True crime is the new Argentine prime time. From the millions of views of Dinosaur Vlogs and Lean Riccio on YouTube, and the success of the Barbano podcast on Hechos Reales, to the wave of documentaries such as El Caso Fernando Báez Sosa on Netflix.
But what explains this fascination that keeps our eyes glued to the screen? Science has found the answer in three primitive impulses in our brain, and one of them is the basis for the immersive judicial experience hidden in a theater in San Telmo.
Why we are obsessed with true crime according to science (and it’s not just morbid curiosity)
The first reason has to do with the survival instinct. According to psychologist Coltan Scrivner, consuming true crime is “low-cost learning”: the brain observes each case, detects signs of danger and possible defense strategies without exposing itself to a real threat. In other words, we watch to learn how to survive.
Photo: Kelcie Papp / Unsplash
The second reason is purely chemical. Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman explains that the brain hates uncertainty, and when it doesn’t have answers, it goes into a state of alert. In true crime, that constant tension of wanting to know what happened keeps adrenaline levels high, and when the crime is finally solved, the closure releases a rush of dopamine. It’s a feeling of relief and reward that is addictive.
The third reason responds to a physical need for justice. From a moral psychology perspective, seeing a crime judged and punished reduces stress and restores a sense of order. This helps explain why we tend to prefer cases with convictions over open mysteries or unsolved disappearances. And it is this need for justice that the public puts into practice in the immersive experience of The Jury Experience.
The Jury Experience: the event for true crime fans who want to be jurors in a murder trial
The Jury Experience brings the true crime phenomenon to immersive theater. It does so with a trial where the audience is the jury. Attendees analyze testimony, examine forensic evidence, and ultimately deliver the verdict that decides the defendant’s fate.
The experience takes place at the Margarita Xirgu Theater (Chacabuco 875, San Telmo) and is recommended for ages 12 and up. Tickets to participate in this live trial can be purchased online starting at $33,500.