The three-part Netflix documentary “The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare” has left viewers emotional, with many praising its focus on the four victims. The series explores the November 2022 stabbings of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin in an off-campus house. Survivors Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen also share their ongoing trauma.
Viewer Reactions on Reddit
On Reddit, fans applauded the series for humanizing the victims. One user said: “This show does a really good job of looking at the victims as people. It’s really heartbreaking.” Another commented: “I feel like the documentaries we had so far had a part for them, but they focused so much on their killer. Glad it’s different this time.” A third viewer wrote: “Every time I watch a new documentary on these 4 beautiful souls being taken I find myself at the end of it being like, I need more, I need to know more. As if more will help make sense how this could ever happen. Then I imagine how the family and friends must feel, and my heart aches for them. I wish nothing but healing for all of them.”
Never-Before-Seen Footage
The documentary includes bodycam footage, texts, and interviews with loved ones. One viewer shared a crying face emoji with the words: “So many videos I’ve never seen.” Another said: “This has my heart racing and broken at the same time. I feel so bad for all the kids.” A final viewer noted: “Seeing so many new videos of them was nice and also heartbreaking.”
Director Explains Victim-First Approach
Director Skye Borgman explained the decision to center the victims: “That choice was probably the easiest choice to make — to really focus on these four individuals and not on the perpetrator. It’s because they deserve [it] ... everything that was in the news was talking about ‘Who did this? Who could have done this?’ And their names were not front of mind. They loved life, they loved each other, there was joy and there was ambition.”
“The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare” is now streaming on Netflix.
