Skip to content

Top Navigation

EW.com Entertainment Weekly EW.com Entertainment Weekly
  • TV
    • TV Reviews
    • TV Reunions
    • TV Recaps
    • Fall TV
    • Animated
    • Comedy
    • Crime
    • Drama
    • Mystery
    • Reality
    • Sci-fi
    • Thriller
  • Movies
    • Movie Reviews
    • Trailers
    • Film Festivals
    • Movie Reunions
    • Movie Previews
  • Music
    • Music Reviews
  • Books
    • Book Reviews
    • Author Interviews
  • Theater
    • Theater Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • Gaming
  • Events
    • Comic-Con
  • Celebrity
  • Awards
    • Oscars
    • Emmys
    • Golden Globes
    • SAG Awards
    • Grammys
    • Tony Awards
  • Streaming

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Order Past Issues this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe

Explore EW.com

EW.com Entertainment Weekly EW.com Entertainment Weekly
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Here are all 70 puppies competing in Puppy Bowl XVII

      Read More Next
    • The best books to keep you warm this January

      Read More Next
    • The Masked Dancer revealed: Every unmasked celebrity on season 1

      Read More Next
  • TV

    TV

    See All TV
    • TV Reviews
    • TV Reunions
    • TV Recaps
    • Fall TV
    • Animated
    • Comedy
    • Crime
    • Drama
    • Mystery
    • Reality
    • Sci-fi
    • Thriller
  • Movies

    Movies

    See All Movies
    • Movie Reviews
    • Trailers
    • Film Festivals
    • Movie Reunions
    • Movie Previews
  • Music

    Music

    See All Music
    • Music Reviews
  • Books

    Books

    See All Books
    • Book Reviews
    • Author Interviews
  • Theater

    Theater

    See All Theater
    • Theater Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • Gaming
  • Events

    Events

    See All Events
    • Comic-Con
  • Celebrity
  • Awards

    Awards

    See All Awards
    • Oscars
    • Emmys
    • Golden Globes
    • SAG Awards
    • Grammys
    • Tony Awards
  • Streaming

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Order Past Issues this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home Chevron Right
  2. TV Chevron Right
  3. If you love true crime, stream these shows and docs

If you love true crime, stream these shows and docs

By Dan Heching and Chancellor Agard
Updated October 24, 2018 at 08:06 PM EDT
Meredith has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Meredith may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet

1 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Making a Murderer

Credit: Netflix

Making a Murderer follows the stranger-than-fiction trial of Steven Avery, who was wrongfully committed of one murder, only to be later embroiled in another murder case two decades later. This award-winning series' second season further documents this polarizing, complicated and ongoing case. (Available on Netflix)

1 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Wild Wild Country

Credit: Netflix

Produced by the Duplass brothers, this Emmy-winning series chronicles the surreal story of what happened when the Rajneesh cult settled in a small Oregon town in the late '80s and essentially tried to take it over. What ensues is nothing short of unbelievable and includes mass poisoning, attempted murder, and so much more. If that doesn't entice you, Wild Wild Country also stands out because it’s not just about a murder mystery. (Available on Netflix)

2 of 18

3 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

The Staircase

Credit: Netflix

Originally released in 2004, this docuseries from French director/writer Jean-Xavier de Lestrade predated our current true-crime boom and documents the trial of Michael Peterson, who was accused of killing his wife Kathleen in 2001. It was critically acclaimed when it was first released 14 years ago, but the interest in the case hasn’t abated. De Lestrade released a sequel in 2013 and then released another three new episodes on Netflix in June 2018, which documented Peterson’s final trial. What’s truly fascinating about this all — apart from the owl theory about Kathleen’s death — is that Lestrade still isn’t sure whether or not he believes Peterson is guilty. “Michael Peterson himself is a very strange, very complex character,” de Lestrade told Time in June. "Of course, the man I spent many days, weeks, months, and years with — the man I know, it’s like it’s not possible that he’s capable of killing someone in that way. But human beings are so strange and you never know.” (Available on Netflix)

3 of 18

Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

4 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Evil Genius: The True Crime of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist

Credit: Netflix

Addictive and twisty, Evil Genius recounts the story of the 2003 Pizza Bomber Heist in which a pizza delivery driver tried to rob a PNC bank in Erie, Pa., with a bomb strapped to his neck. Alas, the bomb ended up exploding. Over the course of the four episodes, the docuseries tries to figure out who else was responsible for the robbery and the bomb. In her B-grade review, EW’s Piya Sinha-Roy wrote, “It makes for an easy and engrossing binge of an ultimately tragic story.” (Available on Netlfix)

4 of 18

Advertisement

5 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

The Keepers

Credit: Netflix

One of true crime docuseries to cause a stir is Netflix's The Keepers, a creepy, largely unresolved account of a nun's long-ago murder and the foul play nearly 20 years later that might be connected. Gather the facts along with the director from friends, relatives, journalists, and officials who may know the truth, and judge for yourself... (Available on Netflix)

5 of 18

6 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Wormwood

Credit: Mark Schafer/Netflix

Errol Morris — one of the main figures in the true-crime genre — directed this fascinating six-part series that explores how the suspicious death of an Army scientist in 1953 was possibly connected to the CIA’s mind-control program MKUltra. The series offers a compelling blend of interviews, archival footage, and recreations that include performances from Peter Saarsgard, Molly Parker, Jimmi Simpson, and more. (Available on Netflix)

6 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

7 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

13th

Credit: Netflix

While most entries on this list explore true crimes committed out in the free world, Ava DuVernay's challenging and thought-provoking documentary looks at the other end of the justice process, where another serious crime is being committed: the large-scale criminalization of African-American men within the country's incarceration system. (Available on Netflix)

7 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement

8 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Amanda Knox

Credit: Netflix

"Either I'm a psychopath in sheep's clothing, or I am you." This and many other quotes are at the center of this powerful Netflix documentary, which gives voice to one of the most famous — and ostracized – suspected killers of the new century. Relive the fateful night in Italy when Knox's roommate was killed and examine the media hurricane and two lawsuits that ensued, ending with Knox being twice acquitted. Is the film biased for giving voice to Knox herself? You be the judge. (Available on Netflix)

8 of 18

Advertisement

9 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

The Central Park Five

Credit: IFC Films

The Central Park jogger case rattled New York City in 1989, the events of which many won't soon forget: a grisly rape, a woman on the brink of death, and the five (black and Latino) men found responsible for her unspeakable trauma. But is the case that cut and dry? Far from it, as this searing documentary displays, in one of the largest and most racially charged miscarriages of justice in American history. (Available on Sundance Now, Amazon Prime Video)

9 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

10 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Private Violence

Credit: HBO

According to statistics, the most dangerous place a woman can be is in her own home, where four women are murdered every day at the hands of abusive partners. This unflinching look at domestic violence puts a face to the numbers and a story behind the figures, following one survivor in her pursuit of justice and the advocate who stands at her side. (Available on Amazon — watch the trailer here)

10 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

11 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

The Jinx

Credit: Marc Smerling/HBO

Ever present in the headlines, real estate mogul Robert Durst has been suspected of three separate murders — of his first wife, a longtime friend, and a neighbor. With a murder trial set to begin this fall, watch the HBO miniseries that has actually become part of the testimony against him. (Available on HBO)

11 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement

12 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets

Credit: HBO

This documentary captures an all-too-familiar story of late — an unarmed black teen dying by gunfire at the hands of a white man. In 2012, the death of Jordan Davis and the ensuing trial of his killer made headlines that have been echoed many times since. 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets explores the case and the ramifications it continues to have on the country as a whole. (Available on HBO)

12 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

13 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story

Credit: ABC Commercial/Passion Pictures Production

While some crimes may not necessarily be violent, their weight and reach can still be felt around the world, as was the case with Lance Armstrong. The world-renowned athlete admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs in cycling competitions after years of lying and denial, and this doc explores what led up to that momentous decision, as well as the shocking fallout. (Available on Amazon Prime)

13 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

14 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer

Credit: Lantern Lane/Everett Collection

Many are familiar with the case of Aileen Wuornos thanks to Charlize Theron's Oscar-winning turn in Monster. But the true story behind the drama reveals a troubled woman, a discarded life, and a thankless struggle that ended in the shooting deaths of six men. (Available on Starz)

14 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement

15 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Frame 313: The JFK Assassination Theories 

Credit: TIME

Unpacking what is arguably the most famous true crime of the 20th century, this exhaustive documentary examines the most credible theories (some conspiracy, some not) surrounding JFK's 1963 assassination, and looks at those who may have gotten away with this history-making murder. (Available on Amazon)

15 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

16 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

O.J.: Made in America

Credit: M. Osterreicher/Courtesy of ESPN Films

The O.J. Simpson trial is one that inspires debate, derision, and endless banter, but this Oscar winner for Best Documentary explores the rise, reign, and ultimate fall of the former football star and accused — and acquitted — killer within the larger context of race, politics, and gender relations in America. (Available on Hulu, Amazon — watch the trailer here)

16 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

17 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four

Credit: Sam Tabet

This GLAAD-award winning documentary follows the upsetting persecution of four Latina lesbian women who were wrongfully accused of aggravated sexual assault and indecency against two young girls in their conservative Texas community in 1994. Almost 20 years after being convicted and sent to prison, one accuser recanted and certain evidence was proved to be incorrect, and the women were set free — but that was not the end of their travails. Watch this arresting account of their quest for full exoneration, a series which later became instrumental in clearing their names. (Available on Investigation Discovery Go)

17 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement

18 of 18

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Being Poirot 

Credit: Acorn TV

Not all "true crime" fare has to explore the dark side. Hercule Poirot, the iconic crime solver from the mind of Agatha Christie, has been portrayed by several esteemed actors, but David Suchet, the British actor who has brought Poirot to life in a long-running series, is considered to be the finest. This documentary explores the actor's process, and what the brilliant role means to him. (Available on Acorn TV)

18 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

  • By Dan Heching
  • By Chancellor Agard @chancelloragard

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 18 Making a Murderer
2 of 18 Wild Wild Country
3 of 18 The Staircase
4 of 18 Evil Genius: The True Crime of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist
5 of 18 The Keepers
6 of 18 Wormwood
7 of 18 13th
8 of 18 Amanda Knox
9 of 18 The Central Park Five
10 of 18 Private Violence
11 of 18 The Jinx
12 of 18 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets
13 of 18 Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story
14 of 18 Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
15 of 18 Frame 313: The JFK Assassination Theories 
16 of 18 O.J.: Made in America
17 of 18 Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four
18 of 18 Being Poirot 

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
EW.com Entertainment Weekly

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
© Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://ew.com

View image

If you love true crime, stream these shows and docs
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.