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Sean Martinez<\/strong> | Freelancer<\/span><\/p>\n On Sept. 9, 2018, Netflix introduced the world to a new style of thriller and suspense with a show called \u201cYou\u201d. The main character, Joe Goldberg, falls in love with a woman named Beck and makes it his mission to become her boyfriend. But in doing so, he follows her, sees her friends as obstacles and obsesses over her. <\/span><\/p>\n While the show captivates its audience, it also sheds light on the social issue of stalking. The show tackles this subject by telling the story through Joe\u2019s perspective, allowing viewers to understand his actions; this has sparked some controversy because it\u2019s easy for people to use this as justification for his actions. The bigger issue, though, is people romanticizing Joe\u2019s character. <\/span><\/p>\n Following the show\u2019s success, posts on social media comment on the physical attractiveness of Penn Badgley, the actor who plays Joe. One tweet from @MalikaPlays read, \u201ckidnap me pls,\u201d to which Badgley, under the twitter handle @PennBadgley responded, \u201cNo thx.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n However, the issue does not stop with \u201cYou\u201d; it continues with an upcoming movie on Ted Bundy\u2019s life: \u201cExtremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile<\/span>.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span> Scheduled to be released sometime in 2019, the movie trailer highlights the fact that Bundy was a conventionally attractive man, using his charm and charisma to sway people away from the belief he was a serial killer. Zac Efron being casted as Ted Bundy has many people split on the decision.<\/span><\/p>\n Humanities and English major, junior Never Retallack, believes that casting Efron as Bundy is \u201c… pushing that charismatic factor a little too far.\u201d She goes on to explain that this choice is \u201c… taking away who Ted Bundy really was (because) it\u2019s Zac Efron playing him.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n On the other end of the spectrum, Jasmine Morrow, a junior English major, thinks casting Efron is \u201cmore realistic than anybody else because of how attractive he is and he has a charming side.\u201d With Morrow\u2019s perspective, in order for the movie to capture the accuracy of Bundy, it makes sense to cast someone as idolized as Efron. <\/span><\/p>\n Regardless of the controversy, it is possible that Efron will attract many people to this movie. The more people who watch it, the better odds are that people will receive the message. We are entering a new era of television where serious issues are presented on entertainment platforms. Shows like \u201cYou\u201d<\/span> and Netflix\u2019s Jan. 24 release centered around Bundy titled \u201cConversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes\u201d attempt to illuminate, enlighten, and educate audiences on the scope of these topics. But the controversy surrounding them and the tendency for some to warp the stories and misunderstand their messages can lead to the glorification of problematic and malicious people.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Contact the author at martinezs17@wou.edu<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n