Making A Murderer Analysis

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Recommended: Demystifying Making A Murderer

We all love a good murder mystery. As morbid as it sounds, the suspense, thrill, and mystery in many of today’s true crime documentaries keep us coming back for more. Netflix’s new documentary series, “Making A Murderer,” follows the trials and tribulations of a small town man, Steven Avery, in his crusade for ‘justice.’ Avery was wrongfully convicted of rape, and served 18 years in prison until DNA exoneration freed him, but his freedom didn’t last long. The documentary follows a generic plotline: you’re spoon-fed facts about the Avery family’s oppression and hardships in the community, and listen to them reminisce about the 18 years lost; you end up sympathizing with the family. Now that you’re hooked, they hit you with Steven’s second …show more content…

Producers of true crime documentaries take advantage of this by presenting emotionally-charged testimonies, anecdotes, and pictures that tear at our heartstrings. It’s important to remember this documentary, like many others, was designed with the clear goal of freeing Steven Avery again. The viewer is presented with solid facts, which make Steven Avery look like the victim in most cases. His wrongdoings are minimized, while his grievances maximized. For instance, Steven’s defence team picked over his previous case, finding any discrepancies or violations imposed by the Wisconsin department of justice (DOJ). The investigators are presented as being incompetent and unjust. The list of misconduct evidence against the DOJ extends, making an objective view effortful. The DOJ is portrayed as the enemy, and when police brutality is on the rise this isn’t a difficult feat. Opinions are made and conclusions drawn. Society’s obsession with true crime leads to many stories following the same plot line: a popular outlet presents a side of the story we resonate with, causing us to feel the need to take action. Social media blows up, petitions are signed, protests occur, and fan theories come up: all with a specific agenda. True crime documentaries such as “Making A Murderer” appeal to our emotions and often lead us to draw premature conclusions with our newly discovered education in criminal

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