Where’s Friday’s content-laden Best Evidence? You already have it — it accidentally sent Thursday afternoon! If you missed it, it’s right here.
Twiter’s response to that dufus who thinks that everyone hates Indian food might make you wary about announcing that you dislike a beloved true-crime property, but this is a safe space and we trust you! Unlike that dude, we know you won’t say that “no one” likes something that’s roundly popular (or to come for my beloved paneer naan, which you will have to pry from my dead, greasy hands).
Based on past Best Evidence discussions, we know that many of you fail to see the allure of podcasts like Crime Junkie, for example, and Sarah has been very open about how the format for most Parcast true-crime properties are not for her. I, myself, have a dislike of The Accused (the 1988 dramatic adaptation of the Cheryl Araujo case) that I will express only to you.
So, hit us with a universally "beloved" true-crime property that you dislike or just plain don't get. This is a safe space.
Gotta say My Favorite Murder. I like the women, and when they're just talking about themselves or their lives etc, I find it funny and charming. But any time they get into the crimes I just cannot...
Missing Maura Murray. I generally don't like properties where "citizen sleuths" attempt to solve a crime. Almost always terribly executed and exploitive.
I subscribe to the "podcasts" of Dateline, 20/20, and 48 Hours. I put that in scare quotes because they aren't real podcasts, just the audio tracks of the tv broadcasts. My unpopular opinion is that 48 Hours and 20/20 have terrible sound design. Thank god for Dateline's relative restraint! I have another unpopular opinion re: Dateline: Josh Mankiewicz is the best correspondent, then Andrea Canning, and Keith Morrison is only in third place. (Sorry, Dennis Murphy -- you're fine, too.) Keith is whimsically hilarious and I understand why he's popular, but Mank and Andrea have my heart when it comes to reporting on crime and interviewing families, friends, attorneys, and LE.
American Animals was trash, the worst example of using hackneyed high-culture affectations used to tell a real life story and add faux depth to it while using the victim as a punchline (yeah, watching an older woman being tied up is a gas). I, Tonya was the same - isn't domestic violence hilarious? - and it cheapens the subject way more than your average slapped together true crime schlock. Evil Genius can also do one for hanging its dramatic arc on "it's unspeakably tragic that an attractive woman dared to become unattractive ".
The thing that irks me is that so many people seem to think that if you like true crime, you like everything true crime, which gives rise to so much poor-quality content. It's about the story, y'all, not just that a bad thing happened.
Tiger King? Probably a lot of us are there for many reasons. After listening to "Over My Dead Body: Joe Exotic" I am more than disappointed with how "Tiger King" portrays Carole Baskin. Based on what I see on FB, she seems to be the villain, not Joe Maldonado-Passage. There's some evidence-based pushback now: https://nyti.ms/2y3OA90. I really do not get how Joe Exotic is being understood as a sympathetic figure.
Something else I’m pondering - I don’t like reading crime fiction any more. I’m really preferring to read true crime since a lot of it is so much better written than the pulpy old days. I used to love nothing better than a rainy day spent with a lovely procedural; now I just want well-written true crime that will hopefully provide me with a interior look at a victim so I learn more than “she lit up a room when she smiled.”
Gotta say My Favorite Murder. I like the women, and when they're just talking about themselves or their lives etc, I find it funny and charming. But any time they get into the crimes I just cannot...
Missing Maura Murray. I generally don't like properties where "citizen sleuths" attempt to solve a crime. Almost always terribly executed and exploitive.
I subscribe to the "podcasts" of Dateline, 20/20, and 48 Hours. I put that in scare quotes because they aren't real podcasts, just the audio tracks of the tv broadcasts. My unpopular opinion is that 48 Hours and 20/20 have terrible sound design. Thank god for Dateline's relative restraint! I have another unpopular opinion re: Dateline: Josh Mankiewicz is the best correspondent, then Andrea Canning, and Keith Morrison is only in third place. (Sorry, Dennis Murphy -- you're fine, too.) Keith is whimsically hilarious and I understand why he's popular, but Mank and Andrea have my heart when it comes to reporting on crime and interviewing families, friends, attorneys, and LE.
American Animals was trash, the worst example of using hackneyed high-culture affectations used to tell a real life story and add faux depth to it while using the victim as a punchline (yeah, watching an older woman being tied up is a gas). I, Tonya was the same - isn't domestic violence hilarious? - and it cheapens the subject way more than your average slapped together true crime schlock. Evil Genius can also do one for hanging its dramatic arc on "it's unspeakably tragic that an attractive woman dared to become unattractive ".
I would love to hear more of The Accused hate!
The thing that irks me is that so many people seem to think that if you like true crime, you like everything true crime, which gives rise to so much poor-quality content. It's about the story, y'all, not just that a bad thing happened.
It ain’t true crime, but I gotta say that The Breakfast Club sucks. Yes, it does. And, for the record, so does Forrest Gump. So there.
I cannot abide In Cold Blood. Took me two attempts to read it and I was bored out of my skull. I understand its place in the TC oeuvre, but ugh.
Tiger King? Probably a lot of us are there for many reasons. After listening to "Over My Dead Body: Joe Exotic" I am more than disappointed with how "Tiger King" portrays Carole Baskin. Based on what I see on FB, she seems to be the villain, not Joe Maldonado-Passage. There's some evidence-based pushback now: https://nyti.ms/2y3OA90. I really do not get how Joe Exotic is being understood as a sympathetic figure.
Podcast: there are tons of terrible TC podcasts but I really detest Sword and Scale.
Something else I’m pondering - I don’t like reading crime fiction any more. I’m really preferring to read true crime since a lot of it is so much better written than the pulpy old days. I used to love nothing better than a rainy day spent with a lovely procedural; now I just want well-written true crime that will hopefully provide me with a interior look at a victim so I learn more than “she lit up a room when she smiled.”