In the not too distant past, NBC’sSaturday Night Liveonce spoofedour cripplingobsession with true crimewith a lively music video that connoisseurs of the subgenre will certainly find hysterical. “The struggle is real,” as they say, when it comes to resisting the urge to binge all the deliciously dark content that’s out there, especially since it’s real-life ordeals we’re talking about. Another television network,Lifetime, has also been capitalizing on the crime TV trend, especially as of late with a newslate of films this fallthat are either based on or inspired by recent gritty stories about betrayal, murder, affairs and more. “Ripped from the Headlines” is what Lifetime is dubbing its latest lineup of “Truly Unbelievable” films, which include household names like Bill Pullman and Melissa Joan Hart.
In celebration of the added material, the network recently hosted a true-crime trivia night in Los Angeles, where MovieWeb was on-hand to show off our knowledge in this dark subgenre of TV. Our quiz team — cleverly named “The Ted Bundles of Fun” — won first place, for the record; they don’t call MovieWeb a “premiere destination” for nothing!
Hollywood: Obsessed with Darkness
Just in time for the spooky season, Lifetime is continuing to bring viewers more creepy but grounded content with sevennew original films. The first one debuted in September, with new films airing through the end of this month. The added inventory includes:
Some of these tales may sound familiar, of course. Leave it to Lifetime to take the reins on covering the juiciest real-world headlines — and in record time! Wasn’t Alex Murdaugh just recently found guilty earlier this summer? Bravo Lifetime, bravo!
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Mug Shots, Themed Cocktails, and More
To celebrate the release of these deliciously dark TV feature films, Lifetime recently took over Bathtub Gin, a trendy bar and restaurant on the bustling Melrose Avenue in the heart of Los Angeles, for an epic trivia night. And yes, there is a “bathtub” inside, where guests are encouraged to take photos while sprawled out inside. The expertly curated event certainly tested our knowledge ofall things true crime, and even delved into general celebrity factoids as well, so it was important that we brought our A-game. It was also important to know the passcode to enter this second-story venue (it was “truly unbelievable,” in case you’re curious). Upon arrival during the pre-trivia hour, there was a cleverly themed spread of food and cocktails for attendees to enjoy.
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Plus, have you ever had your booking photo taken? Hopefully not — but if so, it might not have been a fun experience. Luckily, Lifetime’s event made mug shots fun by setting up a special photo booth with accompanying props to hold in order to recreate that infamous moment of getting checked into a jail or prison. Then came time for the actual trivia portion, which is that much more challenging for a genre like true crime. It’s not exactly the kind of material you can sit through while distracted on Instagram or TikTok.
More information about the “Truly Unbelievable” film slate can be foundhere.
