You've probably seen the Netflix thumbnail. Anna Kendrick looking skeptical under 1970s studio lights. It looks like a quirky period piece until you realize it's about a man who murdered dozens—potentially hundreds—of people. The movie Woman of the Hour isn't just a thriller; it’s a retelling of a 1978 television episode that should have never happened.
Rodney Alcala was a monster. There’s no softer way to put it. When he walked onto the set of The Dating Game, he wasn't just some "creepy guy." He was a convicted child molester and a serial killer in the middle of a massive, multi-state spree.
Honestly, the fact that he was allowed on national television is the real horror story.
The Rodney Alcala Dating Game Incident
In September 1978, Rodney Alcala appeared as "Bachelor Number One." The show's premise was simple: a bachelorette asks three hidden men suggestive questions and picks a winner. Cheryl Bradshaw (spelled Sheryl in the film) was the woman in the hot seat.
In the movie, Cheryl is portrayed as a struggling actress who’s tired of the industry's sexism. This is pretty much spot on. The real Bradshaw was an aspiring actress who hoped the show would give her some visibility. What she got instead was a face-to-face encounter with a predator.
What the TV Cameras Didn't Show
While Alcala was charming the audience, he was already a hunted man.
- He was on the FBI's Most Wanted list at one point.
- He had served time for the brutal 1968 assault of 8-year-old Tali Shapiro.
- He had already murdered at least four women by the time he sat on that stage.
The show's producers clearly missed the red flags. Or, more accurately, they didn't look for them. Contestant coordinator Ellen Metzger later admitted that the executive producer, Mike Metzger, actually found Alcala "uncomfortable" and "strange," yet they let him go on anyway. They wanted a "mystique." They got a killer.
Did Cheryl Bradshaw Actually Go on the Date?
This is where the true story of Woman of the Hour gets incredibly tense. In the film, there’s a terrifying scene where Rodney follows Cheryl to her car after she wins. It’s a moment of pure dread.
In real life? Cheryl Bradshaw saved her own life with one phone call.
After the cameras stopped rolling and she met Alcala backstage, her "gut feeling" went into overdrive. She didn't like the way he looked at her. She didn't like his vibe.
"I can’t go out with this guy," she told Ellen Metzger. "There’s weird vibes coming off of him. He’s very strange. I am not comfortable."
The show didn't force her. They let her back out. Because she listened to that internal alarm bell, she avoided becoming another statistic in Alcala’s "trophy" collection. Alcala had a habit of taking thousands of photos of his victims—a detail that the movie highlights with chilling accuracy.
📖 Related: The Cast of Forrest Gump: Where They Are and Why Their Lives Changed Forever
Where the Movie Stretches the Truth
Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut does take some creative liberties. You have to expect that with Hollywood.
For example, the character Laura—the audience member who recognizes Alcala because he killed her friend—is fictional. It’s a narrative device used to show how women’s warnings are often ignored by authorities. While the character isn't real, the sentiment is. Real-life victims like Monique Hoyt (represented as "Amy" in the film) escaped Alcala’s clutches and went to the police, only for him to be released on bail, allowing him to kill again.
Another minor tweak: Alcala was actually Bachelor Number One, not Bachelor Number Three. Also, his real-life answers were way creepier than the movie suggests. When Bradshaw asked what he’d be called if he were served for dinner, he replied, "I'm called the banana and I look good... peel me."
It’s the kind of sleazy 70s banter that, in hindsight, feels like a neon sign for "danger."
The Gritty Timeline of Alcala’s Crimes
To understand the gravity of the true story of Woman of the Hour, you have to look at the timeline. It’s messy and frustrating.
- 1968: Alcala lures Tali Shapiro into his apartment. He is caught but flees.
- 1971: Under the alias "John Berger," he murders Cornelia Crilley in New York.
- 1977: He murders Jill Barcomb and Georgia Wixted in California.
- 1978: He appears on The Dating Game.
- 1979: He murders 12-year-old Robin Samsoe. This is the case that eventually brought him down.
Detectives finally connected the dots when a friend of Robin Samsoe saw Alcala’s face on a rerun of The Dating Game. It sounds like a bad movie plot, but it's exactly how the law caught up to him.
The Ending Nobody Talks About
Alcala wasn't just a killer; he was a narcissist who acted as his own lawyer during his trials. He would cross-examine his own victims while using a "deep voice" to play different characters. It was a circus. He was eventually sentenced to death, but he died of natural causes in prison in 2021 at the age of 77.
As for Cheryl Bradshaw? She vanished from the public eye.
She didn't want the fame. She didn't want to be "the girl who almost died." She moved away from California and sought a private life, which is honestly the most relatable part of the whole story.
Lessons from the "Dating Game Killer" Case
The true story of Woman of the Hour is a reminder that "vibes" are actually biological data points.
- Trust your intuition: Bradshaw couldn't name what was wrong with Alcala, but she knew she was in danger.
- Background checks matter: In the modern era of apps like Tinder or Bumble, the lack of due diligence in 1978 feels prehistoric.
- Systemic failure: The most frustrating part of this case is that Alcala was already a known offender. He didn't slip through the cracks; the cracks were built into the system.
If you’re looking for more details on the victims or the specific evidence found in Alcala's storage locker (which contained over 1,000 photos of unidentified people), you should check out the Hunting a Psychopath archives or the 20/20 special "The Dating Game Killer."
The real story isn't about the man behind the partition. It's about the woman who had the courage to say "no" when the world expected her to say "yes."
Next Steps for Readers
- Review your privacy settings: If you use dating apps, ensure you aren't sharing your full name or workplace before a first meeting.
- Verify before you meet: Use public record databases or simple "reverse image searches" to vet people you meet online.
- Support Victim Advocacy: Organizations like RAINN provide resources for those navigating the aftermath of predatory behavior.