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6h ago

‘Predators’ Puts ‘To Catch a Predator’ Under the Microscope as Limited Release Begins

The film questions the blurred line between televised stings and justice.

A suspect is taken into custody in the NBC true crime series “To Catch a Predator.” David Osit’s documentary “Predators” probes the moral gray areas of the series.
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A suspect is confronted in the NBC true crime series “To Catch a Predator.” David Osit’s documentary “Predators” probes the moral gray areas of the series.

Overview

  • After its Sundance premiere, David Osit’s documentary opens in a limited theatrical run starting in New York City with wider expansion planned by MTV Documentary Films.
  • Using archival material and new interviews, the film scrutinizes the show’s ethics and legal gray areas, noting that on-camera confrontations were not gathered under police procedures.
  • Chris Hansen appears and defends his approach as he continues similar work online, while the film highlights unanswered questions about deterrence and outcomes.
  • The documentary revisits the Texas sting associated with a target’s suicide and reflects on lasting impacts on former decoys and the men featured on the program.
  • It charts the show’s influence on social-media vigilantes, including YouTuber Skeeter Jean, and raises concerns about copycat ambushes that blur accountability with spectacle.