This article discusses murder and sexual assault.
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Woman of the HourWoman of the Houroffered a frightening and intriguing insight into the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala and his infamous appearance on a dating show. The movie chronicles the real story of Cheryl Bradshaw’s appearance onThe Dating Gameand her run-in with the conniving killer. The movie is the directorial debut of Anna Kendrick, who also stars in the lead role of Bradshaw;whileWoman of the Hourmade several changes to real events, it gives viewers a gripping view into the mindset of a killer.
The movie has been released to high acclaim, with praise for Kendrick’s skills as both actress and director, its cinematography, and storytelling.Reviews ofWomen of the Hourhave described the movie as a fresh take on the crime genre and an accurate portrayal of the serial rapist and killer’s sinister actions; the movie currently has a score of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.Alcala’s crimes were made infamous by his appearance onThe Dating Game,but shockingly, he is not the only criminal to have appeared on a game show.
Rodney Alcala Isn’t The Only Serial Killer To Appear In A Game Show
Serial Killer John Cooper Appeared On British Game Show Bullseye
Woman of the Hourfocuses on Cheryl Bradshaw’s appearance onThe Dating Gamein 1978; one of the three bachelor contestants who appeared in the episode was Rodney Alcala. The movie depictshow Alcala was able to charm his way to winning the competition, but also shows Bradshaw’s growing unease around him. In the years following Alcala’s appearance onThe Dating Game,other criminals were found hiding in plain sight in front of television cameras.
One notorious example is Welsh serial killer John Cooper, who appeared on the British quiz showBullseyein 1989. PerThe Independent, before he competed on the show, Cooper murdered two people in 1985 and murdered a further two just a month after hisBullseyeappearance;the murders were known in British media as the Pembrokeshire Murders.Cooper was apprehended in 2009 after his appearance onBullseyewas matched to a suspect sketch, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. Similar to Alcala, Cooper was given a nickname by the media, The Bullseye Killer.
How Rodney Alcala’s Appearance On The Dating Game Highlights The Importance of Background Checks
As depicted inWoman of the Hour,Rodney Alcala appeared on the game showThe Dating Gameas one of three contestants;by the time he appeared on the show, he had murdered three women and would later go on to murder at least two more, thoughAlcala claimed to have had 130 victims. Alcala’s appearance onThe Dating Gamewas filmed in 1978, at a time when criminal records were not properly checked and the internet was still in its infancy.
As pointed out byABC,had background checks existed, it would have been discovered that Alcala had a criminal record for sexual assault and attempted murder,even appearing on the FBI’s Most Wanted List for a brief period in 1971. It’s unlikely if Alcala’s criminal record had been known at the time, he wouldn’t have been able to participate in the show.
Alcala’s appearance onThe Dating Gamewas filmed in 1978, at a time when criminal records were not properly checked and the internet was still in its infancy.
In the years following the events ofWoman of the Hour,game shows have become more strict in terms of who is allowed to participate.One business who now promotes background checks isCheckers International, who run checks on an individual’s driving record, criminal litigation and identification before anybody is allowed to participate in a game show. It can be argued that had background checks existed back during the events ofWoman of the Hour, things could have ended differently for the sinister serial killer who knew how to charm his way to get people to trust him.
Sources:The Independent,ABC,Checkers International
Woman of the Hour
Woman of the Hour is a biographical thriller directed by Anna Kendrick, who also stars in the film. The movie chronicles the infamous real-life story of Cheryl Bradshaw’s appearance on the 1978 edition of The Dating Game, where one of the contestants, Rodney Alcala, would later be revealed as a notorious serial killer. The film delves into the chilling intersection of entertainment and true crime.
