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30 Of The Best True Crime Documentaries To Watch Right Now
Our top true crime documentary picks on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime and more...
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True crime documentaries provide viewers with an inside look into some of the most extreme aspects of society. We love them because they're fraught with palpable tension, nail-biting plot twists and the ability to turn a Sunday night window into an endless Google Search deep dive.
Documentaries such as Night Stalker, Dancing For The Devil and The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard have allowed us to get an in-depth account of some of the most notorious crime cases.
Aside from prompting catchy songs and memes based on their various mind-blowing revelations, the best true crime documentaries can also catalyse much-needed debates and calls for action. For example, Athlete A has become a powerful cornerstone of the #MeToo movement, allowing the survivors to reclaim their voice and space. Spike Lee's Four Little Girls is a chilling, yet timely reminder of the impact and legacy of the violent reality of both systemic and systematic racism.
For a genre that is constantly adding more options to its roster, we filtered through to bring you the very best true crime documentaries, from the bizarre to the heartbreaking, that will ensure you're glued to the sofa all weekend long.
Dancing For The Devil
In the age of TikTok, where the singular goal is to go viral, doing so by any means necessary can be more harmful than imagined. So was the case for a young popular influencer who was promised fame by a church-affiliated management company. What then followed was a series of heartbreaking exploitation and abuse, which is uncovered in this docuseries of the 7M Films Controversy.
What Jennifer Did
The mysterious intrusion of a family's home in a small Canadian town leaves a father comatose, his wife dead and their daughter Jennifer, as the sole eye witness. Struggling to understand who woud wish to harm the family, the police are left at a complete loss, but everything changes Jennifer's father finally wakes up.
Daughters Of The Cult
The daughters of Evril LeBaron, a leader of a religious fundamental group recount their experiences of torment whilst living under the control of his cult.
LeBaron was finally sentenced to life in prison in 1980 for his crimes, but prior to this, he ordered the murders of his opponents, as told by his former cult members and his children.
The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Most of us have surely heard about the case of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, the woman who killer her mother with her then-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn, was also convicted for carrying out the attack.
Now nine years later, after committing murder when she was 23 years old, she tells her side of the story from prison and explains what transpired.
The Imposter
The Imposter is a documentary that feels so widely far-fetched you’d be forgiven for assuming that it couldn’t possibly be based on reality — but it is. The documentary follows the 1997 case of a French conman named Frédéric Bourdin, who infiltrated a Texas family at the age of 23 by pretending to be their son, Nicholas Barclay, who had disappeared three years earlier at the age of 13. Prepare for your jaw to hit the floor.
OJ: Made In America
One of the most notorious murder cases in modern history gets re-examined in this five-part series. It deftly interrogates Simpson’s rise to fame and subsequent acquittal through the lens of the racial politics of the age, as well as focussing on the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
Last Call: When A Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York
Based on Elon Green’s nonfiction book of the same name, HBO's new four-part series highlights the terror inflicted upon LGBTQ nightlife in New York City by a serial killer during the 1990s. It delves into the systemic oppression prevalent during the period of the AIDS crisis and the efforts made by queer activists to seek justice for the victims.
The Keepers
The Keepers, which was released on Netflix in 2017, follows the unsolved murder of nun Catherine Cesnik who was killed in 1969 under the belief that she'd uncovered sexual abuse by one of the priests, Joseph Maskell, at a Baltimore school. The documentary follows two of Cesnik’s former students, Gemma Hoskins and Abbie Schaub, as they set out to uncover who killed her — and, more importantly, what their motive was.
The Jinx: The Lifes and Deaths of Robert Durst
This six-part series, which debuted in 2015, followed the investigation into Robert Durst, a prominent New York real estate scion tangled up in the unsolved murders of his wife, a novelist and his neighbour.
The day before the finale of the series aired, Durst was arrested in New Orleans on a charge of first-degree murder of his friend, Susan Berman. After a five month-long trial, in September 2021, Durst was found guilty of murdering Berman in 2000 and was sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole.
Making A Murderer
Millions of us tuned in to the first season of Making A Murderer, which debuted in 2015. The 10-episode series chronicled the convictions of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey after they were accused of the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.
Details of the crime and the potentially corrupt way the police handled the investigation whipped viewers into a frenzy, which encouraged Netflix to commission two more series on similar ‘re-investigations’.
Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street
As far as financial thrillers go, this gripping four-part series is up there with the most shocking. It tells the story of American financier Bernie Madoff, who executed a $64bn Ponzi scheme, and those who protected him. You'll be at the edge of your seat while uncovering the conspiracy that flourished for decades.
MH370: The Plane That Disappeared
March 8, 2014 was a devastating time for the loved ones of passengers who boarded Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 that mysteriously disappeared. After the flight, which saw 239 people go missing, a global investigation followed, yet despite official reports, theories and searches for evidence, the aviation enigma remains unsolved. Directed by Louise Malkinson, this British docuseries searches for answers.
The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker
Kai (whose real name is Caleb Lawrence McGillvary) went viral following a 2013 news report in which he claimed to save a woman by hitting her attacker with a hatchet. But, things soon took a dark turn for this easy-going nomad when he was served a prison sentence for murdering lawyer Joseph Galfy. This scandalous documentary takes a close look at how things spiralled.
Bad Vegan
Celebrity restaurateur Sarma Melngailis transitioned from being the queen of vegan cuisine to a ridiculed 'Vegan Fugitive' after falling for a man who promised to make her dreams come true. This four-part documentary shows how millions of dollars, immortal dogs, meat suits and deception leads to her life veering into turmoil.
Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
The mystery of Madeleine McCann's disappearance continues, since she went missing on the evening of May 3, 2007 while at a resort in Praia da Luz, in Algarve, Portugal with her family. This documentary gives a detailed look into the story.
Catching Killers
Infamous serial killer cases are the focus of this crime documentary. It sees investigators reveal harrowing details of their remarkable efforts when it came to cracking down on notorious criminals. Full of investigative insights and plenty of suspense, it's bound to have you at the edge of your seat.
The Staircase
American novelist Michael Peterson became the prime suspect of his wife's mysterious death, and, after being closely inspected, was later convicted. Was it an accident or murder? That was the lingering question. This series documents the commotion.
Worst Roommate Ever
Dangerous con artists and killers lacking remorse are at the centre of chilling true stories documented in this limited series.
They represent some of the most notorious and menacing cohabiting experiences imaginable.
Episode one kicks off with a woman known as Dorothea Puente, who runs a boarding school for those less fortunate, but while seemingly gracious, her motives are more sinister.
House of Maxwell
Based on 50 years of scandal concerning one family, House of Maxwell unravels the rise and fall of a media mogul and his deeply disturbed family. It's an astonishing tale of money, sex, privacy, power and notoriety.
Unsolved Mystery
Mysterious disappearances, shocking murders and perplexing encounters make up this revival of an iconic documentary series. Brought to you by the original creators of Unsolved Mysteries and the producers of Stranger Things, it invites you to follow the clues and get a sense of solving the cases.
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