Update: The show’s executive producer Anthony Zuiker discusses this and gives behind-the-scenes details.
Episode two of ABC’s Whodunnit–and also brought out even more people who thought that a broadcast reality TV show actually killed its contestants.
The second episode was, for me, about the same as the first, with similar strengths and weaknesses–though the post-investigation sharing of information was even more frustrating television than it was on the premiere. Watching them lie to each other is already getting old, as is the segment where they state their case (instead of being shown taking a quiz, which is how eliminations are actually determined).
This week, the replay and investigation of Dontae’s death by fire (as Don said, “Dontae’s inferno”) confused more viewers, who took to Twitter to express their confusion and more. That was true even though Dontae was tweeting during the episode.
Perhaps to assuage viewers who aren’t really great at critical thinking, the episode included a brief interview with Dontae in corpse makeup at the end. “I think that the way that I died was pretty awesome,” he said. “I went out in flames; it was pretty awesome.”
Still, as the tweets below show, many people are still unsure about whether or not a reality TV show–one that’s broadcast on a network owned by Disney–is actually committing murder every week.
Perhaps we should temporarily dispense with standardized testing for high school students and instead show clips of Whodunnit so students can try to develop critical thinking skills and grow up to be adults who do not terrify me as much as these people do:
Do they really kill people on #whodunnit ? Cause that fire on Donta looked super real .
— Leah Perrino (@Leah_Perrino) July 1, 2013
This Whodunnit show is so confusing….are those people really dead?
— Shannn (@sleahyyyy) July 1, 2013
are they really killing people on #whodunnit
— Katie McMahon (@katieemcmahon13) July 1, 2013
Wtf do they really kill people on that show? I’d be scared for my life! #whodunnit
— anhi. (@AnahiJulissa) July 1, 2013
WTF!!! #whodunnit IM LEGIT SCARED NOW!!! Is this real or not!?!? I never wanna play on a tv show now
— obsessed_oncer (@debbie1479) July 1, 2013
#whodunnit is the most complicated show, do the people actually die?
— Meredith Domaleski (@Merryd629) July 1, 2013
People don’t really die in this show right? #whodunnit
— The Classy Men (@TheClassyMen) July 1, 2013
Are the people really dying on Whodunnit? I’m so confused.
— Jami Tims (@jamimachelle) July 1, 2013
I’m a little confused on this whodunnit show, are they actually killing people or what?
— Jose (@Jose_Scharez) July 1, 2013
IS THIS PERSON REALLY DEAD IF NOT THIS IS GOOD ACTING #whodunnit
— ☮ (@CassidyLovesBTR) July 1, 2013
@KyleRaser @Sparkle_Pirate I’m confused is Dante really dead or is this pretend? #whodunnit
— N8 (@natemonster) July 1, 2013
I’m so naive I saw that Dontae had a twitter and I’m like aren’t you dead?@DontaeMosbey the way you died is a #mystery
— iâ„“Ñ”fт∂Ñєω¢υÑισυѕ ♡ (@PLLConnections) July 1, 2013
@natemonster @KyleRaser Is that even legal? #whodunnit
— Darcy Clark (@Sparkle_Pirate) July 1, 2013