It was 1978. Cheryl Bradshaw sat on a stool in front of a studio audience, looking for love on a popular TV show. To her left sat three bachelors. One of them, Bachelor Number One, was a man named Rodney Alcala. He was charming. He was funny. He was also a prolific serial killer in the middle of a cross-country murder spree.
Woman of the Hour, directed by and starring Anna Kendrick, finally brings this surreal moment of pop culture history to the screen. It’s a movie that feels less like a traditional slasher and more like a slow-burn nightmare. Most people watching probably think the writers took massive creative liberties for the sake of drama. Honestly? The reality was much weirder and far more dangerous than what you see on Netflix.
Why the Dating Show Killer Movie feels so unsettling
There is a specific kind of dread that comes from watching someone walk into a trap they don't know exists. In the dating show killer movie, that trap is The Dating Game. Rodney Alcala had already killed multiple people before he ever stepped foot on that set. He was a convicted sex offender. He was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list at one point. Yet, somehow, he passed the background check—which, back then, was basically just a guy in a suit asking if you had a job.
The film focuses heavily on the institutional failure that allowed Alcala to hide in plain sight. It’s not just about a killer; it’s about how 1970s society was structurally incapable of protecting women from "charming" predators.
The bachelor who shouldn't have been there
Rodney Alcala was a photographer. He was smart. He had an IQ that was reportedly off the charts. When he appeared on the show, he was introduced as a "successful photographer" who enjoyed skydiving. He won. He actually won the date with Cheryl.
But here’s the detail that most people get wrong: they never went on the date.
In the movie, we see the tension build as Cheryl begins to realize something is "off." In real life, Cheryl Bradshaw followed her gut in a way that likely saved her life. After the taping, she went backstage and told the contestant coordinator that she couldn't go out with him because there was something "weird" about him. She described him as "creepy." That instinct is the core of what makes Woman of the Hour so resonant today. It’s a tribute to the "gift of fear," as Gavin de Becker would call it.
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The chilling reality of Rodney Alcala
To understand why this movie matters, you have to look at the man behind the Bachelor Number One tag. Alcala wasn't just some guy who snapped. He was a calculated predator who used his camera as a weapon. He would often pose as a professional photographer to lure victims, promising to make them famous or help their modeling careers.
Investigators later found a locker belonging to Alcala that contained thousands of photographs. These weren't just snapshots. They were trophies. Some of the people in those photos have never been identified. Even now, decades after his crimes, police are still trying to figure out if some of those women and children are missing persons cases that went cold.
The dating show killer movie chooses to prioritize the victims' perspectives over the killer's "glory." It’s a refreshing change from the way true crime usually handles these stories. We don't need another movie romanticizing a monster. We need to see the bravery of the people who survived him and the tragedy of those who didn't.
How the film handles the timeline
True crime fans might notice that the movie condenses certain events. This is pretty standard for Hollywood. However, the atmosphere is spot on. The 1970s weren't just disco and bell-bottoms; they were a period where forensic science was in its infancy. No DNA databases. No digital fingerprints. If you moved one state over, you could basically start a new life with a clean slate.
Alcala exploited this. He moved between New York and California, leaving a trail of horror that wouldn't be fully realized until years later.
What most people miss about the 1978 taping
There's a lot of talk about how Alcala got on the show, but less about the show's producer, Ellen Metzger. After the episode aired and Alcala was eventually caught, she expressed genuine shock. But the signs were there. Other contestants on the show that day felt the "vibe" change when he spoke.
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One of the other bachelors, Jed Mills, later described Alcala as "obnoxious" and "creepy." He felt like the guy was trying to intimidate the other men. It’s a classic trait of a narcissist—feeling the need to dominate every room they enter.
Fact vs. Fiction in the movie
While Anna Kendrick’s performance is grounded in Cheryl’s real experience, the dialogue on the show was tweaked to emphasize the subtext of the era's sexism. In the real 1978 footage, which you can still find on YouTube, Alcala’s answers are bizarre and filled with double entendres.
- The "Morning" Question: When asked what he was like in the morning, Alcala replied, "I'm called 'The Night Owl.' I'm at my best after dark."
- The Food Question: He made weirdly aggressive jokes about eating and "serving" people.
At the time, the audience laughed. They thought it was just 70s "edge." Looking back, it's enough to make your skin crawl.
The broader impact of Woman of the Hour
Why are we so obsessed with this specific story right now? Maybe it's because the "vibe check" has become a modern survival skill. We live in an era of online dating where we are constantly screening strangers based on limited information. The dating show killer movie acts as a historical mirror to our current anxieties.
It also highlights the gross negligence of the entertainment industry. The fact that a man with a criminal record for an assault on a minor—which Alcala had—could be cast on a show centered around dating is a systemic failure. It wasn't an accident. It was a lack of care.
The legacy of the victims
The film does a heavy lift in humanizing the women Alcala targeted. Names like Cornelia Crilley, Georgia Wixted, and Robin Samsoe shouldn't be forgotten. These weren't just "victims" in a killer's story; they were people with lives, families, and futures that were stolen by a man who thought he was smarter than the law.
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Alcala was eventually sentenced to death multiple times. He died of natural causes in prison in 2021. He never showed remorse. He never gave up the locations of other potential victims. He remained a "black box" until the end.
Actionable insights for true crime fans and viewers
If you've watched the dating show killer movie and want to dig deeper into the actual history or the themes of safety it presents, here are the best ways to process the information.
Research the real "Dating Game" footage
Watch the actual clips of Rodney Alcala. Don't look for the horror; look for the mask. Notice how he mimics "normal" human interaction. It’s a masterclass in why we shouldn't always trust a charming exterior. This is a vital lesson in situational awareness.
Support cold case initiatives
Many of the photos found in Alcala's locker are still unidentified. Groups like the Orange County Sheriff's Department have released these images periodically, hoping that someone, somewhere, recognizes a face. Spreading awareness of these images can actually lead to closing cases that have been open for nearly fifty years.
Trust your intuition
The biggest takeaway from Cheryl Bradshaw’s story is the power of "No." Even in a high-pressure environment like a TV studio, she refused to go along with the "plan" because her gut told her something was wrong. In any social situation, your safety is more important than being "polite" or "nice." If someone feels off, they are off. Period.
Understand the evolution of background checks
If you work in media or casting, use this story as a case study. The failures of 1978 led to the stringent (though still imperfect) vetting processes we see in reality TV today. It serves as a reminder that "entertainment" should never come at the cost of human safety.
The story of the dating show killer movie is a dark chapter in American history. It reminds us that predators don't always look like monsters; sometimes, they look like the guy sitting in the chair next to you, waiting for his turn to speak.