So does this mean the show doesn't say that they were abused? The promo sure implied that it was going there. I'm confused as to what the objection is.
And I'm curious what they think about the Law & Order True Crime version of the story -- I thought it was very sympathetic to them, like to a fault. I believe that they were abused, but it's still kinda OTT in how much it romanticizes them.
it does say they were abused (for as far along as i've watched it, anyway) and jose is definitely portrayed as an awful man, but it really focuses on their personalities and how "awful" and "spoiled" they are, and having no insight into how they acted during the aftermath of the murders i find it really hard to see how it's relevant to portray them in that light. there are times where it almost seems like he's trying to make you feel unsympathetic towards them, like they're minimised bc they're rich kids or something? idk that's the vibe i have been getting from it, anyway.
yeah in a sense, i think. i get the polarising "they're not the perfect victims" angle but to outright make them seem like detestable guys at times is inappropriate. i'm sure they exhibited entitled rich kid behaviour but how far does that point actually need to be driven in?
Seriously. Being raised and controlled by abusive assholes would have a variety of effects on you, that's kinda how that works. Add wealth into that and of course they're "spoiled," they weren't taught normal empathy. That's not a free pass for bad behavior forever, but combine serious abuse with impulsive teen/early 20s brains, plus guns in the house, and of course it ended horribly. You don't have to pretend they're innocent angels to offer an insightful take on things. Jfc.
I've watched the first few episodes and couldn't agree more that it feels like it's trying to make you unsympathetic. At times it seems the show is almost trying to humiliate them, especially with things like Lyle's hairpiece and the fantasized escape plan.
As the episodes go on (I've watched all but the final) Eric is definitely portrayed more sympathetically. The scene where he describes the abuse to his lawyer in ep 5 is fucking incredible/devastating, for example. The "killed them for money" narrative is dropped by the show after the first couple of episodes and once the abuse is introduced I never got the sense the show itself was questioning that it happened, although they show characters doing so.
But it does show glimpses of them as both intolerable spoiled assholes as well as terrified victims, especially because it has scenes from the pov of other characters, including a whole episode from the perspective of the parents. I took it as a way of saying, "here's a bunch of theories, none of us were there so we can't possibly know the whole truth, people contain multitudes, they were victims but were also assholes, the system is fucked but they also fucked themselves, it's all a mess here's everything at once".
i'm not denying that there are decent portrayals of certain experiences within the show because there are, sure but i think you're giving it waaaay too much credit to be honest. i disagree with a lot of what you're saying, is all i can say tbh
And I'm curious what they think about the Law & Order True Crime version of the story -- I thought it was very sympathetic to them, like to a fault. I believe that they were abused, but it's still kinda OTT in how much it romanticizes them.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
But it does show glimpses of them as both intolerable spoiled assholes as well as terrified victims, especially because it has scenes from the pov of other characters, including a whole episode from the perspective of the parents. I took it as a way of saying, "here's a bunch of theories, none of us were there so we can't possibly know the whole truth, people contain multitudes, they were victims but were also assholes, the system is fucked but they also fucked themselves, it's all a mess here's everything at once".
Reply
Reply
id wait for the finale lol. if theres one thing murphy loves, its getting you comfortable in a narrative and then doing a 180
Reply
Leave a comment