Parents' Guide to

Conversation with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes

By Polly Conway, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Deeply disturbing documentary about serial killer.

TV Netflix Reality TV 2022
Conversation with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes TV poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

escholl12
escholl12 Parent of 10 and 15-year-old
April 26, 2022
age 18+
This documentary was riveting. But it had a lot of terrible content. It had pornography in it. It’s best to just avoid this show.

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

CONVERSATION WITH A KILLER: THE JOHN WAYNE GACY TAPES is a documentary about the notorious serial killer of at least 33 young men and boys in the 1970s. The series reiterates that Gacy was well-known in his neighborhood and community as a construction contractor and member of the local Democratic Party. Interviews with lawyers, law enforcement, detectives, and potential victims make up the bulk of the miniseries, with 1980 interviews with Gacy himself interspersed throughout.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

True crime buffs may appreciate the details in this heavy documentary, while others may find the whole thing too disturbing to be entertaining. Images of Gacy's home and personal objects, detailed interviews and play-by-plays of crime investigations make up the bulk of the series, as well as historical information about the area and the times, all of which is pretty interesting. What's less interesting is hearing from Gacy himself, who deserves no further airtime.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about true crime documentaries. Why do you think people want to hear more about these kinds of crimes?

  • Why do you think many of the people and victims decided to be a part of this documentary?

TV Details

  • Premiere date: April 22, 2022
  • Network: Netflix
  • Genre: Reality TV
  • TV rating: TV-MA
  • Last updated: February 17, 2023

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