Common Sense Media Review
By Marina Gordon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Strong POV, violence, child sexual abuse in true crime show.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey
What's the Story?
COLD CASE: WHO KILLED JONBENET RAMSEY examines the unsolved, horrifying, captivating 1996 murder of a six-year-old girl. It details the discoveries of Dec. 26, 1996—from a ransom note, to mother Patsy Ramsey's 911 call, to the discovery of JonBenét's body in the Ramsey basement. Three episodes delve into the theories about the case and all the people who've been accused of the murder, including JonBenét's parents and brother and various men who came under scrutiny over the years. The documentarians talked with family members, some investigators, media members, and others who've been involved in the case. The Boulder Police, who are roundly criticized here, declined to be interviewed, as did JonBenét's brother Burke, who became the focus of attention in a 2016 CBS investigation The Case of JonBenét Ramsey.
Is It Any Good?
This show doesn't answer who killed the young pageant contestant in 1996, but it makes a good case that her family didn't. Documentarian and filmmaker Joe Berlinger has specialized in covering true crime since the 1990s (Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, and dozens of others). In Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey he champions members of the Ramsey family who the series argues were falsely accused of murdering the young girl. For viewers who were convinced that the Ramsey family was involved in JonBenet's murder, this is worth a watch. It's also a good examination of how the media and armchair sleuths can grab onto any scrap of a theory and run with it—and further ruin lives that were already devastated.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of true crime shows. What do you think is the appeal of these stories?
How might constant exposure to violent stories affect our perspective? Do you feel like seeing violent stories changes how you see the world?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 25, 2024
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : November 26, 2024
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