Making a genre: the case of the contemporary true crime documentary. Issue 2 (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bruzzi, Stella
• Is Part Of: Law and humanities. Volume 10:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 249
• Page End: 280
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: Real crime series -- television documentary -- Netflix -- Making a Murderer -- The Jinx -- Serial -- The Staircase -- Michael Peterson -- Robert Durst -- Adnan Syed; Law and literature -- Periodicals; Law and art -- Periodicals; Humanities -- Periodicals; 344.09705
• DOI: 10.1080/17521483.2016.1233741
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1752-1491

Abstract

Abstract : This article looks at the current documentary obsession with true crime stories, arguing that ultimately this heterogeneous series of individual texts loosely constitute a genre. Bookended by The Staircase from 2004 (the genre's touchstone or foundational text) and Making a Murderer from 2015 (the genre's most notorious example to date), this discussion will look at a diverse range of examples (series, podcasts, one-off documentaries) that nevertheless share common concerns around the law and how it can be represented, the truth, evidence and miscarriages of justice. Examples discussed also include: The Kick (2005), The 10th District Court (2006), Serial (2014) and The Jinx (2015). Even the title sequences are beginning to resemble each other – and those of related drama series – posing more questions about generic and media identity. True crime documentaries are hugely popular; they also serve justice, in that several of these television series, podcasts and web broadcasts have had a direct impact on actual cases.