Ryan Murphy: We contacted Dahmer victims’ families

Netflix’s Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has proven to be one of the streaming giant’s most popular shows ever–but it’s not without its controversies. From inspiring banned Halloween costumes to allegations that shows like this exploit tragedies, it has gotten almost as much attention for its behind-the-scenes stories as it does its actual content. Now, Dahmer creator Ryan Murphy is refuting claims that showrunners didn’t reach out to victims’ families.

Ryan Murphy says that part of research for Dahmer did include speaking with families–they just didn’t pick up the phone. “Over the course of the three, three and a half years when we were really writing it, working on it, we reached out to 20, around 20 of the victims’ families and friends trying to get input, trying to talk to people and not a single person responded to us in that process.” Instead, Dahmer’s team had to rely on research that went beyond personal accounts from victims’ families.

The issue stems from a Twitter user who is the cousin of the older sister of a Dahmer victim (keeping up?), who tweeted: “They don’t notify families when they do this. It’s all public record, so they don’t have to notify (or pay!) anyone. My family found out when everyone else did…It’s cruel.” Up to this point, Ryan Murphy had remained relatively quiet on the topic.

Paris Barclay, who directed two Dahmer episodes (including the finale), said, “They were real people with loving families, breathing, living, hoping. That’s what we wanted it to be about…We really want it to be about celebrating these victims.” While the sentiment is there, one can see this only adding fuel to the fire.

What do you think? Does Ryan Murphy’s Dahmer work as a tribute to victims or does it exploit them? Let us know in the comments below.