of their actions. However, such entertainment can turn dangerous when audiences begin applying similar sentiments to real-life serial killers.

10 Joe Carroll Is A Twisted Murderer With An Unnerving Cult Following

The Following

Joe Carroll from The Following.

The Following centers around former FBI agent Ryan Hardy as he does everything in his power to recapture Joe Carroll, a disturbingly charismatic serial killer with a cult following. Even though Carroll is not conventionally attractive, the fact that he was able to attract like-minded individuals who would unhesitatingly do his bidding is immensely disturbing.

One of the main reasons why Carroll could easily garner a cult following is his impressive resourcefulness and intelligence. Despite being the nefarious mind behind the Virginia Campus Murders, which claimed the lives of 14 women, Carroll manages to indoctrinate a cult of serial killers (called "The Followers") who kill and carry on Carroll's twisted legacy.

9 Annie Wilkes Is Disturbingly Humanized In Hulu's Castle Rock

Castle Rock

Lizzy Caplan as a young Annie Wilkes in Castle Rock season 2

Castle Rock compellingly intertwines the tales of countless characters created by Stephen King within the fictional town of Castle Rock. While Castle Rock is an anthology series that focuses on several different characters, the series' characterization of Annie Wilkes in Season 2 can be unsettling at times.

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Whereas Annie Wilkes is portrayed as a merciless serial killer in Stephen King's Misery and the eponymous film adaptation, Castle Rock encourages viewers to empathize with Wilkes as a single mother who is on the run from her troubled past. Because of this, audiences had mixed opinions on Castle Rock due to how strongly it deviates from its source material.

8 Richard Ramirez Was A Real Serial Killer Who Is Grossly Romanticized In AHS

American Horror Story: 1984

A collage of American Horror Story: 1984's Richard Ramirez and real serial killer Richard Ramirez.

American Horror Story is a beloved horror anthology series that is perhaps best known for its riveting narratives and ability to incorporate true horror within supernatural plot lines. The show is also known to occasionally incorporate ounces of truth by featuring characters who are loosely based on real people.

A prime example of this is the series' depiction of Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker, in American Horror Story: 1984. While this characterization didn't stray from the real Ramirez's nefarious actions and ill intent, many viewers criticized the series for disgustingly glamorizing him as a cool "bad boy" who made a deal with the devil.

7 Dexter Is An Oddly Likable Antihero Protagonist

Dexter

Dexter Morgan in a bloody room in Dexter

Dexter follows its titular character as he works as a forensic analyst during the day and kills unpunished criminals as a vigilante serial killer during his downtime. Even though Dexter is a cold-hearted murderer, viewers can't help but root for the oddly likable protagonist and hope that his twisted sense of justice eventually prevails.

Another reason audiences find it so easy to feel for Dexter is his well-mannered, witty narration throughout the series. Despite his undeniable bloodlust, Dexter claims (through his narration) that he perpetually strives to experience normal emotions and live a normal life.

6 Andrew Cunanan Was A Real Murderer Who Is Given A Humane Side In Extremely Poor Taste

American Crime Story: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace

Collage of American Crime Story's Andrew Cunanan and the real serial killer Andrew Cunanan.

American Crime Story is an anthology true crime series that explores the unbridled atrocity of real events. Of the series' three seasons, the one that garnered the most intrigue and controversy was its second season, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace.

As its name implies, this season follows a depiction of the disturbingly charismatic killer Andrew Cunanan in the events leading up to his assassination of renowned fashion designer Gianni Versace. While the unbridled terror of Cunanan's actions and lack of guilt manifests throughout, the series' dramatized depictions should not be regarded as the entire truth.

5 Norman Bates Is Portrayed As A Mentally Disturbed Young Man Who Is Driven To Murder

Bates Motel

Norman Bates from Bates Motel.

Bates Motel follows Norman Bates and his mother, Norma, prior to the events of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho in a modern-day setting. Since the series gives insight into Norman's troubled past and deteriorating mental state, it is easy to empathize with him — even as he is killing helpless people.

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Since much of the series is initially centered around Norman's disturbingly close relationship with his mother, witnessing him murder her in the Season 4 finale was immensely jarring and subverted fans' views of him as a character. While Norman eventually meets his cruel fate, viewers still can't help but empathize with him in his tragic final moments as he thanks his killer for reuniting him with his mother.

4 Edmund Tolleson Is Given A Love Interest Who Loves Him Despite His Abounding Crimes

Ratched

Edmund Tolleson and Dolly from Ratched.

Ratched is a compelling prequel to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. It features the nefarious Mildred Ratched as she resorts to any means necessary to reunite with her serial killer foster brother, Edmund Tolleson. In doing so, she is hired as a nurse at Lucia State Hospital, the psychiatric hospital where Edmund is being held.

While the show continues to be praised for its nostalgic aesthetic and Sarah Paulson's compelling portrayal of Mildred Ratched, its characterization of Edmund was immensely romanticized. A prime example of this is the disturbing relationship that blossoms between Edmund and Dolly, one of Mildred's coworkers.

3 Hannibal Lecter Is Portrayed As A Cunning Psychiatrist Who Happens To Be A Cannabalistic Serial Killer

Hannibal

Hannibal Lecter from Hannibal.

Hannibal centers around criminal profiler Will Graham as the FBI recruits him to investigate a complex serial killer case. As the case becomes too difficult for Will to tackle on his own, he is supervised by Hannibal Lecter, an intelligent forensic psychiatrist who is secretly a cannibalistic serial killer.

Since Hannibal is very intelligent and markedly empathetic, it can be easy to get swept away in his immaculate ways and temporarily disregard his horrendous actions. This tendency can even be noticed in Will, who has a unique ability to empathize with psychopaths and murderers despite being driven by justice.

2 Joe Goldberg's Abounding Toxic Traits & Lacking Moral Compass Don't Discourage Fans From Rooting For Him

You

Joe Goldberg staring at Love from afar in a scene from You.

You follows charismatic serial killer Joe Goldberg as he develops toxic obsessions with potential love interests and does anything to feel closer to them — from stalking them on the internet and in real life to getting rid of any obstacles in his way. Initially a Lifetime property, You became an instant phenomenon after it Netflix picked it up in 2019.

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Since the series takes viewers inside the twisted mind of Joe through his witty narration and by diving deeper into his troubled past, it is distressingly easy to get caught up in his nefarious antics. However, just as audiences begin to hope Joe can find some sustainable form of love, his abounding toxic traits rear their ugly heads and remind viewers that his bloodlust can never be satiated.

1 Jeffrey Dahmer Was An Atrocious, Real Serial Killer Who Is Disgustingly Romanticized In Netflix's Dahmer

Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Collage of Dahmer — Monster: A Jeffrey Dahmer Story's Jeffrey Dahmer and the real serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is a true crime anthology series that begins by looking inside the twisted psyche of real-life serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. While showrunners intentionally glamorized Dahmer to showcase his actions' true horror, audiences agree that this depiction of Dahmer was unnecessarily romanticized.

Even though the series garnered plenty of attention and views, viewers and critics agree that the show's subject matter is insensitive to the families of Dahmer's victims since it essentially forces them to relive past trauma. Besides the additional controversy of being classified within Netflix's LGBTQ+ section, the series' portrayal of Dahmer is immensely disturbing for all the wrong reasons.

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