Murder Made Fiction

Our discussion of Jack the Ripper continues with the first of a two episode TV miniseries Jack the Ripper (1988) starring Michael Caine and Jane Seymour. This lavish $11M series was broadcast in both the UK and the US to (allegedly) big ratings, but it's the sprawling focus on the daily life in Whitechapel that has us hooked. Topics include: the many, many male suspects; beakers of milk; a desire...

We’re continuing our coverage of Jack the Ripper with Hugo Fregonese’s 1953 adaptation. Jack Palance stars as a mysterious lodger who may be connected to a series of gruesome murders plaguing 1888 London. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfiction (Twitter & Instagram) or send us an email: murdermadefiction@gmail.com > Jenn: @jennferatu > Joe: @bstolemyremote Wanna supp...

Our first fictionalized adaptation of Jack the Ripper is an early Alfred Hitchcock film, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927). In the film, a landlord couple begin to suspect that their new tenant (played by gay musical composer Ivor Novello) is The Avenger, a serial killer of blonde women, who may have his sights set on their daughter Daisy. Topics include: appreciating black & white sile...

We’re going all the way back to the 19th century to the foundations of the true crime genre. Jack the Ripper terrorized the residents of Whitechapel, London, leaving butchered bodies in the street before disappearing into the night. Carole Peters’s docuseries episode chronicles this disturbing case and its wide variety of suspected killers.  Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @...

Jenn and Joe wrap up Olympic Crime month with a look at Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer. On the night of Feb 13, 2013, the Olympic athlete shot and killed his model/lawyer girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, mistaking her for an intruder. The 2017 Lifetime film charts the couple's brief, but turbulent relationship, though we found the screenplay's disinterest in exploring the race, class, or celebri...

Our discussion of the murder of Dave Schultz by eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont continues with the fictionalized take from 2014. Directed by Bennett Miller, the film was nominated for 5 Oscars, including two supporting actor nominations for Steve Carrell and Mark Ruffalo, as well as direction, screenplay, and make-up (which...what?) What happens when Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) becomes...

We’re continuing our coverage of Olympic Crime with the strange story of John du Pont and the murder of Olympic gold wrestler Dave Schultz. Jon Greenhalgh’s 2016 documentary gives us an intimate view of life on du Pont’s Foxcatcher Farms and a dangerous quest for Olympic gold. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfiction (Twitter & Instagram) or send us an email: murderma...

We’re continuing our coverage of Olympic crime with Craig Gillespie’s 2017 Oscar darling. Based on conflicting interviews with Tonya Harding and her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly, “I, Tonya” presents different versions of the infamous attack on rival skater Nancy Kerrigan, then allows the audience to suss out the truth.  Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfiction (Twitter &...

Jenn and Joe interview podcaster Brian Raftery about his new book, Hannibal: A Life, which looks at the evolution and cultural relevance of Hannibal Lecter. It's out Feb 10, 2026 and it's well worth a read. You can also watch this interview on YouTube (youtube.com/@MurderMadeFiction) Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfiction (BlueSky & Instagram) or send us an email: m...

Less than four months after Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by a man after coming off the ice, NBC debuted the made-for-TV movie Tonya & Nancy: The Inside Story (1994). The self-aware film acknowledges its intent to capitalize on the lurid sensationalism of the crime, but also explores the class and gender issues that contributed to the hype. Plus: A Greek Chorus of talking heads, breaking the fourth...

With the Winter Olympics just around the corner, we’re exploring some of sport’s most notorious crimes, beginning with the 1994 attack on Nancy Kerrigan. This episode of the ESPN docuseries 30 for 30 begins with Tonya Harding’s troubled childhood then follows her rocky figure skating career and controversial quest for Olympic gold.  Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfi...

We're checking out director Burke Doeren and writers Katrina Mathewson & Tanner Bean's Grizzly Night (2026) based on the August 13, 1967 bear attacks in Granite National Park. If you want to hear more , including our spoilery discussion, join the Patreon (⁠patreon.com/murdermadefiction⁠) where we're also tackling Cocaine Bear, as well as 2025 documentaries like Predators, The Perfect Neighbor and...

We’re wrapping up our patreon coverage of Mindhunter season 1 with a chat about our favorite characters, story arcs, and episodes. What do we long for in season 2 and how does David Fincher’s masterful show subvert a well-trodden subgenre? Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfiction (Twitter & Instagram) or send us an email: murdermadefiction@gmail.com > Jenn: @jennferat...

For our second week of Richard Speck adaptations, we're checking out director Denis Héroux's Born For Hell (1976), which is sometimes also known as Naked Massacre. This international co-production relocates the narrative to Belfast and weaves in Speck's story with the Troubles and the Vietnam War. Plus: comparisons to Violated Angels; and why this is such a hard watch, even if we can't just dismis...

As we continue our coverage of Mindhunter season 1, we’re traveling across the world to discuss Kôji Wakamatsu’s Violated Angels.  Inspired by the crimes of Richard Speck, this controversial Pink Film is a powerful and disturbing blend of true crime and political commentary.  Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfiction (Twitter & Instagram) or send us an email: murdermad...

To tie into our coverage of Mindhunter on Patreon, we're discussing fictional adaptations of the killers interviewed on the series. First up: director Chad Ferrin's Ed Kemper (2025) which shares a screenwriter with 2000's Ed Gein in Stephen Johnston. Sadly this plays like a lazy, salacious cash-grab. Despite a committed performance by lead Brandon Kirk, there's not much to recommend here. Wanna co...

When John Douglas first joined the FBI in 1970, criminal investigation was ineffective at best. Over the next quarter century, he would pioneer the art of criminal profiling and create the Bureau's Behavioral Analysis Unit alongside colleagues Robert Ressler and Dr. Ann Burgess.  Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfiction (Twitter & Instagram) or send us an email: murde...

Jenn and Joe celebrate a year of fictionalized true crime in a number of different categories (thanks to Patron Kelly for a few suggestions!) Here's what we're discussing: Fave 2025 Fictionalized Text Most Accurate to Real Life Fave 2025 True Crime Title We Didn't Cover Best Conversation Starter Best Use of Music Best Performance Best Individual Episode of a Series; and Most Anticipated (2026 and...

Antonio Campos' fictionalized take on The Staircase comes to a close with episodes 7 & 8. Expect plenty of overlapping and blurring of timelines as Kathleen Peterson lives out her final days in 2001; Michael is released from prison in 2011; and his relationship with editor Sophie implodes in 2017. It's a perfect opportunity to compare/contrast with Lestrade's docuseries and wrap up our thoughts on...

Antonio Campos’ fictionalized adaptation of The Staircase continues with an exploration of bias behind the scenes of the original docuseries. The Petersons suffer through a stressful Thanksgiving while Kathleen’s neighbor comes up with a surprising explanation for her mysterious death.  Topics include: Alford pleas, film scoring, and the owl finally makes an appearance.  Wanna connect with the sho...

Antonio Campos’ fictionalized adaptation of The Staircase continues with an alternative theory for how Kathleen Peterson may have died.  Topics include: rapid pacing, homophobia, and a bombshell revelation about Michael’s third wife.  Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfiction (Twitter & Instagram) or send us an email: murdermadefiction@gmail.com > Jenn: @jennferatu > J...

On Dec 9, 2001, Michael Peterson made a frantic 911 call to report the accidental death of his wife, Kathleen. What followed is one of the most sensational true crime cases of all time: did Kathleen die in a fall down the stairs...or was she murdered by her husband? In 2022, showrunner Antonio Campos debuted his 8 episode HBO limited series, starring Colin Firth & Toni Collette and based on the 20...

Ron Howard’s emotional film chronicles the risky and controversial mission to save twelve young soccer players and their coach from the rapidly flooding Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand. Topics include: claustrophobia, star power, and white savior narratives. Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on social media @murdermfiction (Twitter & Instagram) or send us an email: murdermadefiction@gmai...

Director Charlie Shackleton makes lemonade out of lemons after losing the rights to adapt Lyndon Lafferty’s 2012 true crime novel The Zodiac Killer Cover-up AKA The Silenced Badge. From the ashes of his abandoned documentary rises a fascinating exploration of the genre itself. Against the backdrop of gorgeous cinematography from Xenia Patricia, Shackleton talks us through his original plans, revea...

On the night of April 20, 2010, over the span of nine minutes, the oil rig Deepwater Horizon experienced a cataclysmic explosion that killed 11 men and spilled an estimated 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf over a period of 87 days. It is the worst oil disaster in US history. Peter Berg's 2016 aquatic disaster movie documents the fateful day the well blew, following a handful of individuals...