Netflix’s Killer Sally and the Obsession with True Crime

The true crime genre has been taking over the streaming world steadily every passing year. Whether it’s a documentary, novel, movie, show, podcast, or YouTube video, this new obsession has found its way into many people’s streaming lists. With particularly Netflix leading the way, true crimes of the past have also been turned into fictionalized entertainment that some people have misinterpreted in a concerning sense. This newest series ‘Killer Sally’ is based on Sally and Ray McNeil’s marriage, bodybuilding careers, and subsequent unfortunate plans.

The Story of Killer Sally

A story about the bright and dark sides of bodybuilding, getting into how that world works in regards to women taking over the competition, the pressures that come with it, and how the marriage between Sally and Ray McNeil took a disturbing turn in the mid-90s.

This is one dark story about, in particular, two people with messed up childhoods, unfair judgments from the world, anger management issues, and a Valentine’s Day that will live in infamy. Not a lot of people knew what was going on beneath the surface of this marriage. Although both Sally and Ray were in the public eye quite often either within many bodybuilding competitions or throughout other business ventures, the domestic abuse was not well known.

As many domestic abuse victims know, at some point you get used to some level of violence. Additionally, as Sally herself notes, you can’t always remember every ounce of abuse. All those countless times of abuse blend into one another and, ultimately, it’s difficult to put an end to it, if that’s even possible. It’s always so important to educate people on “early signs of abuse” so that people can recognize when to leave a situation that could turn incomprehensibly ugly very shortly.

As is the nature of true crime though, it wouldn’t be much of a documentary or series if the story was so clear-cut. Episodes two and three follow the consequent trial that takes place after the Valentine’s Day event.

True Crime Entertainment

This genre is not supposed to have people who consider themselves “true crime enthusiasts” or big fans. It doesn’t make much logical sense to dedicate yourself to these kinds of stories that involve real-life people who were deeply scarred by such events. Recently, the Netflix Dahmer show made a mockery of real victims and their families. Glorified stories of real murders with real victims being shared online without a second thought and constantly being made available to stream as “popcorn entertainment” desensitize people to real events of a heavy nature.

Shockingly and very disturbingly, this past Halloween some people were wearing Jeffrey Dahmer costumes. Society has lost all sense of realism and empathy. More people know about the O.J. Simpson events through shows and podcasts than the real news coverage which took place during the time it happened.

As more and more streaming services come about, opportunistic capitalists will always be looking for new ways to monetize people’s time and attention. And if true crime is bringing in the millions, then you can be certain to see more and more series about every grisly murder that happens all over the world.

Photo: Sitthiphong/Shutterstock

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