I Used To See To Catch A Predator As Entertainment, But This New Documentary Has Completely Changed That

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I used to watch To Catch a Predator constantly when I was in high school and starting college in the early to mid-2000s. Back then, I just saw it as a somewhat shocking, but entertaining, reality show about people accused of being predators getting caught. I figured each episode was a self-contained story – one person caught, and then the next – but I later realized that wasn’t the whole picture.

I recently watched the documentary Predators on Paramount+, and it honestly left me feeling disturbed. It covered some really upsetting events from the original reality show, as well as the imitations that came after, and it raised some difficult questions about empathy and what we find entertaining. It completely changed my perspective on the show and how I think about entertainment in general. Let me explain what I mean…

The Predators Documentary Has Me Looking At The Infamous Show In A Night Light

David Osit’s documentary, Predators, widely considered one of the best of 2025, explores the history of the show To Catch a Predator. It looks at where the show came from, the many similar programs it inspired, and how it affected the people who made it, including host Chris Hansen. I initially thought it would simply be a thorough examination of a popular reality TV show and its place in pop culture. However, after watching it, my perspective completely changed.

Seeing how To Catch a Predator and the police conducted their sting operations – including one with tragic consequences for a Texas prosecutor – left me feeling uneasy. It seemed like creating good television was more important to them than actually protecting children. While the men featured on the show were clearly committing crimes and needed intervention, the producers’ careless approach and lack of compassion were deeply concerning.

Watching Predators made me reflect on how popular it used to be – I was a fan myself! It’s strange to think we enjoyed a show based on such a serious subject, and it honestly left me feeling a little uncomfortable.

In Fact, It Led To Some Soul-Searching About Another One Of My Favorite 2000s Shows

Watching the show Predators recently made me reflect on some disturbing programs I used to watch for entertainment years ago. To Catch a Predator wasn’t the only one—I also spent countless hours watching Lockup in high school. This MSNBC series, which aired from 2005 to 2017 under different titles like Extended Stay, Raw, and World Tour, was a favorite during my high school and college years.

While this year’s documentary, The Alabama Solution, was deeply affecting and aimed to understand the people it featured, Lockup seems more focused on simply entertaining viewers with the idea of punishment. I’ve been reflecting on my past fascination with the show and what that says about my own interests.

I’m not sure if that was David Osit’s intention, but his documentary really made me rethink a hugely popular TV show from the 2000s. It definitely had a big impact on how I see it.

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2025-12-28 00:08