The Dating Game, a famed dating show from the 1970s, has regained attention recently thanks to the new Netflix film, Woman of the Hour. This true-crime movie, directed by Anna Kendrick who also plays a leading role, delves into the chilling tale of Rodney Alcala, infamously known as The Dating Game killer.
In 1978, Alcala appeared on the show while he was actively committing murders in California. At that time, he had already taken the lives of at least three women and would go on to kill two more after his television debut.
Despite winning a date with Cheryl Bradshaw, Alcala’s intended bachelorette, she felt uneasy about him upon their initial meeting and ultimately chose not to pursue the date. Rodney Alcala was apprehended on July 24, 1979, and later convicted of seven murders, although law enforcement suspects he could be responsible for over 130 homicides.
Alcala passed away from natural causes in prison on July 24, 2021, where he was serving a death sentence.
A Closer Look at Rodney Alcala’s Episode of The Dating Game
The format of The Dating Game featured a bachelorette engaging with three male contestants who were concealed from her view during the question-and-answer round. The contestants remained hidden until the woman selected one of them as her preferred date.
Rodney Alcala participated in this iconic dating show episode that aired on September 13, 1978. The show’s host, Jim Lange, presented Alcala as a “successful photographer”with interests in both motorcycling and skydiving.
During the episode, Cheryl Bradshaw engaged her three potential partners with fun questions. She asked Alcala, designated as Bachelor #1, “What’s your best time?”to which he replied, “The best time is at night… when it truly gets good.”
Cheryl’s follow-up query was, “I’m serving you for dinner. What are you called, and what do you look like?”
Rodney responded with a smirk, saying, “I’m called the banana, and I look really good… Peel me.”
Cheryl was taken by his confidence and chose Alcala as the victor of that episode. Their planned date included tennis lessons and a visit to Magic Mountain.
However, Cheryl later reached out to Ellen Metzger, the contestant coordinator for The Dating Game, to cancel the date. In a 2021 interview with the news program 20/20, Ellen recounted Cheryl expressing her discomfort, saying that Alcala gave her “weird vibes.”
“I can’t go out with this guy; he’s giving off really strange vibes. I don’t feel safe,” Cheryl told Ellen.
Depiction of Alcala’s Appearance in Woman of the Hour
The film Woman of the Hour reimagines Rodney Alcala’s segment from The Dating Game aired in 1978, with some creative liberties taken. In this adaptation, Alcala is referred to as Bachelor #3, in contrast to his original appearance as Bachelor #1.
Anna Kendrick’s portrayal of Cheryl leads her to ask the contestants a mix of traditional and modern questions, many tinged with sexism, which she cleverly opts to bypass in favor of more significant queries. For example, she asks, “What are girls for?”leaving the men momentarily dumbfounded.
Additionally, she posed stimulating inquiries regarding the differences between men and boys. To assess their intellectual depth, Cheryl cited philosopher Immanuel Kant and Nobel Prize laureate Albert Einstein. Rodney, who was believed to have an IQ of 135, dazzled Cheryl with his responses.
Unaware of his predatory past, Cheryl selected Rodney as the show’s winner. The host, Ed Burke (played by Tony Hale), declared they would enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to Carmel. Unlike reality, the two proceeded to enjoy drinks after the show wrapped up.
Throughout their date, Alcala’s unsettling demeanor left Cheryl feeling uneasy. When returning to her car in an empty parking lot, Rodney accused her of giving him a false phone number and ominously hinted at violence. Fortunately, a group of men entered the lot, providing Cheryl with the crucial moment she needed to escape in her car.
You can watch Woman of the Hour on Netflix now.
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