True crime entertainment has quickly fostered a large and loyal fan base amongst all demographics. Whether it’s through a dedicated TikTok account or binge-watching documentary after documentary, true crime media is all around us. Some are die-hard fans of the industry, while others are casual watchers. Wherever you fall on the scale, you must have asked yourself at least once when an interest in true crime goes too far. Hulu’s new documentary series, “Killer Lies: Chasing a True Crime Con Man,” explores that very question.
The series is produced by National Geographic. It aired on Wednesday, Aug. 28, and the story spans three, approximately 45-minute-long episodes.
According to the synopsis on Hulu, the series is based on the reporting of Lauren Collins, a reporter for The New Yorker who dove into the life of Frenchman Stéphane Bourgoin, who quickly gained and lost his credibility as a true crime expert.
Bourgoin initially gained the public’s attention and trust by sharing a heartbreaking story about how a serial killer brutally murdered his girlfriend. He claimed that this event catapulted his interest in serial killers in a quest to learn about the “why” behind their motives.
The other part of his background that enthralled audiences was that he claimed to have interviewed almost 80 serial killers. He would be invited to numerous television networks for interviews where he would describe the conversations and characteristics of each killer with captivating detail.
The true crime fandom flocked to Bourgoin because of his experiences with serial killers. However, once the initial shock dissipated, people started to question him.
Fans first noticed a pattern in the way Bourgoin talked about the killers. For each killer, it seemed he had a script in his head as to how to describe his interaction with them. He would repeat these descriptions verbatim at every TV interview he attended.
The second doubt fans had was whether Bourgoin truly interviewed nearly 80 serial killers. This question arose when fans investigated the life of Bourgoin’s idol, John Douglas.