As a society, we have a strange obsession with true crime, and that’s OK. True crime shows and docuseries are interesting, thought-provoking, and often shocking to watch. Knowing these events occurred in real life is jarring, but sitting back to see how it all played out adds a whole new level of intrigue.
When shows like Making a Murderer and Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness came out on Netflix, it began an influx of true crime shows on the streaming service. Now, Netflix is known as home to some of the best true crime shows on television. From docuseries to scripted dramatizations, from ones about murder to those about cults and fraud, the best true crime shows on Netflix include an exciting mix of titles that any fan of the genre will love.
Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)
tv-ma
1Season
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Evan Peters, Richard Jenkins, Molly Ringwald
Created by
Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan
Evan Peters earned an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of the sad*stic serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in this first instalment of this biographical true crime anthology series. Created by Ryan Murphy, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story provides an intimate look into the life and crimes of Dahmer, who lured, murdered, and dismembered 17 males between 1978 and 1991. He engaged in necrophilia and even cannibalism, and the series attempts to dive into the psyche of the killer, exploring not only his twisted motivations, but the desperation of his parents to help their clearly troubled son.
Niecy Nash is a standout as Dahmer’s suspicious neighbor, Glenda (she won an Emmy for the gripping performance), as is Richard Jenkins as his father, Lionel. Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story isn’t an easy watch. But beyond the gruesome and disturbing nature of many of the scenes, the series presents crucial commentary about law enforcement, missed opportunities, and the treatment of cases involving young and marginalized victims.
Unsolved Mysteries (2020)
One of the preeminent mystery documentary series, Unsolved Mysteries has been around since 1987, though it has gone off the air and been revived numerous times. The latest revival was in 2019, when Stranger Things executive producer Shawn Levy () rebooted the series for Netflix with a slightly new format. Even without a host (could anyone ever truly replace Robert Stack?), the episodes still draw you in with their terrifying tales of murder, mysterious vanishings, UFO sightings, and other creepy stories.
Each episode is compartmentalized and focused on recollections from those involved in each case, archived footage, theories, interviews with law enforcement, and reenactments. Some of the most compelling episodes from the three seasons to date include thoseabout the Berkshires UFO, the infamous Dupont de Ligonnès murders in France, and the mysterious disappearance of Rey Rivera. The best part about Unsolved Mysteries is you can watch each season or episode in any order you like, even selecting only the true crime stories you find most interesting.
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021)
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1Season
Genre
Documentary, Crime, Mystery
Stars
Gil Carrillo, Frank Salerno, Pearl Carrillo
What sets Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer apart from other true crime docuseries about serial killers is that it shifts the spotlight to two officers who become obsessed with taking down this vicious killer. As Richard Ramirez was ravaging Los Angeles and no one knew when or where he would strike next (nor who he was), these men worked tirelessly against the clock to try and catch him, at great expense to their personal lives. Every time they felt they were on his tail, Ramirez was able to thwart their attempts at capture.
It all culminates in an explosive ending where Ramirez is eventually identified and captured. He was then weirdly glorified as all the public could talk about was his chiseled good looks. It was difficult to reconcile the heinous things he had done with the seemingly normal, handsome-looking man he was revealed to be. What’s great about Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer is that it sheds more light on how devastating this work can be for those who are desperately trying to stop a killer like Ramirez, and how much cases like this affect them not only during an investigation, but long after.
The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping (2024)
You’ll find yourself frustratingly banging your fists while watching The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping. The story is about troubled children who were sent to a behavior modification facility by their parents, only to endure horrendous abuse at the hands of the creators and employees of this supposed boarding school. Told through the eyes of several former students who managed to escape, it’s a harrowing exploration of how the Academy at Ivy Ridge allegedly disciplined these kids through cruel and unusual punishment. It’s also about how the academy manipulated the parents into believing the kids needed to be isolated from them for the program to work.
With former employees speaking out as well, including the son of one of the founders, The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping is also an inspiring story about resilience, forgiveness, and confronting trauma.
Mindhunter (2017)
tv-ma
2Seasons
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv
Created by
Joe Penhall
Arguably one of Netflix’s best-ever original series, and certainly one of the best in the true crime space, David Fincher‘s Mindhunter is a psychological crime thriller based on the real-life story of two FBI agents and a psychologist who coined the term serial killer back in the late 1970s and early ’80s. Veteran agent Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), rookie agent Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff), and psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) devise a research project to try and understand the minds of repeat killers, who they eventually begin to refer to as serial killers. The goal is to understand their motivations and psyches, in hopes this will in turn help them solve future cases and prevent more killings.
The actors playing real-life killers like Edmund Kemper, Charles Manson, David Berkowitz, and Dennis Rader are incredible in their portrayals. They capture everything from the look to the vocal inflections, attitudes, and even subtle mannerisms of these individuals. With conversations taken right from actual transcripts, Mindhunter will leave you with goosebumps as you listen to these vicious killers recall why they did what they did and justify their heinous acts with no remorse. Sadly, Mindhunter ended in 2019 after two seasons. But that hasn’t stopped fans from continuing to beg for its return, even to this day.
Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife (2023)
Dr. Paolo Macchiarini was considered a hero in the medical space, claiming to have developed a method to use a person’s own stem cells to create a trachea transplant for sick patients. His charming, seemingly influential status caught the eye of NBC News producer Benita Alexander, who was doing a story on him. The pair began a whirlwind romance where he swept her off her feet, all the while doing his important work. But the walls began to close in when Alexander started uncovering a web of lies and deceit.
Told mainly through Alexander’s recollections of her personal relationship with Macchiarini, along with archival footage, Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife showcases Macchiarini’s manipulative behavior and how his lies get more and more ridiculous as time goes on. Most critically, viewers learn of the research fraud for which Macchiarini was convicted in both Italy and Sweden. The series pays attention to the victims and families of his patients who underwent surgeries that led to devastating results, along with others he hurt along the way. Macchiarini’s story is the subject of the second season of the Peaco*ck series Dr. Death.
Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019)
tv-ma
1Season
Genre
Documentary, Crime
Stars
Ted Bundy, Stephen Michaud, Hugh Aynesworth
Created by
Joe Berlinger
There are so many documentaries, dramatized series, and movies about Ted Bundy that true crime fans might feel like they already know everything there is to know about the serial killer. But Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, released on the 30th anniversary of his execution, provides a deeper look into his life from a different perspective.
A highlight of the series is audio from Stephen Michaud’s death row interview with the killer, where Bundy’s inflated sense of prominence shows just how deeply narcissistic he was. He speaks as though he’s in charge of investigating himself, and sharing his immense knowledge, not talking about awful things he did. Packed with archival footage, police evidence, personal photos, and interviews with many involved in the case, Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes is just four episodes long, but it will keep you up at night after watching.
Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
One of the most disturbing true crime docuseries released in the last five years, Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer focuses on the story of convicted Canadian killer Luka Magnotta. But the approach is much different than a typical docuseries. It centers around a group of internet sleuths who discovered troubling videos a mysterious person had posted online and became determined to discover his identity. They were convinced his actions of killing two kittens on camera would eventually lead to murdering humans, and they were right. The group banded together to search for clues in his videos so they could find something, anything, to convince authorities to investigate these heinous acts.
A story of Facebook being used for good and the incredible talent and determination of a group of citizens who had no ties otherwise to the incidents will keep you at the edge of your seat through all three episodes. Just be prepared to feel intense emotions when watching: this one is only for true crime fans who aren’t easily put off.
Escaping Twin Flames (2023)
What’s so angering about Escaping Twin Flames is the fact that Jeff and Shaleia Divine are reportedly still running their Twin Flames Universe organization, which many have deemed a cult. The true crime docuseries tells the story of a married couple who begin to run an online business whereby they purport to help individuals seeking love find their “true flame,” the person they are destined to be with. But over time, it becomes apparent that coercive control, indoctrination, and abuse are rampant. As time goes on, the situation gets even more shocking and bizarre.
Told through the lens of several former members, along with video footage of the Divines themselves, the series is executive produced and directed by Cecilia Peck, the woman behind Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult. She reportedly began devising this show after receiving messages from people urging her to expose this cult. The series has earned a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, shocking viewers with the stories of survival and indoctrination, and the bizarre videos of the Divines conducting their “courses.” It’s worth watching the similarly named Escaping Twin Flames Universe on Amazon Prime Video when you’re done for even more perspective. You’ll hear more emotional stories, including harrowing accounts from families of those still struggling to get their loved ones back.
American Nightmare (2024)
Described by many as the real-life Gone Girl story, American Nightmare follows the unbelievable tale of the reported kidnapping of Denise Huskins. Her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, was immediately deemed a suspect, with his story about masked men coming into the home and taking her sounding like fiction. The situation got even more twisted when Denise mysteriously reappeared, revealing a story about where she was and what happened to her that sounded like it was pulled right from a Hollywood crime drama. Soon, the pair were being vilified in the media, accused of concocting a hoax for attention.
American Nightmare won’t turn out the way you think, unless you’re already familiar with the story. Even if you are, it’s interesting to see how the whole situation plays out. Most importantly, learn of the bravery and intuition of one woman who finally cracked open the nutty case to reveal the truth.
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