The chilling true story behind Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, delves into one of the most unsettling episodes of reality TV history. The Netflix film, now streaming, is based on the real-life case of Rodney Alcala, a convicted serial killer who managed to charm his way onto the popular 1970s TV show The Dating Game while actively committing heinous crimes. Kendrick’s film, while dramatized, shines a spotlight on the disturbing events and gender dynamics that allowed Alcala to appear on national television in the middle of his killing spree.
Rodney Alcala, later dubbed “The Dating Game Killer,” had a long history of violence before his TV appearance in 1978. Born in Texas, Alcala was already a convicted sex offender by the time he appeared on The Dating Game, having been arrested and imprisoned for child molestation. He had spent the late 1960s and early 1970s evading authorities, living under the alias “John Berger” and even enrolling at New York University. Alcala was a fugitive at times, moving between states and using his charm and facade as a photographer to lure unsuspecting women.
In 1978, Alcala managed to secure a spot as “Bachelor Number One” on The Dating Game, a show that set up single women with potential dates through a series of lighthearted, innuendo-filled questions. Cheryl Bradshaw, a young woman who had agreed to participate in the show, ended up selecting Alcala, charmed by his witty responses. What she didn’t know was that Alcala was a dangerous predator, later found to have killed at least seven women, though authorities believe his actual number of victims could exceed 100.
On the show, Alcala gave answers that were flirtatious and, in hindsight, unnerving. When asked by Bradshaw, “I’m serving you for dinner. What are you called, and what do you look like?” Alcala’s response was unsettling: “I’m called the banana, and I look good.” He added a suggestive, “Peel me,” prompting laughter from the audience but discomfort for Bradshaw, who would later refuse to go on a date with him. According to Ellen Metzger, the contestant coordinator for the show, Bradshaw felt “weird vibes” and sensed that Alcala was dangerous. Her instincts were right, and that decision likely saved her life.
In Woman of the Hour, Kendrick brings a unique twist to the true crime genre. While many films focus on the detectives or the hunt for a criminal, Kendrick’s film shifts the lens to the victims, particularly highlighting the sexism and challenges women face, even in environments that appear safe, like a dating show. Kendrick, who both directed and starred in the film as a character based on Bradshaw, wanted to move away from a traditional procedural drama and instead focus on how society ignored the warning signs and enabled Alcala’s behavior.
In the film, Kendrick’s character, Sheryl, uses her moment on The Dating Game to subtly mock the absurdity and sexism of the typical scripted questions, showing a sharp wit and intelligence that draws her closer to danger. This portrayal of a woman who senses something is wrong, yet tries to maintain control, adds depth to a story that, in real life, had an even darker outcome. Alcala continued his killing spree after appearing on the show, with his crimes spanning multiple states before he was finally arrested in 1979.
Rodney Alcala’s arrest was the result of years of violent behavior. In 1979, police linked him to the murder of a 12-year-old girl, and subsequent investigations uncovered more victims. In his rented Seattle storage locker, authorities found earrings belonging to one of the women he had killed. Alcala was eventually convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to death in California in 2010 and later in New York for additional crimes. Despite the death sentence, he died of natural causes on death row in 2021 at the age of 77.
Alcala’s appearance on The Dating Game has since been regarded as one of the most shocking and bizarre moments in television history. It highlighted not only the lack of background checks for TV contestants at the time but also the dangerous allure of charm and how easily it can mask malevolent intentions. His case has been the subject of numerous documentaries, and Kendrick’s film adds a new dimension by examining the systemic failures and cultural attitudes that allowed Alcala to remain hidden in plain sight.
