True crime has been blowing up our TV’s and Podcast apps for the past few years. It seems we cannot get enough of the question of whodunnit. What’s even more interesting is the fact that true crime has been such a big hit with women. There are tons of studies trying to figure out why women are so drawn to true crime, with professionals citing everything from facing fears (women are more likely to be victims of crime), to nurturing compassion, a fascination with motive, and because we love a good puzzle to solve. Whatever the reason, we cannot get enough. If you are riding the true crime wave here are the best visual binges out now…
The Staircase
The age-old story – did she fall or was she pushed? Michael Peterson claimed his wife took a fatal tumble down the stairs, but the police and the legal system weren’t so sure. This tall twisted and at times blurred lines tale will have you questioning everything. Peterson is put under the spotlight from the law, friends and even family. Wrongly accused or a rightful hunch? You will be spellbound from start to finish.
WATCH IT NOW
- Where to stream it: Netflix
- Who’s in it: Michael Peterson, David Rudolf, Ron Guerette, Tom Maher, Bill Peterson, Freda Black, Jim Hardin, Arthur Holland
- Time investment: 13 episodes
Unbelievable
A highly difficult watch, this Netflix miniseries is based on a true story of a teen who reported her rape and was pressured by the mishandling of the local police to stay she made it up. Weeks later similar assaults take place someplace else, capturing the attention of two female detectives from different towns who come together to track the perp down. It’s a tough ride, it will make you mad, but ultimately it is a highly important show that reminds us how important it is to address the way we deal with victims of sexual assault.
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- Where to stream it: Netflix
- Who’s in it: Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, Kaitlyn Dever
- Time investment: 8 episodes
Don’t F- With Cats
An online community plays cat and mouse with a cat killer posting videos on the internet. The internet is equal measures wonderful and terrifying as this bizarre documentary proves. Don’t F-With Cats proves the fact behind our fascination with true crime and problem-solving. A risky manhunt, everyday people, a psychopathic stranger, and the dark underbelly of the internet – this is a mind-bending binge.
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- Where to stream it: Netflix
- Who’s in it: Deanna Thompson, John Green, Claudette Hamlin, Antonio Paradiso
- Time investment: 3 episodes
Amanda Knox
It’s not hard to forget the tale of Amanda Knox. An all-American girl who was said to have murdered her roommate in Italy made shocking headlines around the world. Amanda was villainized, hated internationally, called a sex monster and sentenced to years in prison before being cleared of the murder in 2015. This chilling documentary is a keen reminder that being in the wrong place at the wrong time can have dire life-changing consequences and that it could happen to anyone.
WATCH IT NOW
- Where to stream it: Netflix
- Who’s in it: Amanda Knox, Curt Knox, Raffaele Sollecito, Nick Pisa, Stephanie Kercher, Brian McGinn, Rod Blackhurst, Brian McGinn
- Time investment: 92 minutes
The Act
The story of Dee Dee Blanchard and her daughter Gypsy Rose left the nation wide-eyed. You can watch the fictionalized account or opt for Mommy Dead and Dearest which covers the facts behind the same story. This mindboggling tale deals with what appears to be a heroic single mother and her chronically sick daughter. Years later, Dee Dee ends up dead, and it turns out that Gypsy Rose wasn’t sick. This hard to watch but utterly fascinating show documents what happens when worlds are torn apart by Munchausen by proxy.
WATCH IT NOW
- Where to stream it: Hulu
- Who’s in it: Patricia Arquette, Joey King, AnnaSophia Robb, Chloë Sevigny, Calum Worthy
- Time investment: 8 episodes
SHOP SOZY
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness
The show of mayhem and madness that ironically seemed to keep everyone sane at the start of lockdown, for those that haven't succumbed to the bizarreness of the big cat scene, this is a must. Far from the tales of an evil genius or a deep dive into the justice system, Tiger King is a mash-up of mullets, guns, weirdness, and wacky roadside zoos, not to mention death threats, and cringe-worthy crimes against fashion, humanity, and animals. If you can stomach the ethical train wreck, it's worth a watch.
WATCH IT NOW
- Where to stream it: Netflix
- Who’s in it: Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin, Bhagavan Antle
- Time investment: 7 episodes
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
Robert Durst is both terrifying and electrifying to watch on screen. This six-part documentary delves into the strange life of a real estate heir believed to be the murderer of his wife, a family friend, and neighbor. Direct interviews between documentary maker Andrew Jarecki and Durst himself take an uneasy turn and the series is rich with key witnesses, law enforcement files, not to mention secretly recorded conversations - this true-crime docuseries will have you hooked.
WATCH IT NOW
- Where to stream it: HBO, Now TV, Amazon
- Who’s in it: Robert Durst, Andrew Jarecki
- Time investment: 6 episodes
The People VS OJ Simpson
The first series of American Crime Story takes an in-depth look into the OJ Simpson murder case. Utterly compelling and with plenty of incredible performances (including an award for Sarah Paulson for her role-playing prosecutor Marcia Clark) it's no wonder that this true-crime drama is lauded as one of the best dramatizations out there. All true crime fans will remember the crime story that made a dent in 90's pop culture when NFL player OJ was tried for the murders of his ex-wife and her friend. The notorious case was the trial of the century and has gone down in American history. As the trial was one of the first forms of reality tv, it shaped the way media and culture consumed true crime, essentially turning the world on to the true crime genre.
WATCH IT NOW
- Where to stream it: Netflix
- Who’s in it: Sterling K. Brown, Kenneth Choi, Christian Clemenson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Bruce Greenwood, Nathan Lane, Sarah Paulson, David Schwimmer, John Travolta, Courtney B. Vance
- Time investment: 10 episodes
When They See Us
This true-crime four-part docuseries swept up all the awards, earning 12 Emmy nominations and for good reason. Retelling the story of five young men who were accused of rape and assault in Central Park, the series explores the lives of the five black male suspects and their family members. Raw and revealing, this true crime story explores the flaws in a system that presumes guilt over innocence especially in correlation to America's relationship with race.
WATCH IT NOW
- Where to stream it: Netflix
- Who’s in it: Asante Blackk, Caleel Harris, Ethan Herisse, Jharrel Jerome, Marquis Rodriguez, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk
- Time investment: 4 episodes
Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
Welcome to the mind of the world's most notorious serial killer with over a hundred hours of interviews and confession tapes with Ted Bundy. What makes Bundy such a fascinating character is his ability to hide in plain sight. This shockingly evil guy was charming, good looking, and of solid social standing and even while on trial for the brutal murders of thirty women, Bundy attracted support and positive attention from many American women. While the show has been critiqued for not offering a lot of insight, it seems there's not a lot of insight to be gained. Ted Bundy was just a horrific person. But there's no denying that the world is fascinated with this death row inmate and Ted Bundy's longtime girlfriend also shared her side of the story in 2020 with the Amazon documentary called Falling for a Killer.
WATCH IT NOW
- Where to stream it: Netflix
- Who’s in it: Ted Bundy, Joe Berlinger
- Time investment: 4 episodes
Making a Murderer
Steven Avery and his arrest for the murder of Teresa Halbach will have you tearing out your hair in disbelief. After spending two decades in jail on a wrongful conviction, he was exonerated and released as an innocent man, only to be accused of murder shortly after. This documentary focuses on unraveling the hidden truths and taking an unflinching look at the corruption and failures of the legal system. Making a murderer is pure binge-worthy true crime tv, it compels and repels in equal measure and its twisting turning array of conspiracy theories will make you feel like you are losing your mind.
WATCH IT NOW
- Where to stream it: Netflix
- Who’s in it: Stephen Avery, Brendan Dassey, Allan and Dolores Avery, Dean Strang, Ken Kratz, Kathleen Zellner
- Time investment: 20 episodes
Other shows for fueling your true crime binges.
Wild Wild Country - A real crime documentary looking at the controversial guru who built a utopian city in the Oregon desert.
The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann - a true-crime documentary delving into the unsolved mystery of one of the most famous missing child cases of the last few decades.
Murder Mountain - A look at the murders and disappearances in the Humboldt County mountains.
Night Stalker - a grisly and terrifying account of the murders of Richard Ramirez.
Lorena - a sensitive look at the Lorena Bobbit penis slicing story that because a national joke. Lorena reveals the truth behind her ordeal in the runup and how the aftermath has helped her heal.
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez - a public figure and athlete found guilty of the murder of Odin Llyod.
Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult - India Oxenberg opens up about her time in the sex cult recently made even more notorious by Smallville actor Allison Mack's involvement.
Inside the Manson Cult: The Lost Tapes - a two-hour deep dive into the ranch home of the family scattered with new interviews of lesser-known members of the colorful cast.
What unsolved mysteries, cold cases, unsolved murder tales, and true crime series are getting you hooked? Share your fave true crime shows with us in the comments.
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