Netflix's Newest True-Crime Documentary Is Stunning Viewers

Allison Schonter

03/22/2022 11:05 am EDT

A new addition to Netflix's ever-growing true crime library is creating quite the conversation on social media. Just two years after the streamer sent social media ablaze with the release of Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, the streamer has struck gold again with a new title from the Tiger King's executive producer, Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.

Released on Wednesday, March 16, Bad Vegan chronicles the downfall of celebrity restaurateur Sarma Melngailis. Melngailis, the restaurateur behind the glittering New York hotspot Pure Food and Wine, "went from being the queen of vegan cuisine to being known as the 'Vegan Fugitive." Along with Shane Fox, Melngailis tole $2 million from the restaurant and its staff, and the two were eventually caught by police after they made a charge under Fox's real name for a Domino's pizza.

The new series has earned the rare and highly-coveted 100% perfect score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, aggregated from 15 reviews. While the audience score is far lower, sitting at just 27% from a total of 51 ratings, Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. has generated plenty of buzz online. Keep scrolling to see what Netflix subscribers are saying about the streamer's latest true crime hit.

'Tinder Swindler'

"'Bad Vegan' literally saw 'Tinder Swindler' and said hold my beer rookie," tweeted one viewer.

Left some viewers frustrated

"I am usually on the side of the victim, but the fact that she still doesn't take any accountability for the lives she destroyed of the people working for her and still talking to that idiot.... D–! I am out...." added somebody else.

'Bad liar'

"Watching [Bad Vegan]," wrote another person. "There is no way this woman graduated from Wharton, ran a multi million $ business in NYC and is as f-ing stupid and clueless as she's trying to make out. I'm not buying it. She's a bad liar, not a bad vegan."

'Zero accountability'

"I'm losing my empathy with every minute watching this show [Bad Vegan]," added somebody else. "Zero accountability, full victim mode, absolutely delusional, blaming it all on him?? No, honey. This you, too."

'No remorse'

"Who else is watching Bad Vegan on Netflix? Idk if Sarma is supposed to be looked at with sympathy, but she seems to have absolutely no remorse or reasonable explanations for anything she did," commented one person.

Confusion

"So people in your circle showed you rap sheet information, mugshots that they found on a simple Google search... One of the charges: 'Impersonating an officer,'" tweeted another viewer. "And you still believed him when he said it's all because he was on undercover assignment??"

'I need the real story'

"I need the real story behind [Bad Vegan]," shared another. "bc ain't no way you choose every wrong turn in life. Deny the love interest of a A-List Actor, throw away your business to a con-man you met on Scrabble, and then unknowingly go on the run. B- what?!"

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