In June, when browsing around for something new to watch, Netflix subscribers may have been lucky enough to stumble upon Brazil’s latest televisual gem: Killer Ratings. A seven-part documentary series, it tells the true story of Wallace Souza, the TV host turned politician who was accused of commanding a group of hitmen to carry out killings in order to boost his own viewing figures.
In the case of Killer Ratings, there is no need for magical realism. The truth is far more outlandish and shocking than any screen-written drama could be. Wallace Souza was the charismatic host of Canal Livre, a daily variety show broadcast in the state of Amazonas during the 1990s and 2000s, which became something of a regional institution.
Canal Livre had a bit of everything—humor, dancing, heart-wrenching real life tales—but the real draw was its police reporting. Manaus is and...