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Don’t Date Brandon review – this lazy true-crime show doesn’t start to do justice to these women’s horrors
The review criticises Channel 4’s Don’t Date Brandon as a poorly constructed true-crime series that fails to convey the psychological harm experienced by the women involved. Although the story could illuminate coercive control and deception, the reviewer argues that its thin treatment makes it feel voyeuristic and misguided rather than informative.
The programme follows Amber Rasmussen and Brandon Johnson’s first wife, Athena Klingerman, as they uncover his lies after Amber contacts Athena. Johnson allegedly fabricated messages, falsely portrayed Athena as unstable, claimed illnesses including cancer, concealed an affair and used supposed work travel as cover; he also involved their four-year-old daughter, Sydney, in keeping secrets. The reviewer says these revelations are rushed into the end of the first episode, while too much time is spent recounting events without explaining their emotional and psychological impact.
In short
- Review says the series mishandles a serious story of alleged coercive deception.
- Two ex-wives uncover fabricated messages, false illness claims and an affair.
- Key revelations are rushed, weakening the programme’s impact.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A strong case for the review is that a programme about coercive control should do more than catalogue deception: it should help viewers understand its emotional effects and the people harmed. If the revelations are rushed and presented without that context, the series risks turning painful experiences into voyeuristic entertainment and missing a chance to inform audiences.
The case against
A strong case for the programme is that recounting how the deception unfolded can make a complex pattern of manipulation clear and accessible to viewers. A restrained or event-focused approach may also reflect the participants’ wishes and avoid imposing interpretations on their experiences; the series could still prompt discussion about coercive control even if it does not explore every psychological dimension.
Explained simply
"Don't Date Brandon" is a true-crime series on Channel 4 that examines the deceptions of a man named Brandon Johnson through the accounts of women he was involved with, including Amber Rasmussen and his ex-wife Athena Klingerman. The programme shows how these women discovered the extent to which he had lied to them.
Johnson allegedly fabricated messages and false stories to manipulate the women, including claiming to have serious illnesses such as cancer, concealing affairs and lying about work travel. He also reportedly involved his young daughter in maintaining these deceptions.
The series explores coercive control and psychological manipulation—forms of abuse that operate through deception rather than physical harm. Such stories have become the subject of increased public and media scrutiny as awareness grows about how psychological manipulation can damage victims over time.
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