In the mid-aughts, Dateline NBC's To Catch a Predator drew millions of weekly viewers to watch sting operations: men planning to meet minors for sex would instead be confronted by polished host Chris Hansen, then by the police — all on hidden camera.
Directed by David Osit
sting operation
online predator
social & cultural documentary
2000s
child sexual abuse
reality tv
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.6 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Chris Hansen
Self - Host, To Catch a Predator
Dani Jayden
Self - Decoy
Skeeter Jean
Self - Predator Hunter
David Osit
Self
Crew
David Osit
Director
David Osit
Editor
Nicolás Nørgaard Staffolani
Editor
David Osit
Director of Photography
Kellen Quinn
Producer
David Osit
Producer
Robert Greene
Additional Editor
Charlie Shackleton
Additional Editor
Teddy Blanks
Title Designer
Lana Wilson
Thanks
Popular Reviews
77 reviews
Treyward
8.0★ · 05/28/26
Unknown: 'Help me understand.' But the show was never really interested in answering that question.
An exceptionally well made documentary that never lets the perpetrators off the hook while still questioning Hanson’s methods
Unknown: 'Help me understand.' But the show was never really interested in answering that question.
An exceptionally well made documentary that never lets the perpetrators off the hook while still questioning Hanson’s methods
Jesse Golomb
9.0★ · 04/05/26
A brilliant documentary. Love how it blends the director’s subjective experience without tilting into polemic. A real document of the last twenty years of American culture. You could dig it up in a time capsule a millennia from now and it would explain plenty.
A brilliant documentary. Love how it blends the director’s subjective experience without tilting into polemic. A real document of the last twenty years of American culture. You could dig it up in a time capsule a millennia from now and it would explain plenty.
Bon
8.0★ · 03/15/26
deeply deeply unsettling
This form of entertainment is totally devoid from the realities of child abuse and solely exists to cater to the basest instincts of an entire society of self righteous sadistic morons.
deeply deeply unsettling
This form of entertainment is totally devoid from the realities of child abuse and solely exists to cater to the basest instincts of an entire society of self righteous sadistic morons.
shae
literally everyone in this documentary (except the victims of course) are gross losers. the cut from chris hansen saying it’s not about the likes or views to them literally having a party with the data on the tv lol. going on late night shows joking about predators? rriiiggghtttt. also i can’t get over them ruining that high school kids life????
the skeet hansen plot line was insane and kinda cheapened the documentary tbh. “youve just been skeeted” may have been the most cringe inducing moment of the year so far.
literally everyone in this documentary (except the victims of course) are gross losers. the cut from chris hansen saying it’s not about the likes or views to them literally having a party with the data on the tv lol. going on late night shows joking about predators? rriiiggghtttt. also i can’t get over them ruining that high school kids life????
the skeet hansen plot line was insane and kinda cheapened the documentary tbh. “youve just been skeeted” may have been the most cringe inducing moment of the year so far.
C
6.0★ · 02/02/26
Had to rewind and confirm that the guy said "My name is Skeet Hansen"
Had to rewind and confirm that the guy said "My name is Skeet Hansen"
