Jeffrey Epstein TV show sparks outrage with viewers labelling it ‘tasteless’
A miniseries dramatising the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein is reportedly in the works and has already prompted dismay from TV fans on social media.
Sony Pictures Television is said to be the studio behind the project, which will reportedly be ‘highly likely’ to make it to air.
Laura Dern is already said to be on board to star as a Miami Herald journalist, Julie K Brown, who doggedly reported on Epstein’s crimes over many years.
The series will reportedly be based on Brown’s book detailing her coverage, titled Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story.
Brown appeared to confirm the news, sharing a news article about the show on X with the caption: ‘Some personal news.’
Variety has reported an official description of the series, which describes it as ‘an explosive account of an investigative reporter exposing the secret plea deal between Epstein and federal prosecutors’.
The synopsis continues: ‘Drawing from Brown’s experience as a groundbreaking reporter for the Miami Herald, the book and the limited series follow her relentless years-long investigation that identified 80 victims, persuaded key survivors to go on the record, and led to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s arrests.’
This first dramatisation of Epstein and his high-profile sex trafficking ring will be adapted for screen by Sharon Hoffman, a writer on the 2020 limited series Mrs America. Hoffman will serve as co-showrunner with Eileen Myers, who most recently executive produced The Night Agent on Netflix.
The show will reportedly be executive produced by Adam McKay, the writer-director of Don’t Look Up and executive producer on the HBO prestige hit Succession.
Yet in spite of the pedigree involved in this nascent project, the reaction on social media to the project has been one of alarm.
Reacting to the news on X (formerly Twitter), Tim Morrill said it was ‘too early’ for a dramatisation on the subject, adding: ‘Once a series or movie is made about a subject, the issue is forgotten because the public falsely believes that they are watching the full story.
‘There’s still so much more that we don’t know yet.’
Another on X described Epstein’s crimes as ‘horrifying’, rather than a source of entertainment, while Kayla simply wrote: ‘Can we not do this pls.’
‘We don’t need to make series of real life crimes and trauma to profit off of those. Not everything has to be made for the sake of entertainment. Leave the victims alone, have they not suffered enough,’ added another person, reacting to the news online.
‘Why do we have to make movies about every real life tragedy possible instead of just writing new movies for once,’ added another X user.
Mono Reichman simply commented ‘Tasteless’ in a post on the social media site.
Metro contacted Sony Pictures Entertainment and Laura Dern’s representatives for comment.
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