‘Dahmer’ is Netflix’s best premiere since ‘Stranger Things 4’

Less than a week after its premiere, Dahmer is Netflix’s biggest draw since Stranger Things season four. The new limited series, which premiered on September 21, comes from the creator of American Horror Story, Ryan Murphy, as part of his five-year deal with the popular streaming service. Evan Peters takes on the role of Dahmer in the most prolific on-screen portrayal of the cannibalistic serial killer since Ross Lynch in the 2017 film my friend dahmer.

Over the past week, audiences have flocked to the miniseries, causing Dahmer It became Netflix’s most successful premiere since the fourth season of stranger things in May. Deadline reports that 196.2 million people have watched the series, making it the fifth most-watched premiere since Netflix’s viewership data reshuffled last June.

Why Dahmer’s success could be problematic for Netflix

The audience figures are surprising and not. Peters is a hugely popular TV star with undeniable talent, so seeing him play such an infamous character is intriguing. At the same time, although true crime is a phenomenon for Netflix, initial expectations did not see Dahmer breaking into the upper echelon of platform audience along with stranger things and other great hits. Part of that doubt has to do with the large number of media related to Dahmer that already exist, calling into question the series’ relevance as a seemingly redundant interpretation of a mortifying era in American history that many would rather forget.

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Living relatives of the families Dahmer directly affected during his years of activity have already reported being traumatized by the series’ portrayal of the gruesome murders. The success of DahmerTherefore, it is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the audience will inspire Netflix to continue funding true crime projects thanks to continued interest. On the other hand, the moral implications of rewatching such heinous crimes are difficult to consider and may make Netflix see itself as an exploiter of real tragedies. Whichever side is deemed correct, Peters is terrific as Dahmer, and the series is undoubtedly well crafted from a technical standpoint. Time will tell what kind of legacy he leaves behind after the initial reactions and data stop mattering.