How Woman Of The Hour Compares To The Real Footage Of Rodney Alcalas Dating Game Episode

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Woman of the Hour

Real Rodney Alcala and Cheryl Bradshaw alongside Anna Kendrick's Sheryl and Daniel Zovatto's Rodney

Warning! This post contains spoilers for Woman of the Hour.

Since Rodney Alcala's Dating Game appearance plays a crucial role in driving the primary narrative in Woman of the Hour, it is hard not to wonder whether the movie's portrayal of the real-life game show episode is accurate. Marking Anna Kendrick's directorial debut, Woman of the Hour has been widely appreciated by critics and even boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 91%. One of the biggest reasons behind the movie's acclaim is that, instead of unfolding like a typical true crime drama, it attempts to focus more on the central serial killer's victims' perspective.

Many have also appreciated how the film does not shy away from reimagining several aspects of the real-life incidents surrounding Rodney Alacala's true story to nail down its themes surrounding violence against women and its treatment in society. However, owing to the movie's creative liberties, viewers cannot help but question which parts of its narrative are based on facts. Since Rodney Alcala's chilling appearance in The Dating Game makes up a significant chunk of the movie's overarching narrative, it is worth examining how much it differs from the real episode of the game show.

The Questions Cheryl Asks The Bachelors Are Different In Woman Of The Hour

Even The Way The Bachelor's Responded Was Significantly Different

In Woman of the Hour, Anna Kendrick's Sheryl gets a bunch of questions on a cue card from the show's executives. She uses the cue cards to ask her first few questions, with the opening one being: "We're in a drama class, and it is the big audition. You're a nerdy schoolboy asking me out on a date...take it away." In the real Dating Game episode, Cheryl Bradshaw's first question was: "What's your best time?" Since Rodney Alcala was Bachelor Number 1 in the real game show, he was the first to answer the questions.

Jedidiah Goodacre as Arnie, Dylan Schmid as Mario, and Daniel Zovatto as Rodney Alcala in Woman of the Hour

What Happened To Rodney Alcala's Competing Dating Game Bachelors In Real Life After Woman Of The Hour

Woman of the Hour's Dating Game segment makes it hard not to wonder what might have happened to Rodney Alcala's competing bachelors from the show.

"The best time is at night... Nighttime," he responded to Bradshaw's opening question. The Anna Kendrick true story thriller also changes almost every other question Cheryl Bradshaw originally asked the bachelors. For obvious reasons, this, in turn, changes how the three bachelors answer them in the film. Although Rodney Alcala's early responses are a little strange in the movie, he mostly sells himself as a charming man who deserves to go on a date with Sheryl. A close look at the real Alcala's answers, however, makes reality creepier than the movie's fictional account.

Rodney's Responses Are Even More Concerning In Real Life Than Woman Of The Hour

Alcala Seemed Creepy From The Beginning In The Real Game Show

Daniel Zovatto as Rodney Alcala in Woman of the Hour and the real Rodney Alcala

During the Dating Game episode that featured Alcala, bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw also asked another question: “I’m serving you for dinner. What are you called and what do you look like?” Alcala responded to this by saying, “I’m called the banana and I look good.” When Bradshaw asked him to be more descriptive, he said, "Peel me," which made th audiences roar with laughter. Recalling these moments from the show, The Dating Game's producer, David Greenfield, said that the answers seemed "solid" for the show at the time but are terrifying in retrospect.

Woman of the Hour Cast & Character Breakdown
Actor	Role
Anna Kendrick	Sheryl Bradshaw
Daniel Zovatto	Rodney Alcala
Nicolette Robinson	Laura
Autumn Best	Amy
Tony Hale	Ed Burk
Kathryn Gallagher	Charlie
Pete Holmes	Terry

One of Rodney Alcala's competitors from the episode, Armand Cerami, also revealed that even the live audience was not pleased with the serial killer's answers. “The people [in the audience] were actually snickering and even low-murmuring boos as to his answers,” he said (via Rolling Stone). These real life accounts highlight how, unlike the version of Alcala in Woman of the Hour, the real killer displayed some concerning behaviors even during his appearance in The Dating Game.

Woman of the Hour (2024) Official Poster

Woman of the Hour is a biographical thriller directed by Anna Kendrick, who also stars in the film. The movie chronicles the infamous real-life story of Cheryl Bradshaw's appearance on the 1978 edition of The Dating Game, where one of the contestants, Rodney Alcala, would later be revealed as a notorious serial killer. The film delves into the chilling intersection of entertainment and true crime.

Director Anna Kendrick

Release Date September 26, 2023

Studio(s) AGC Studios , Vertigo Entertainment , BoulderLight Pictures

Distributor(s) Netflix

Writers Ian MacAllister McDonald

Cast Anna Kendrick , Daniel Zovatto , Autumn Best , Andy Thompson , David Beairsto , Tighe Gill , Bonnie Hay , Thomas Strumpski , Nicolette Robinson , Kathryn Gallagher , Kelley Jakle , Tony Hale

Character(s) Cheryl Bradshaw , Rodney Alcala , Amy , Bob , Rodney's Boss , Bachelor , Bartender , Laundromat Owner

Runtime 94 Minutes

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