I watch a lot of TV for work, so when it’s time to relax in the evening, I do my best to watch something. Netflix that’s fun and helps me relax my mind. Well, I happened to a true crime franchise recently, surprisingly, fit the bill. Considering the title — especially in your new entry, which gets worse in the back end — it’s confusing that these have become my go-to games.
Worst Neighbor Ever is the latest installment of Blumhouse’s Worst Ever anthology. The Worst Roommate and The Worst Roommate are previous titles in the series, and like the new series, they explore the horrific true stories involving victims who get involved with people they shouldn’t have trusted.
Worst Neighbor Ever consists of four episodes, each telling the story of unimaginable violence perpetrated by one member of the community on another. I won’t break down each episode in detail — that would take away from the viewing experience. But like the previous two entries in the franchise, the series somehow pulls itself together with each episode, revealing how corrupt people can be, especially when broken justice and mental health systems collide.
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Now look, I agree that watching true crime dramas before bed isn’t the smartest thing to do, and it won’t be a choice that appeals to everyone. But there’s something about the subtlety of these stories that calms me down, as if to say, “Your life may be a mess, but at least it’s not as bad as these cases.”
Almost every episode I’ve seen in this poem follows an unbelievable case, no matter how cruel people can be or how law enforcement can put together an investigation. That alone is a good reason to watch this show. Seeing the consequences of a broken system can help move the needle on fixing it — or at least that’s the optimistic thought I like to hold onto.
Toni Bostic and Terrell Bostic tell their story on Netflix’s Worst Neighbor Ever.
Worst Roommate Ever and Worst Roommate Ever Covers stories from around the country. There was comfort in watching the show knowing that no gruesome murders happened close to home.
Worst Neighbor, however, shattered my comfort with its final episode, Legacy. It revisits the crimes of Caroline Herrling, a con artist in Los Angeles who, in an attempt to dispose of evidence tied to a dead body, turns to the first season of Breaking Bad for inspiration. I’ll spare you too many details, but let’s just say there was a barrel full of acid, a hacksaw and a loud noise coming from his apartment when the crime happened.
Yes, you read that right; an apartment. Furthermore, part of this story takes place a few miles from where I am writing this.
It was an unpleasant episode, to be sure, and it made me second-guess this unhealthy viewing habit of mine. It’s also a stark reminder that America’s mental health crisis knows no bounds.
One of the many animated episodes exploring the case of the con artist Caroline Herrling in West Neighbor Ever Ever on Netflix.
Blumhouse has created a solid formula with this true crime franchise. Yes, what I wrote above sounds horrible. But the narrative devices the show uses, including animated sequences, first-person accounts, police dash cam footage and newsreel footage, shape it all into something very entertaining, heartbreaking and educational.
There is a discussion to be had about the powerfully exploitative nature of Worst Neighbor. The cases it covers often involve horrific violence and murder, and the impact on victims’ families and loved ones is ongoing. I eventually came down the other side, though. Every survivor and witness from the series shares their story in honor of those lost, and I believe those first-hand accounts can help viewers spot potential red flags in their own lives.
Something I never expected from these shows, whether they’re documenting toxic relationships gone wrong, roommates’ disagreements turned deadly or neighborly fights erupting (literally), the intensity shines through every time.
That glimmer of hope, which comes mostly in the form of courtroom footage and ensuring justice is served, comes at the end of each episode. The punishment isn’t always fair, and there are times when the show leaves me shocked and angry at the law and sad for those who still compound the trauma. But I guess that’s all the point.