Twenty-eight years after the body of JonBenét Ramsey was discovered in her family’s basement, we’re no closer to learning who killed the six-year-old, or why. We’ve heard countless theories, seen countless episodes of true crime TV, docuseries, and dramatic adaptations around her death. The one-time child beauty pageant contestant would be 33 years old, were she alive today. Instead, she’s a cottage industry, and the latest to mine her death for profits are 101 Studios, the company perhaps best known for the Yellowstone juggernaut of properties.
The news comes via The Hollywood Reporter, which credits writing team Harrison Query and Tommy Wallach with creation of the project. The duo have a CV heavy on thriller and horror genre properties that are at some stage of development, but their IMDB pages are fairly thin on content that’s come to fruition. That means we don’t have much to compare to if we’re trying to evaluate their track record on sensitive depiction of one of this generation’s most troubling crimes. It’s also a sign that MTV, who with 101 purchased the Query/Wallach pitch, don’t see a need for this case to be in especially experienced hands. I don’t feel great about that.
Per Deadline, “The yet untitled project details the mysterious death and the surrounding media frenzy in the murder of JonBenét Ramsey, a case that captivated an entire nation and left us with more questions than answers. The series is expected to explore in detail all possible suspects.” This is a slender description, sure, but you only have one chance to make a first impression, right? If there were a market differentiator for this project, this is when the creators or studios would start building buzz. Instead, we have this.
I’m the last person to argue that every true crime property needs to bring something new to the table, or that it needs to break fresh ground, open eyes, or improve humanity. But I do prefer it when reading even the earliest-days of coverage leaves me feeling something besides “gross.” But gross is how I feel when I think about turning this child’s unsolved, sad death into yet another paycheck for a bunch of guys. (And I say “guys” because there’s not a single female name reportedly associated with the project thus far.) I don’t believe we need this show — and I wonder if there’s even enough here to attract sufficient viewership to justify this series. I’m open to the conversation, though! If you have a counterpoint, hit us in the comments, via email at at bestevidence dot fyi, or call or text us at 919-75-CRIME.
Lifetime to tackle guardianship with La La Anthony and Melissa Joan Hart
Though you wouldn’t know it from recent coverage, a new, fictional Lifetime movie on the hot true crime topic of guardianship is already in production. The Bad Guardian, as it’s currently titled, is “inspired by real-life guardianship controversies” including the struggles of Britney Spears and, more recently, Wendy Williams. It stars Melissa Joan Hart and La La Anthony, and (per a press release) “is inspired by countless true stories of individuals who have been put in the care of a guardian by the courts and raises the question — are these caretakers helpful or harmful?”
Hart is already on set, her recent Instagram posts suggest, with one terming it “a heartbreaking movie.” From the press release:
The Bad Guardian (working title) is a riveting thriller about one woman’s fight to save her father from the clutches of a corrupt and greedy court-appointed “guardian”. When Leigh’s (Melissa Joan Hart) father Jason (Eric Pierpoint) suffers a fall while she’s out of town, the courts assign Jason a guardian, Janet (La La Anthony). At first Janet seems to be a big help to Jason, but things quickly take a terrible turn. Janet is legally in charge of every aspect of Jason’s life, and doesn’t waste any time placing him in a nursing home, auctioning off his house, all worldly possessions, and using the excuse that the proceeds are needed for his care. As Leigh continues to challenge Janet’s efforts, the guardian ultimately uses her power to prevent the family from visiting. In Janet’s care, Jason’s health deteriorates, to the point that he needs a life saving treatment which Janet decides is too expensive. As the whistleblowers around Jason meet untimely ends, Leigh finds the strength to take down the guardian and the corrupt system that supports her.
Hey, I guess you don’t need to watch it now, the PR materials kind of told you everything! Perhaps you’ll have time to forget (but don’t forget too much, I warn in questionable taste) before its release later this year.
Bethenny Frankel goes Ann Rule for Lifetime
While I was in the Lifetime press room, I saw this release for another of the network’s upcoming projects — and this one marks the acting debut of former Real Housewife Bethenny Frankel. The reality TV stalwart will star in Danger in the Dorm, Lifetime announced last week, an adaptation of a 40-plus-year-old Ann Rule report about the 1972 slaying of Oregon State student Nancy Diane Wyckoff.
The movie will air this summer as part of the network’s summertime “Ripped From the Headline” slate of programming, but based on the release its ties to the source material seem…slim. Check it:
Inspired by one of Ann Rule’s earliest true crime works, Danger in the Dorm, tells the s
tory of Kathleen (Clara Alexandrova) after the tragic murder of her childhood best friend and fellow classmate, Becky. Now, she must shed her rebellious youthful spirit in order to catch a killer who’s preying on young girls around campus, even as her mother, Joanne (Bethnney Frankel), tries to protect Kathleen from suffering the same fate as her friend.
Based on the information I have on hand, this feels more like a pop and edible and watch than a secure screeners for a thoughtful Best Evidence review type of joint, but who knows what the summer will bring?
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