Kyle Cooke
I’m Not Dating Ava Dash…
and Amanda Ain’t Dating West Wilson!

Published
March 11, 2026
5:35 AM PDT

As a genre, true crime has dominated television for years. Massive documentary hits like Netflix’s Making a Murderer and HBO’s The Staircase proved just how captivated audiences can be by real-life criminal cases. But as the genre has grown more popular, networks and studios have increasingly looked for ways to tell these stories outside the traditional documentary format, creating scripted series that allow writers and actors to explore the personalities and circumstances surrounding the crimes in greater detail.

That was the approach NBC took in 2022 when it teamed up with Blumhouse Television to produce The Thing About Pam, a limited series based on one of the strangest murder cases in recent American history. Rather than presenting the story as a grim procedural, the series leaned into the bizarre nature of the real-life events and the outsized personality at the center of the case. The result was a show that blended crime storytelling with dark humor and an almost Coen Brothers–style sense of absurdity. The tonal gamble didn’t work for everyone, but four years later, The Thing About Pam remains a fascinating look at a real-life story that was already stranger than fiction.

What Is ‘The Thing About Pam’ About?

The Thing About Pam is based on the real-life murder of Betsy Faria (Katy Mixon) in Troy, Missouri, a case that quickly spiraled into one of the most convoluted investigations in recent memory. When Betsy is found stabbed to death in her home in 2011, suspicion immediately falls on her husband, Russ Faria (Glenn Fleshler). Despite a lack of convincing evidence and the fact that he had a strong alibi, Russ is ultimately convicted of the crime, largely due to a deeply flawed investigation.

At the center of the story is Pam Hupp, played by Renée Zellweger, a seemingly friendly acquaintance of Betsy who becomes increasingly entangled in the case. As the investigation unfolds, Pam’s role begins to look far more suspicious than anyone initially realized. Over time, prosecutors and investigators begin uncovering a web of lies and manipulations that point to a far more disturbing truth behind Betsy’s death. The series also features a strong supporting cast, including Judy Greer as prosecutor Leah Askey and Josh Duhamel as defense attorney Joel Schwartz, as the case becomes increasingly bizarre.

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What sets The Thing About Pam apart from most true-crime adaptations is its unusual tone. Rather than presenting the case strictly as a grim procedural, the series often leans into the absurdity of the situation, from the baffling and botched investigation to the unusual personality of Pam herself. That tonal choice set the show apart, in both good ways and bad. At times, it risked feeling like it was adopting the darkly comedic style of shows like Fargo while telling the story of a very real murder. Still, the strange twists of the case, and Pam Hupp’s outsized personality, help explain why the creative team leaned into a more stylized approach. And much of that tone ultimately works because of Renée Zellweger’s bold performance at the center of it all.

Renée Zellweger Delivers One of Her Boldest Performances in ‘The Thing About Pam’

Looking at Renée Zellweger’s impressive resume, it might be surprising that her first real foray into television came through a network true-crime series. But Zellweger herself was introduced to the story of Pam Hupp while listening to Dateline’s popular 2019 podcast of the same name. As she explained in a 2022 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the case was so strange that it immediately drew her in. “You can’t quite believe the facts that surround the case,” she said, describing the story as an “escalating absurdity.” That sense of disbelief ultimately became central to her performance.

Zellweger commits fully to the role, leaning into Pam’s strange blend of seeming totally relatable while also being incredibly manipulative and unpredictable. It’s a performance that feels very different from the other real-life figures she has portrayed in the past, including Judy Garland in Judy, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Pam Hupp is not a tragic icon or beloved public figure, but someone far messier and far more baffling. That challenge results in a deliberately heightened performance that matches the show’s unusual tone. The Thing About Pam also marked a milestone in Zellweger’s career: not only was it her network TV debut, but she also served as an executive producer, helping shape the tone of the series while anchoring it on screen.

Looking back four years later, The Thing About Pam remains one of the more unusual entries in the ever-growing world of true-crime television. Its willingness to blend dark humor with a real-life murder case remains controversial, but the show’s attempt to capture the bizarre nature of the story, and the odd person at the center, gives it a distinct identity among a crowded field of true-crime adaptations. For viewers who missed it the first time around, the six-episode limited series makes for a quick and compelling binge.

Superhero Video Games
Non-Stop Action
Save the City … Finish the Villain

Published
March 11, 2026
12:05 AM PDT

Kandi Burruss & Ex Todd Tucker’s
Restaurant On The Hook for Six-Figure Settlement!!!

Published
March 11, 2026
2:00 AM PDT

Following Diablo Cody’s success with the 2007 film Juno, the writer sought to complete her next project. Her hyper-specific dialogue made the film a sensation and was quoted years after its release. Her next film, sadly, was not met with as much fanfare. In 2009, Cody wrote Jennifer’s Body, a critique of the male gaze set in a high school.

Even though the film was directed by Karyn Kusama, who would go on to direct The Invitation and executive produce Yellowjackets, her work on Jennifer’s Body would largely be unappreciated until years later. The horror film was massively mismarketed as a teen drama when it was actually a satirical, deliciously bloody look at gender roles. Jennifer’s Body has the same witty dialogue as Juno, but instead follows a teenage girl who, after being sacrificed to the devil, comes back as a man-eating succubus. Many audiences misread the film the first time around, but it is finally getting a chance to live again on Tubi.

‘Jennifer’s Body’ Would Be a Smash Success if It Came out Today

In 2009, conversations about gender still had a long way to go. While feminism had its place in pop culture, Jennifer’s Body went over many critics’ heads. Viewers were distracted by its campy tone and did not pay attention to the resonant themes at its bloody center. It didn’t help that the film’s marketing campaign seemed to try to capitalize on Megan Fox’s popularity with a younger male audience, which is precisely one of the film’s central critiques. It was marketed toward a young male audience, which missed the film’s intent.

Fox plays Jennifer Check, a high school student who is only appreciated for her sex appeal. One night, a touring band takes advantage of her in a Satanic ritual meant to grant them fame. It goes horribly awry, and instead of being sacrificed, Jennifer turns into a demon who can only survive by consuming the flesh of boys.

The relationship between Jennifer and her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) is another element that was geared more to a female audience, but was misunderstood upon its release. The film also depicts the complexities of female friendships, which an audience over-sexualizing Fox would naturally miss out on. Needy and Jennifer’s relationship is extremely specific to the female experience. Though Jennifer becomes a cannibalistic monster, she initially refuses to cross the line of killing her best friend. Jennifer’s Body also deals with the spectrum of sexuality, which is not always depicted in mainstream films.

At the time, the project was unfairly compared to Twilight, which had only come out the previous year. This story was not a supernatural romance at all, but a horror film about the ramifications of taking away women’s bodily autonomy. Despite its outrageousness, the film’s subtleties were wildly misconstrued. It is tragic that had the film come out today, it likely would have been embraced with open arms. If anything, it has become more relevant than ever in the current cultural landscape. Now, fans have the opportunity to give the film a second chance by streaming it on its current home, Tubi.

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Release Date

September 18, 2009

Runtime

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107 minutes

Director

Karyn Kusama

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Producers

Brad Van Arragon, Daniel Dubiecki, Jason Reitman

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Benny Blanco
Offered Help to Launch Foot Focused Account
After Flaunting Toes!!!

Published
March 11, 2026
3:00 AM PDT

Life as a teenage girl in the 2010s could not have been more intoxicating. There was a surplus of cringey romances and delicious teen mysteries to watch after a long day of school. It was the era of vampiric love triangles, of gossiping elites, and of Dylan O’Brien with bags underneath his eyes. Amid these scandals was the hunt to figure out who “A” was in the seven-season mystery-thriller Pretty Little Liars, arguably the most iconic of all these TV shows. The series is a heady mix of drama, death, friendship, and romance, one that is still addictive to watch for its timeless meditation on how secrets fester and corrupt everything they touch.

The Pretty Little Liars in question are the artsy Aria (Lucy Hale), whose parents are getting divorced, the recently popular girl Hanna (Ashley Benson), who’s still getting used to her weight loss, the sporty Emily (Shay Mitchell), who is navigating her sexuality, and the high-achieving Spencer (Troian Bellisario), whose family is… something. It’s been a year since their fifth friend — a certified mean girl who led the group, Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) — went missing, and the four estranged girls are united when her body is found. But with this comes mysterious text messages from A, someone who threatens to spill all their darkest secrets.

‘Pretty Little Liars’ Is Timeless and Addictive in Its Dark Mystery From the Start

Whether you’re new to Pretty Little Liars or an old fan, the show is timeless in its mystery and outlook on teenage life. The investigation into A’s identity is at the forefront, where the narrative twists and turns after every episode, keeping you on your toes. Even if you know who A is, re-watching the show alerts you to new clues you would have definitely missed before. Despite being targeted towards teenagers, the show actually veers into some genuinely dark and twisted places, especially as it never ignores the adults in the show and drags them into the increasingly heart-pounding mystery. From suicide to creepy dolls, there are plenty of reasons for you to feel undeniable tension, particularly in the Season 5 finale, “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” The episode title says it all.

Beyond the central mystery that will easily consume your attention is the hyperbolic yet authentic way Pretty Little Liars represents the high school experience. It dramatizes the very real way high school seems to entrap a teenager, where emotions and drama feel larger-than-life, while adding the intrigue and darkness of death. Between these rampant emotions is the heavy reliance on friendships for one’s self-worth and general emotional support, as well as the distrust of authority figures like teachers or parents. As an adult revisiting the series, you also get an opportunity to chastise your teenage self for fawning over Aria’s romance. (Who knew you could ever side with the parents?) It’s high school escapism that validates the overwhelming nature of adolescence — timeless and disturbingly relatable.

‘Pretty Little Liars’ Set the Stage for Brilliant Breakout Performances

Pretty Little Liars didn’t only deliver an addictive show, but also acted as a stage for some breakout performances by actors we would constantly return to. The four women at the forefront are the best examples, as their performances evolved as the seasons progressed, growing in nuance and talent. Hale boasted her affinity as a romantic lead as Aria (despite Aria’s controversial romance), and would later dazzle us with the likes of The Hating Game or Which Brings Me To You. Meanwhile, Mitchell’s Emily, who grew from a “nice girl” to someone with a powerful presence, would later flaunt her ability to demand attention in You or The Possession of Hannah Grace.

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But it is Bellisario’s performance that really formed the basis of the show’s grit and intensity, as she showcases a wide range of visceral emotions, from terror to arrogance. Spencer is arguably the beating heart of the show, where her sharp wit, intelligence, and naturally suspicious attitude drove the mystery forward, while her slightly askew moral compass and increasingly ominous family made for some dark scenes. Bellisario herself would later gravitate towards grittier roles in Feed or, more recently, On Call, all stemming from her mesmerizing performance in Pretty Little Liars.

It may be a show that many dismiss as a typical teenage romp of its era, but Pretty Little Liars is powerful in its own right. It united a whole generation of teenage girls on the hunt for A’s identity with a twisted mystery that still holds up today, while capturing the underbelly of emotions of the high school experience. If you watch it as your secret guilty pleasure, even better. In the words of Alison DiLaurentis, “friends share secrets, it’s what keeps us close.”