The True-Crime Documentary That Left Over 31% Of People Disappointed

The true-crime genre has exploded in popularity over the past few years, with Next Flicks reporting that streaming service Netflix is investing a ton of money to expand its lineup of shows in this entertainment category. However, while the genre as a whole might be well-loved, it's natural that there are some duds along the way. In that vein, Grunge asked 674 respondents across the United States which recent true-crime documentary disappointed them the most, despite the hype.

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HBO's "Beware the Slenderman" was one of the most popular choices, with 16.17% of respondents admitting that they were not impressed with the 2016 documentary. Another series that audiences found overrated was "Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Killer," as around 15.88% of survey takers said they thought the show did not live up to expectations. Two other commonly chosen titles included "Allen v. Farrow" and "Making a Murderer," which respectively received 14.69% and 12.31% of the vote.

That said, there was one particular series that was far and away considered the most disappointing, and the answer is a surprising one.

Tiger King was crowned the most disappointing show

Around one third of respondents claimed that the No. 1 most disappointing true-crime show was none other than "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness." The Netflix series, which centered on big cat owner Joe Exotic, became a cultural phenomenon thanks to its unique subject and the fact that it was released just as COVID-19 quarantines were enacted throughout the world. In addition to spawning hundreds of memes, it currently has an 85% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was reportedly streamed by 64 million households in its first four weeks, according to The Verge.

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However, despite its popularity and good reviews, around 31.45% of respondents said that they were not impressed by the docuseries. Part of this dislike might be attributed to the growing moral concern about the show. For example, a piece in Vox discussed the issues in portraying Joe Exotic — who purportedly mistreated both his employees and his animals — as a quirky-but-lovable folk hero. The article also slammed the series for exploiting "its subjects without any goal in mind other than hooking the audience on the exploitation itself."

Nevertheless, a second season is reportedly in the works (via Elle), so disappointed watchers can see if round two is better than the first.

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