S1E1: Dating the Devil

Dating the Devil: The Benjamin Foster Manhunt

The premiere episode of Worst Ex Ever on Netflix opens with a chilling phone call. In January 2023, Justine Siemens contacted a friend from Grants Pass, Oregon, her voice barely audible, describing a brutal assault at the hands of her partner Benjamin Foster. What followed was a nine-day statewide manhunt that gripped the Pacific Northwest and ended in a fatal confrontation with police in Wolf Creek, Oregon.

Episode Synopsis

"Dating the Devil" traces the relationship between Justine Siemens and Benjamin Foster from its seemingly normal beginnings to the night Foster attacked Siemens, leaving her with life-threatening injuries. After the assault, Foster fled into the rugged terrain of southern Oregon, triggering a massive multi-agency search involving Oregon State Police, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The episode follows the manhunt day by day, revealing how Foster evaded capture across rural communities before being cornered on February 1, 2023. Foster was killed during the confrontation with law enforcement.

Key Facts

This true crime episode runs 63 minutes and was directed by Cynthia Childs as part of the Season 1 premiere on August 28, 2024. It is the longest episode of Season 1, reflecting the complexity of both the relationship timeline and the extended manhunt.

Why This Case Matters

The Benjamin Foster case exposed critical gaps in how domestic violence offenders move between jurisdictions. Foster had a documented multi-state history of domestic abuse — prior victims in other states had reported him, yet he remained free to form new relationships. The case became a rallying point for advocates pushing for better interstate communication between law enforcement agencies regarding serial domestic abusers. The Grants Pass community was shaken by the realization that a predator had been living among them undetected.

Documentary Techniques

Director Cynthia Childs employs the full range of the docuseries' signature techniques in this episode. Justine Siemens herself provides the central interview, recounting her experience with remarkable clarity. Bodycam footage from responding officers captures the urgency of the initial response, while helicopter and ground-search footage documents the manhunt in real time. The episode's 2D animated reenactments visualize the private moments of the relationship — the early charm, the escalating control, and the night of the attack — in a dark, graphic-novel style that conveys menace without exploiting the violence.

Production and Reception

"Dating the Devil" was produced by Blumhouse Television and ITV America under the direction of Cynthia Childs, who helmed all eight episodes of Worst Ex Ever across both seasons. The production team spent months securing survivor interviews, obtaining bodycam footage from the Oregon State Police, and developing the animated reenactment sequences that have become a hallmark of the series. The episode's animation team worked closely with Justine Siemens to ensure accuracy while avoiding gratuitous depictions of violence. Upon its August 2024 premiere, the episode received praise from true crime audiences for centering the survivor's perspective rather than sensationalizing the perpetrator. Critics noted that Worst Ex Ever distinguished itself from other Netflix true crime offerings by focusing on intimate-partner violence as a systemic issue rather than treating each case as an isolated spectacle. The episode helped propel the series into Netflix's Top 10 in its debut week, establishing Worst Ex Ever as a significant entry in the streaming platform's true crime catalog.

Where to Watch

"Dating the Devil" is available to stream exclusively on Netflix as Episode 1 of Worst Ex Ever Season 1. The episode is rated TV-MA for depictions of domestic violence and discussions of assault.

Viewer Guide and Context

Before watching "Dating the Devil," viewers should be aware that this Worst Ex Ever episode contains graphic descriptions of domestic violence, including strangulation and physical assault. The episode also depicts the aftermath of a fatal police confrontation. Viewers who are survivors of intimate-partner violence may find certain scenes triggering, and the Netflix content warning at the episode's start should be taken seriously. Resources for domestic violence support, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline, are available for anyone affected by the content of this Worst Ex Ever episode.

This episode connects to the broader themes of the Worst Ex Ever series by establishing the docuseries' core argument: that domestic abusers often have documented histories that cross jurisdictional boundaries, and that systemic failures allow them to continue finding new victims. The Grants Pass, Oregon case introduces the multi-state pattern that recurs throughout Worst Ex Ever, setting the tone for the entire Netflix docuseries. As the series premiere, "Dating the Devil" also establishes the visual and narrative techniques — survivor-centered interviews, animated reenactments, and bodycam footage — that define the Worst Ex Ever viewing experience across both seasons on Netflix.

Featured people

• Benjamin Obadiah Foster — Perpetrator
• Justine Siemens — Survivor

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