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Broadcast and Streaming are Putting Their All Into “Murder Mystery” with Every Network Jumping on the Bandwagon
It could just be me, but do people seem more obsessed with murder than ever before? I only ask because art imitates life, and lately, there have been A LOT of murder mystery shows.
Granted, death is a hot topic when it comes to storytelling. It’s one of the top three, along with sex and drugs. Believe it or not, every single story is rooted in one of those three.
So, it’s unsurprising that all the big broadcast channels, like CBS, and streamers have at least one murder mystery show on their roster. It’s a good time to be a homicide enthusiast.
Again, murder is hardly a new trending topic for audiences. How many of Shakespeare’s works involved a mysterious murder?
I’m not even talking about the run-of-the-mill “whodunnits” because newer shows are finding fresh ways to incorporate kills into their stories, whether episodic or overarching.
Murder Has Always Had a Home on Broadcast Television
There’s nowhere in the world where murder shines brighter than broadcast television. Sex and drugs are hard to work in for large audiences, but you can’t go wrong with death.
Granted, as much as we love it in the U.S., there is some debate over the first homicide-themed series.
It is believed that the first murder mystery show was Telecrime, a British crime drama from 1938, which featured short “whodunits” with clues for the audience to solve the crimes.
Unfortunately for today’s writers, audiences are sharper than ever, and getting one over on them takes a lot of work. That’s why some broadcast shows have pivoted from the “whodunnit” formula.
The show Elsbeth has flipped the script on the police procedural murder game. The CBS series employs the lesser-known but still popular tactic of a “howcatchem.”
Rather than try to dupe viewers, Elsbeth starts most episodes by showing how the murderer kills their victim. Now that’s a twist on the murder mystery genre.
Every so often, the show will throw out a “whodunnit” or a “whydunnit,” but for the most part, the show just lets the audience sit back and enjoy watching the detectives find all the clues that audiences know the killer left behind.
However, some shows still employ the standard murder mystery strategy but with a more clever flair.
If you are a TV Fanatic, you likely enjoyed one of ABC‘s newest shows starring Kaitlin Olson about a single mom who starts working with the police to use her big brain to solve murders.
Having covered the High Potential reviews, I can tell you exactly why that show was such a hit with viewers everywhere.
First, yes, the murders are intricate and layered, so you never see the ending coming. Even better, the main character is your average everyday woman who picks her kids up from school and goes grocery shopping.
The more relatable a murder mystery story is, the more viewers can lose themselves in a plot that feels personal or close to home.
It would explain why streamers are not even subtle about releasing “whodunnits” and “howcatchems.”
Streaming Is Catching Up with The Biggest Murder Mystery Show of the Last Decade
Elsbeth Tascioni isn’t the only sleuth with a nose for the truth. Recently, Peacock teamed up with Natasha Lyonne to create one seriously amazing episodic murder mystery show.
If you haven’t seen Poker Face, please get that free trial of Peacock today.
It’s a smartly comedic murder mystery show where Lyonne’s character uses her uncanny ability to sniff out a lie to solve murders.
She’s also making her way across the country, trying to avoid a Vegas mob boss who is out for her head. In every episode, Lyonne’s Charlie finds herself in a new town with a new murder on her hands.
You see what I mean, though, right? Murder mystery shows are everywhere now more than ever. I’m not even talking about past shows or just canceled shows. These are all still going.
Netflix just put out The Residence, a “whodunnit” about the mysterious murder of the White House’s Chief Usher.
It’s a fantastic show, by the way. It’s perfect for people who like Knives Out and Glass Onion, and it has its own eccentric detective to boot.
See? Right there, we have two very recent and popular murder mystery movies. They were so good that just writing their titles makes me want to rewatch them.
And, if you’re still not convinced that murder has taken over movies and TV shows, I would like to direct your attention to my final piece of evidence.
It is none other than Hulu‘s most popular show ever. Technically, it’s ONE of Hulu’s top shows because two shows share that spot.
I’ll give you a hint: It recently finished its star-studded fourth season with more big-name guest stars than any other season. Still nothing? Selena Gomez is in it.
Oh, for God’s sake, it’s Only Murders in the Building. Possibly one of the most popular murder mystery shows of the last decade.
What does this all mean for broadcast and streaming?
The Industry Is Saturated in Murder Mystery Shows, But Some Aren’t Hits
As I said, murder is hardly a new topic, but it has been gaining traction with no end in sight. Have we become so desensitized as viewers that the only thing that can faze us is death?
Humans are fascinated by what they don’t understand, and death is right up there with why we sleep and what’s at the bottom of the ocean.
Personally, I never considered myself a murder mystery fan. However, with the influx of fresh takes on themes through shows like Only Murders, I’ve found myself a “whodunnit” enthusiast.
Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, but not every big network is knocking it out of the park.
NBC recently released Grosse Pointe Garden Society, a murder mystery with strong similarities to Desperate Housewives, which was met with dismal fanfare.
Remember what I said about viewers being more discerning? The industry is saturated with stories like these, which is great for us but terrible for the people behind the shows.
We have endless possibilities for entertainment that fit our particular niches. However, with so many viewers spread around, many of these shows will fall through the cracks.
As every serial killer knows, it’s a numbers game. Dexter caught on to this early and has kept the knife sharp with its most recent installment to the franchise, Dexter: Original Sin, on Paramount+.
Patrick Gibson does an eerily accurate portrayal of Michael C. Hall‘s Dexter Morgan.
So, get ready to start building that “Watch List” because there is a ridiculous amount of viewing options for murder enthusiasts everywhere.
Don’t even get me started on the insane amount of murder mysteries and slashers coming in and out of theaters. I’ll save that for next time.
What’s your favorite murder mystery show?
Did you discover a new show to watch in this article?
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