A man travels to a house in Long Beach, California, believing he is there to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex. Upon arrival, his plans are shattered when journalist Chris Hansen confronts him on camera. This high-stakes encounter serves as the opening sequence forPrimetimea film directed by Lance Oppenheim that examines how television networks turned sting operations into sensationalist entertainment. The film, which features Robert Pattinson as Hansen, is currently in US theaters and arrives in the UK on 30 October and Australia on 29 October. Hansen asks what his fate should be. “The electric chair?” he asks. A film directed by Lance Oppenheim, released in the US this week (a UK release follows on 30 October), this is the opening scene of Primetime. Raising a host of ethical questions about justice, voyeurism and society’s willingness to dehumanise certain offenders for profit and entertainment, it explores how a network news show turned sting operations into must-see television. Whose recent movies include The Batman, The Drama and The Odyssey, the swaggering Hansen is played by Robert Pattinson.
Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Hansen highlights the program’s role in shifting societal attitudes toward public accountability. In the film, Pattinson delivers a poignant observation about the era: “There used to be a pillory in every village. Now, there’s a television in every living room.” This captures the core tension explored byPrimetimethe transformation of criminal justice into a televised ratings spectacle.
During the mid-2000sTo Catch a PredatoronDateline NBCbecame a massive hit, regularly competing with ABC’sLost. The show’s premise involved decoy actors posing as minors online to lure suspects into sting houses, where they were ambushed by Hansen as law enforcement waited nearby to make arrests. At its peak during the 2006-07 season, the show drew approximately 7 million viewers per episode, cementing Hansen’s signature catchphrase, “Have a seat,” in American pop culture. There, decoy actors playing the supposed teenagers would be waiting.
David Osit, who directed the 2025 documentaryPredatorsnotes that the show was deeply polarizing, characterized as “sordid and creepy” yet inherently compelling to viewers. He suggests that the show occupied a “nexus of discomfort and basic human instinct,” which remains relevant today. Osit points out that the marketing for the new film leans on these historical clips, proving that the show’s legacy continues to affect audiences.
The program’s format faced severe criticism following a tragic 2006 incident in Rockwall County, Texas. Bill Conradt, an assistant district attorney, had communicated with a decoy posing as a 13-year-old boy. Though he reportedly changed his mind, the film crew and police proceeded with a raid on his home after he failed to appear at the sting location, leading to his suicide. This event triggered legal action and subsequent journalistic investigations, including critical reports by20/20and an influential 2007Esquirefeature by Luke Dittrich.
BeforeDatelineentered the fold, local law enforcement agencies were already experimenting with online sting operations. Former Kentucky attorney general Greg Stumbo supervised state-led initiatives in Bowling Green, where officials used an undercover female agent to solicit contacts. Stumbo recalls that the suspects were often seemingly ordinary people—firefighters and teachers—who lacked prior criminal records. He maintains that state prosecutors strictly controlled their investigations, refusing to hand over sensitive files even when Hansen and his crew later arrived to film interviews.
Defending the ethical framework of these operations, Stumbo rejects claims that they constituted entrapment, asserting that his team’s motivations were strictly law enforcement-based. He expresses no remorse for the individuals caught in the crossfire, maintaining a firm prosecutorial stance against those who solicited minors. He is caught, and it is the end of his life as he knew it.
The organization Perverted Justice, founded by Xavier Von Erck, was integral to the operation ofTo Catch a Predator. Von Erck, who managed volunteers and screened chat logs, claims that the show could not have functioned without his group’s groundwork. He alleges that not a single conviction based on the evidence they provided was ever overturned on appeal. The programme targeted men suspected of soliciting sex with minors in online chat rooms. Volunteers from the citizen watchdog group Perverted Justice posed as underage children, engaging adults in conversations and then arranging meetings at fake homes.
Current tensions regarding the film’s portrayal are high. Von Erck has sharply criticizedPrimetimeaccusing the filmmakers of fabricating scenes and misrepresenting his involvement. He argues the film is a “malicious portrayal” that relies on events he never participated in. Meanwhile, the real Chris Hansen has publicly branded the film an “insult” and accused the production of “identity theft,” claiming that the filmmakers sought to exploit the brand he built over 45 years. Hansen toldUSA Todaythat he believes the creators simply wanted to profit from his reputation. Osit observes that Hansen’s defensive reaction is “characteristically shrewd,” as the former journalist remains focused on his own professional profile and public image. But the real Hansen, 67, has branded the movie an “insult” and “identity theft” without having seen it.
Comments