A.M. ATL: 📺 Murder TV

Morning, y’all! Expect plenty more rain today, with temperatures hovering in the low- to mid-60s.

• In case you missed it: Late last night, authorities officially filed murder charges against the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Luigi Mangione was arrested at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s.

Otherwise, we’ve got intel on early struggles with the state’s school voucher program, arena-opening issues in Athens and the Cobb County police shooting that left a pet dog dead. The latest on UGA’s injured quarterback, too.

But first: Time for a television vibe check.

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HEADED TO HULU

Alex Murdaugh (center) prior to his 2023 sentencing in Colleton County, South Carolina.

At one point in my life, I was an undiagnosed “Law & Order” addict. I listened to first couple seasons of “Serial.” I spent the first several years of my career writing almost exclusively about crime and death and sorrow.

So … I get it.

But can we, as a society, maybe chill out a little bit with the murder TV?

I say this in response to an article from my AJC colleague Rodney Ho, who reports that Hulu’s developing a scripted series about the Murdaughs: the well-to-do South Carolina family very recently plagued by fraud and murder.

• The show is seemingly set to star Patricia Arquette and Jason Clarke (the government prosecutor guy in “Oppenheimer”) — and start production at Doraville’s Assembly Studios around March of next year.

Like I said … I get the appeal! Hollywood loves a rich white Southerner almost as much as it loves true crime. A rich white Southerner convicted of killing his wife and son? During a nationally televised trial?

That’s a recipe for ratings gold. But it also gives me the icks.

• List: Georgia cases featured on true-crime shows
• 2025 Golden Globe nominations revealed

My guiding journalistic philosophy is, essentially, “tell good stories.” That’s about it. That’s all I’ve ever really wanted to do. But there’s also a line somewhere — considerations about exploiting or profiting off other people’s pain.

• Actress/director Anna Kendrick recently made a Netflix movie called “Woman of the Hour,” about a real-life serial killer. She later donated profits to charity after deciding she felt “gross” about it.

I’m not here to be preachy. I am a little grumpy, though. And perhaps it’s the recency factor that’s bothering me about this one.

But what I’m asking, really, is this: Can we focus on TV shows that land somewhere between “real people have their lives ended” and “hot Hallmark snowman comes to life”?

Please?

Shoot me an email and let me know if I’m on target or way off base. And if you’re not signed up to get A.M. ATL in your inbox each weekday morning, what’re you waiting for?

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GOLD DOME GOALS

House Speaker Jon Burns during the Georgia General Assembly's 2024 legislative session.

Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) sat down with the AJC to discuss legislative priorities ahead of the General Assembly’s 2025 session, which starts Jan. 13.

• Of note: Burns said he supports legislation to ban transgender girls from competing in high school sports, but would not back other proposals targeting transgender Georgians.

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SCHOOL SNAFUS

One of last year’s big Republican initiatives, meanwhile, is off to a rocky start.

The state twice posted then removed a list of low-performing schools where students are eligible to apply for a new voucher program that would help pay for private school tuition elsewhere.

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CRIME WATCH

» The man who lost his mother, his young children and their mother in a suspected DeKalb County murder-suicide spoke to the AJC, calling the incident “world-ending.”

» Police in Rome believe a hoax bomb threat targeting U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene came from Russia.

» Cobb County police released body camera footage from a recent shooting in which officers responding to a 911 call killed a family’s dog. Chief Stuart VanHoozer says the officers feared for their lives.

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ARENA ANXIETY

Athens' Akins Ford Arena, as seen during construction in March.

Athens’ shiny new arena was supposed to open last week. One problem: it hasn’t passed final inspections, and has no certificate of occupancy.

• With minor league hockey games already canceled, officials hope everything’s good to go before Saturday’s B-52s concert.

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DATA, DATA EVERYWHERE

Great news, South Fulton: a developer wants to build another mall-sized data center in your backyard. We’re talking 59 acres of computer servers within a couple miles of similarly massive projects by Microsoft and others.

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OPINION PENDING

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) lays on the ground after getting injured on the last play of the first half of Saturday's SEC Championship Game.

Officially, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck hurt his throwing elbow, is “seeking treatment options” and has no timetable for return. Other media reports suggest he’s getting a second opinion after initial tests showed an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament.

That’s the one that sometimes forces baseball players to get Tommy John surgery.

• Award season: Colorado’s Travis Hunter, a Collins Hill High grad, is officially a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
• Falcons: Has coach Raheem Morris mishandled his team’s quarterback situation from the start?
• Jackets: Top wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. entered the transfer portal.

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‘FAT KID FOOD’

Maybe I’m just cold and hungry but … the menu at new Reynoldstown restaurant Small Fry looks to die for. Co-owner Omar Ferrer calls it “fat kid food” and “anything you can fry, with an Italian twang.”

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MORE TO EXPLORE

» Freed after 26 years in prison, Georgia man sues county, investigators

» Atlanta radical group leader sentenced for working with Russian agent

» Atlanta startup wins a $1M Pharrell-backed prize

» EPA bans cancer-causing chemicals used in dry cleaning

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ON THIS DATE

Dec. 10, 1930

Eastern Air Transport officially launched the first passenger plane service between Atlanta and New York (though the photos suggest a bumpy ride awaited anyone willing to hop on).

Readers of a certain age will remember the company later known as Eastern Air Lines as a major force in the industry before it dissolved in 1991.