The world's fascination with serial killers is hardly waning, if the fanfare over a new Netflix documentary about Ted Bundy is to be believed. Netflix may be the place to go for all your morbid curiosities, but on Monday, the streaming service reminded fans that obsessing over a murderer is seriously toxic behaviour.
Bundy, a murderer and rapist who confessed to killing 36 women and may be responsible for the murder of upwards of 100 people, is notorious for not only his heinous crimes but his "charm" and good looks. That a cold-blooded killer could project anything appealing is chilling, of course, but some people couldn't help but share just how "hot" the serial killer looked in the doc Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.
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Netflix wasn't okay with it.
"I've seen a lot of talk about Ted Bundy’s alleged hotness and would like to gently remind everyone that there are literally THOUSANDS of hot men on the service — almost all of whom are not convicted serial murderers," tweeted the official Netflix account.
I've seen a lot of talk about Ted Bundy’s alleged hotness and would like to gently remind everyone that there are literally THOUSANDS of hot men on the service — almost all of whom are not convicted serial murderers
— Netflix US (@netflix) January 28, 2019
This tweet comes shortly after the trailer for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile dropped. The film's trailer has garnered criticism for making Zac Efron's Bundy less of a psychopath and more of a "bad boy."
One journalist who saw the film's premiere at the Sundance Film Festival accused the movie of glorifying the killer.
"A movie that never commits to a POV, and seems to fall for Ted as much as the cameras did during the trial. Watch the doc instead," tweeted out Brian Tallerico, of RogerEbert.com. (The director of Extremely Wicked, Joe Berlinger, also helmed the Netflix doc.)
EXTREMELY WICKED: A movie that never commits to a POV, and seems to fall for Ted as much as the cameras did during the trial. Watch the doc instead.
— Brian Tallerico (@Brian_Tallerico) January 27, 2019
Journalist Billy Jenson shared his own thoughts on the Bundy fanfare.
"As we all binge The Bundy Tapes on @Netflix and share the trailer for the Zac Efron movie, please remember the victims. These women all had hopes and dreams. They should all have movies made about them. I always try to remember what these monsters took away."
As we all binge The Bundy Tapes on @Netflix and share the trailer for the Zac Efron movie, please remember the victims. These women all had hopes and dreams. They should all have movies made about them. I always try to remember what these monsters took away. #TedBundyTapes pic.twitter.com/Q5G0HvldCY
— Billy Jensen (@Billyjensen) January 28, 2019
While Bundy is a real killer, Netflix's tweet comes shortly after a faux killer, You star Penn Badgley, took to Twitter to remind fans not to romanticise his Netflix character. Badgley's Joe, a bookstore manager, becomes so obsessed with his crush Beck (Elizabeth Lail) that he stalks her and murders people close to her. Refinery29 has reached out to Badgley for comment.
...of problems, right? https://t.co/9NmOGWvSYb
— Penn Badgley (@PennBadgley) January 9, 2019
Serial killers may always make for intriguing documentaries, films, and TV shows, but let's remember that glorifying them should never be a part of the equation. In other words? Keep your Bundy-is-sexy thoughts to yourself — the families of his victims don't need to hear it.