New Documentary Focuses On The Ethics Of 'To Catch a Predator'

TV & Film

Oct 10

Hello there. Why don’t you have a seat over there?

To Catch a Predator is, without a doubt, one of the most popular and influential true crime series out there, and certainly one of the most famous. Following TV reporter Chris Hansen (not to be confused with Scott Hanson, the host of NFL RedZone) as he partners with the police and online watchdog groups like the now defunct Perverted Justice. The setup was clockwork. Perverted Justice would enter chat rooms pretending to be underage boys and girls and catch the eyes of people with… bad intentions. They’d then lure them to a sting house where they’d be met by Hansen, who would interview them for a few minutes before the cops would arrest them. The format was addicting, as was the glimpse into some of humanity’s worst impulses, and the show became a cultural phenomenon, even getting lampooned by shows such as South Park and Family Guy, among others. The show came to an abrupt halt at the height of its popularity when it, shall we say, caught too big a fish, leading to the, shall we say, self-deletion of district attorney Bill Conradt. In the year since, Hansen has restarted his efforts, first with Hansen vs Predator and then Takedown with Chris Hansen, which is still ongoing.

Now we’re getting a bit more TCAP media, but not from Hansen. Documentary filmmaker David Osit has made a documentary showcasing the show’s controversial rise and fall, titled, fittingly enough, Predators. The documentary will give one of the most in-depth analyses of the short series, dealing with such topics as the ethical nature of the show, its cultural impact, and its overwhelming popularity. It even features an interview with Hansen himself, so it’s unlikely to be just a smear campaign against it. It will also cover one of the most successful imitators of Hansen, YouTube personality Skeeter Jean. As of the time of this writing, it has a 98% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is set to open on October 10th. As a huge fan of the Hansen shows myself, I can’t wait to give it a look.

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