In 1978, Rodney James Alcala appeared on the popular TV show The Dating Game, an event now infamous due to his secret criminal history.
Alcala’s story gained renewed attention with Netflix’s Woman of the Hour, a dramatization of his life and crimes, focusing on his appearance on The Dating Game.
Directed by Anna Kendrick, the film delves into the eerie juxtaposition of Alcala’s charm on national television and the horrifying truth of his violent tendencies.
Woman of the Hour has received positive feedback for its gripping portrayal of Rodney Alcala’s crimes, with viewers praising Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut.
Critics have highlighted the film’s unsettling juxtaposition of Alcala’s charm on The Dating Game and his violent criminal background.
Some viewers, however, found the dramatization to be disturbing, particularly because it’s based on a true story.
Watch Rodney Alcala win The Dating Game contest
At 35 years old, Alcala was already a convicted felon, having served prison time for violent crimes, including the assault of a young girl.
The episode featured Cheryl Bradshaw, a single woman contestant tasked with choosing one of three hidden bachelors based on their answers to her questions. Alcala, using his charisma, won the contest and was selected for a date.
The show awarded Bradshaw and Alcala a tennis lesson and tickets to an amusement park, but the date never happened. Bradshaw reportedly found Alcala unsettling, telling the show’s coordinator that he gave off “weird vibes” and made her uncomfortable.
This intuition may have saved her life, as Alcala went on to kill several more victims after his brief moment in the spotlight.
Rodney Alcala had already killed women before his appearance on the show
Alcala’s appearance on The Dating Game is now seen as one of the most chilling moments in television history, as he participated in the show while hiding his true identity as a serial killer.
At the time of the episode, Alcala had already raped and murdered at least two women, including Cornelia Crilley, in New York, per The New York Times. He would later be convicted of killing several more women throughout the 1970s.
The revelation of Alcala’s crimes left audiences and TV producers shocked, highlighting how a manipulative personality could disguise such dark secrets.
Although Alcala’s Dating Game appearance was initially viewed as harmless entertainment, it has since become a haunting reminder of how predators can blend into society.
Alcala was finally arrested in 1979 after the murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe.
His capture led to the discovery of hundreds of photos of unidentified women and children, believed to be more potential victims.
Convicted of five murders, Alcala was sentenced to death and remained on death row until his death in 2021 from natural causes. The case remains a shocking chapter in true crime history.
Woman of the Hour is currently streaming on Netflix.