Netflix has come under fire for releasing a new TV series based on a jumping castle tragedy, just years after a similar incident in Tasmania.
The streaming-giant’s latest Mexican drama series, ‘The Accident’, is billed as “a worst-case scenario” that strikes a “close-knit community during a child’s birthday party”.
Netflix said the series is set on a day with “just about perfect” weather when “the wind unexpectedly picks up, leading to a horrific accident that kills three children”.
The show has been slammed by locals and people across the globe as insensitive, with many drawing comparisons to the 2021 Hillcrest Primary School tragedy, in which six children died and three were seriously injured.
“It’s shocking acting and just tacky. Incidents like what happened here happen all over the world, but it definitely will be triggering for some,” one person said.
“I knew one of the boys in the incident at Hillcrest. This is disgusting!” said another.
In a post on their blog Tudum, Netflix acknowledged “28 deaths and 479 injuries between 2000 and 2021” in jumping castle incidents in the United States alone.
Despite this, the company insists that ‘The Accident’ is not based on a true story and is entirely “fictional”.
“As unbelievable as it may seem, bouncy houses can and very much have flown away before, much to the horror of the parents involved,” the post said.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff told Pulse the tragedy will have a “forever-lasting impact” on the local community, which must be recognised.
“The Hillcrest tragedy continues to be an immensely sad and traumatic event for all Tasmanians, especially the families and loved ones directly affected,” he told Pulse.
“Irrespective of what Netflix has said, I remain extremely troubled by how this series may affect Tasmanians.”
The show is currently ranked sixth on Netflix’s top 10 TV shows in Australia.
