Netflix Needs You to Solve a Murder With This New, Chart-Topping Documentary
Netflix is never going to stop making true crime docuseries. Honestly, I wished they would. They’re regularly redundant at best and deeply exploitative at worst. Their latest chart-topper, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, falls into both categories. On one hand, there’s nothing left to glean from the tragic killing of JonBenét Ramsey. On the other hand, viewers are again deep in the weeds, playing detective with a real-life murder case. It doesn’t entirely sit right with me, but from a purely corporate perspective, the formula works. Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey has been consistently in the Top 10 on Netflix since its premiere last month.
Check out more about the series below:
Per Netflix: The tragic murder of JonBenét Ramsey rocked the sleepy town of Boulder in December 1996. This compelling docuseries delves into the infamous cold case.
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey’s biggest selling point is a conversation with JonBenét’s father, John Ramsey. Unlike the 2016 CBS miniseries The Case of JonBenét Ramsey, a two-parter that befell legal trouble for its basely, sensationalized claims, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey at least endeavors for some objectivity, opts for a more investigative lens than a strictly reactionary one.
Principally, the series looks to absolve the entire Ramsey family. For years, the most convincing theory was that some member of the family killed JonBenét. That was the case the aforementioned CBS series made, pointing fingers at younger brother Burke Ramsey. However, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey wants to dissuade audiences of that notion, even putting John Ramsey front and center to make everyone feel bad about their allegations.
Which, truthfully, presents its own set of problems. No one needs to be litigating this case beyond law enforcement, and while the series pleads with viewers to stop, it simultaneously invites them in, practically egging them on. So, while its fact-finding is somewhat refreshing in an era of exploitative true crime, the lack of any new insights begs the question—why did we need another JonBenét Ramsey show? Looking strictly at the numbers, viewers have at least been compelled by the series, taking to social media to posit ideas of their own. Check out some choice social media reactions below, including Ashley Ray’s pretty thorough…
Viewer coverage of the Netflix series
one day i’m going to wake up to the reality that twitter’s ashley ray solved the cold case murder of jonbenet ramsey
— tree witch (@luckyswell) December 2, 2024
it is funny to see people watch the netflix jonbenet doc, go to the subreddit and post like “omg i feel so bad for the family, it couldn’t be them” and people are like, oh you’re new here, here’s the real evidence and a day later the person is like, “oh netflix lied to me”
— ashley ray?stream ice cream money (@theashleyray) December 3, 2024
can steve thomas sue netflix for saying he’s wrong that there was a bedwetting accident? the doc says no urine stains were found in her room
— ashley ray?stream ice cream money (@theashleyray) December 3, 2024
but that’s a lou smit lie. CSI that day said her bed reeked of urine. she had two beds in her room. lou says her bed was dry. which one? pic.twitter.com/W9nGW39lBw
Watching this cold case: who killed JonBenet Ramsey series on Netflix… all I gotta say this.. the fault is on the police. They didn’t do their job correctly from the jump and used the Ramsey’s as an easy scapegoat instead of admitting they fucked up
— D? (@virgosgroove95_) December 3, 2024
Just finished watching Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey and I am AMAZED by the incompetence of the police. Wow!
— ᵕ̈ (@YayaLuci) December 3, 2024
What do you think? Do you have any plans to check out Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins!
Categorized:News
