Who was the real monster of the dating game? Netflix’s Woman of the Hour investigates Rodney Alcala’s crimes

Woman of the Hour is a true crime film directed by Anna Kendrick from a screenplay by Ian McDonald. Kendrick's directorial debut film is based on the true story of the 1970s serial killer Rodney Alcala. He appeared on national television as a contestant on The Dating Game in 1978 while reportedly in the midst of a brutal killing spree.

The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2023, and was later released on Netflix on October 18, 2024.

The official logline of Woman of the Hour, as per Netflix, reads:

"The stranger-than-fiction story of an aspiring actress in 1970s Los Angeles and a serial killer in the midst of a yearslong murder spree, whose lives intersect when they’re cast on an episode of The Dating Game."

Rodney Alcala was a notorious serial killer who kidnapped, ra*ed, and murdered over 100 women and young girls in the 1970s. As shown in Woman of the Hour, he won a date with Cheryl Bradshaw during his appearance on The Dating Game in 1978.

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Woman of the Hour brings Rodney Alcala's story to the forefront

Rodney Alcala was reportedly in the midst of a brutal killing spree in California when he decided to participate in The Dating Game in September 1978. His appearance on the dating show is a major focal point of Woman of the Hour. The film goes back and forth in time to showcase the various crimes committed throughout the 1970s.

On The Dating Game, Rodney was one of three contestants vying for the attention of the episode's bachelorette, Cheryl Bradshaw. The young drama teacher was impressed by Rodney, who was described as a "successful photographer" by the show's host. His confidence and bold, playful answers also endeared him to the audience.

During the Q&A round, Cheryl asked him, "What's your best time?" Rodney responded cheekily, "The best time is at night..... nighttime is when it gets really good." She then posed the question, “I am serving you for dinner. What are you called, and what do you look like?” He surprised everyone by saying with a chilling smile, “I’m called the banana, and I look really good..... Peel me.”

Cheryl ended up picking Rodney as the winner of the episode. Little did she know that her date was a serial killer on the run. Cheryl later canceled their date as his unsettling behavior during their brief exchange creeped her out. Fortunately, her gut instinct saved her from becoming one of Rodney Alcala's victims.

Rodney's fellow contestant on the episode, Jed Mills, later said of him:

"I immediately did not like this guy."

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Rodney Alcala's history of crime explored in detail

An image taken from the Netflix film Woman of the Hour (Image via Tudum by Netflix)

Rodney Alcala, as shown in Woman of the Hour, was born in San Antonio, Texas, in August 1943. As per CBS, in his youth, he served in the United States Army before getting discharged due to se*ual misconduct and a nervous breakdown.

Alcala had a high IQ of 135 and studied at some of the country's finest institutes, like New York University and the UCLA School of Fine Arts. He even had a short stint working for the Los Angeles Times.

As per Mahamana News, he committed his first known assault in September 1968, shortly after turning 25. His victim was the 8-year-old Tali Shapiro, whom he brutally ra*ed and assaulted after luring her into his house. Alcala escaped arrest by fleeing to New York. In 1971, he began working as a counselor at a children's arts camp in New Hampshire under the alias John Burger.

He was arrested the same year after two camp attendees recognized his picture on the FBI's Most Wanted poster. Rodney pled guilty to child molestation charges (since the victim did not testify at his trial) and was placed under parole and probation multiple times over the next few years. During which, the serial killer allegedly continued his assault on women and young girls in California and New York.

Between November 1977 and June 1979, he reportedly went on a crime spree in California that claimed the lives of multiple women and young girls, some of whom have not been identified to this day. During this time, Rodney appeared on The Dating Game show.

Cheryl narrowly escaped from his clutches due to her strong gut instinct. But, Alcala continued crimes for another year before finally getting caught.

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The Dating Game serial killer was arrested in July 1979

Daniel Zovatto plays Rodney Alcala in Woman of the Hour (Image via Netflix)

In July 1979, Rodney was arrested and stood trial for the murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe. He was found guilty and sentenced to death in June 1980, but it was overturned in 1984. He received his second death sentence in 1986, which was also overturned in 2003. In 2010, he was given his third death sentence.

As per NBC News, in 2010, authorities found over 100 pictures of unidentified women and children, many in se*ually explicit positions, in his storage locker in Seattle. This led them to speculate that the count of Rodney Alcala's victims may be as high as 130. Furthermore, in 2012, he was convicted of murdering Ellen Jane Hover in 1977 and Cornelia Crilley in 1971.

As per the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, Rodney Alcala died of natural causes at the age of 77 on July 24, 2021, while on death row.