Blumhouse-Produced Docuseries Leaving Netflix Users Angry & Heartbroken

Back in 2022, Netflix struck gold with yet more real-life stories of human misery in “Worst Roommate Ever.” But this was no regular true crime docuseries. Compiling several tales of woe involving people and their incomprehensibly unhinged roomies, this show came produced by horror standard bearer Blumhouse and was a big enough hit to spawn a second season, which arrived in June 2024. This follow-up season came complete with episode titles that shrewdly evoked the spirit of gossip mag headlines, such as “My BFF Tried to Kill Me,” “Housemate from Hell,” and “The Lethal Landlord” — ensuring Netflixers binged themselves into oblivion for a second time.

Now, the streamer is at it again, with a spin-off series entitled “Worst Ex Ever,” which, astoundingly, is not about my last girlfriend. No, as you might have guessed, this is yet another compilation of unbelievable tales of the unhinged, this time on the theme of exes. Once again, Blumhouse is behind the series, which has already proven just as popular as its progenitor.

According to Netflix itself, the new show was originally supposed to release on August 14, 2024, the same day as “American Murder: Laci Peterson,” which has since been dominating the streamer’s charts. However, it looks as though the company withheld the series until August 28, perhaps to give “American Murder” a brief window before unleashing its next true crime sensation. Now that “Worst Ex Ever” has arrived, it has not only usurped its fellow true crime doc in the charts, but is also upsetting audiences worldwide.

Despite tawdry episode titles like “Married to a Monster,” “Worst Ex Ever” does give survivors of domestic abuse a chance to reclaim their stories. Interviews with these survivors are supplemented by recollections from victims’ families and investigators to tell the four harrowing tales that make up season 1, which include the story of a bizarre child custody scheme and a fake cop who “launches a years-long campaign of torment” after being found out.

So far, that all seems to be a recipe for streaming success. According to viewership tracker FlixPatrol, “Worst Ex Ever” has been No. 1 on the United States most-watched TV charts since it debuted, arriving at the top of the charts on August 29, 2024. It’s also a hit overseas; when the show first arrived, it immediately hit number one in eleven countries. At the time of writing, it’s No. 1 in 24 territories around the world, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and, interestingly enough, Latvia. What’s more, “Worst Ex Ever” is currently charting in 87 countries, and looks set to take the top spot in several more as the week goes on.

Once again, then, Netflix has captured global attention with another true crime documentary. This latest effort looks set to follow in the footsteps of not only “American Murder” but also several 2024 hits, such as “Lover, Stalker, Killer,” which also topped Netflix charts back in February. What makes “Worst Ex Ever” unique, however, is the social media reaction to its harrowing tales.

“Worst Ex Ever” looks set to stay at the top of the most-watched TV chart for some time, even as “American Murder: Laci Peterson” continues to cling on to the No. 4 spot. Otherwise, the charts are free of any competing true crime offerings, so viewers will no doubt keep this latest series at No. 1 for some time to come — even if doing so causes them some sleepless nights.

Responses to the new series have ranged from users describing it as “scary and disturbing” to people claiming it made them “physically sick to [their] stomach.” Others have expressed their absolute elation at not being in a relationship after watching the show, which looks set to ensure a good swathe of Netflix’s 277 million subscribers stay single for a long time to come. But others seem to have been genuinely moved by the series, describing their heart break at witnessing the stories of domestic violence. One user noted how the series once again highlights how domestic violence victims are often not taken seriously, writing: “My heart breaks for all these victims who’s safety wasn’t taken seriously enough.”

So, be warned. Even if you’ve been steeled by sitting through some of the most upsetting true crime Netflix has to offer — the first season of “American Murder: The Family Next Door” comes to mind — this series might require a bit more grit to get through. Still, that doesn’t seem to have stopped the world from streaming “Worst Ex Ever,” proving that our collective appetite for true crime remains insatiable.