The ‘Suburban White Guy’ serial killer trope is overdone in our entertainment industry, with some of the most popular streaming services in the country releasing new television series every month that glorify and romanticize murder.

“Dexter”, a show released in 2006, follows a serial killer posing as a family man. The final season of the show wrapped with an unsatisfying ending in 2013, which led to the release of a new limited series Nov. 7 on Showtime: “Dexter: New Blood”.

Audiences are going feral for more episodes featuring their favorite fictional murderer – whether they think he’s a genius, or are simply in love with him. This generation has such a fascination with serial killers and murderers that streaming companies such as Showtime and Netflix, seem to continuously put out shows featuring murderous men, which is, in turn, leading to younger audiences having a stronger interest in murder.

“You” season three was released this past October and is currently still streaming on Netflix’s top ten. This show heavily romanticizes the protagonist, Joe Goldberg’s, twisted mind. It shows him stalking, assaulting, and murdering women in a positive light, as if he’s doing it out of love. The director portrayed the show as Joe doing anything for love when, in reality, he was simply a murderer who enjoyed stalking and killing women. The perspective in which the show was created leads audiences to sympathize with Joe’s actions, finding his killings to be just.

We know that people already romanticize real-life murderers like Ted Bundy and The Night Stalker, but shows such as “You” and “Dexter” just provoke more love for murderers, both fictional and factual.

Not only are our television shows filled with romanticized murder, but our social media is as well. Many people spend their free time watching true crime videos on the Internet. Some of the top true crime YouTubers, like Bailey Sarian and Kendall Rae, have amassed millions of subscribers. These videos detail very graphic crimes happening to innocent people and are intended to be used for entertainment purposes. Just like “You” and “Dexter,” these overdramatized true crime YouTube videos are contributing to the same issue.

As younger generations are becoming desensitized to murder due to its common usage in entertainment and media, their futures may certainly involve more violence. Kids are finding pleasure in these violent portrayals, whether it’s watching fantasy homicides on the big screen or hearing the gory details of a real massacre. Our entertainment is constantly filled to the brim with new shows, films, and videos showcasing murder in a romanticized and poetic light, with no end in sight.