ID renewed docu-series Fatal Vows, from CMJ Productions II Inc., for season 6. CMJ, which also produces true crime series The Will: Family Secrets Revealed, Accident Investigator, Natural Born Outlaws, Guilty Rich, Outlaw Tech and A Stranger in my Home, announced it is developing Popular Crime with cult crime book author Bill James. Cynopsis got the lowdown on the exploding true crime landscape from CMJ Productions II Inc. President Judith Beauchemin.
Cynopsis: What is with viewers’ fascination with true crime programming?
Judith Beauchemin: Viewers continue to have an insatiable appetite for true crime because they love unsolved mysteries! People want to know what happened, try to understand the unexplainable. We find that viewers have a fascination for stories they can relate to (it could happen to me!). People love to be scared!
Also, there are lots of ways to tell the same story, it all depends on the angle that you are choosing and through whose lens the story is being told – killer, investigator, first hand witnesses, victim, etc.
Fatal Vows
How does this mature content genre remain relevant today?
Beauchemin: It remains relevant because many of the series produced over the past few years have been focused on investigations that are still active. When watching an unsolved true crime show that can make a difference and change the course of justice and history, it feels very real…and relevant. Also, in the past few years, people use social media to give their opinion (who did it!) creating tremendous buzz for the series.
Cynopsis: What are a few examples of series that have effectively stretch the concept of true crime programming?
Beauchemin: I’d say most of the unsolved murder cases like Making a Murderer. It aired in December 2015 and then went viral over the holidays. A few months earlier, Serial (an amazing podcast) and The Jinx made breaking news as well. They all went viral on social media, viewers felt they could get involved and participate in the outcome. It also attracted a younger audience. Another great recent example would be The Keepers on Netflix.
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