Each week, millions of Americans close their blinds, pour a beverage and snuggle under their favorite blankie to binge the latest true crime docuseries and podcasts.
It seems our “murder shows” have taken the place of romcoms, and many of us just can’t seem to get enough of them. A popular music video on “Saturday Night Live,” which wove humor into this pop culture phenomenon, was only the tip of the iceberg. Series documenting the world’s most notorious serial killers, cults and heinous crimes dominate our watchlists.
Why the fascination with true crime? Below, Laura Kelley, media relations professional in the CU Anschutz Office of Communications, speaks to Amber McDonald, PhD, LCSW, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus’ School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and a consultant for the Denver FBI office to discuss the pull of true crime and whether it could be harmful to our psyche.