While, in the streaming era, there is never a shortage of movies and TV shows to get your heart racing, for those who prefer the thrill of a real-life story, the best true-crime shows deliver. And no need to limit your viewing to Criminal Minds or Law Order, either—options from Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer and The Keepers to the less-bloody-but-equally-thrilling Inventing Anna and Baby Reindeer abound. Read on for some of the best true-crime shows to add to your queue for your next night in.
Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara (2024)
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, the indie rock duo Tegan and Sara—made up of twin sisters—rose to fame, performing everywhere from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to Coachella. They cultivated a close-knit, passionate fan base online by leveraging the emerging social media platforms of the era to connect directly with their audience. However, their community—and the band itself—was profoundly shaken when a scammer stole Tegan’s identity and began forming fake relationships with fans. This riveting Hulu documentary delves into the trauma of a 16-year-long catfishing ordeal, offering a compelling cautionary tale about the dangers of parasocial connections gone tragically wrong.
Baby Reindeer (2024)
The Netflix show that took 2024—and the internet—by storm, Baby Reindeer, revolves around the real-life story of a struggling comedian and bartender, Richard Gadd, targeted by a female stalker named Martha (Jessica Gunning). It’s dark, nuanced, and twisted—but also, surprisingly funny. “I think life is a comedy-drama,” Gadd explains of the genre-blending show. “Some of the darkest places I’ve been, I’ve found giggles somehow. And some of the funniest places I’ve been, including backstage at comedy clubs with other comedians, can be the most depressing as well. I always think life is a mixture of light and shade. So I wanted Baby Reindeer to be a blend of both.”
Love Death (2023)
There’s nothing more mesmerizing than watching Elizabeth Olsen portray Candy Montgomery, a cheerful 1980s Texas housewife who gradually becomes unhinged by her Stepford Wives-esque life. Her descent leads to an unlikely affair with her church friend’s husband and, ultimately, to murdering her friend with an axe. “She was a really beloved woman,” Olsen told Vogue Australia about the real-life Montgomery. “People were so shocked to hear something like this happened.” You’ll be equally shocked watching it all unfold in this seven-part Max series. (And let’s not forget the captivating early ’80s hair, fashion, and sets—they’re absolutely riveting.)
Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)
The first season of Netflix’s true-crime anthology series follows the string of horrific murders in Ohio and Wisconsin that made Jeffrey Dahmer one of the most notorious serial killers and cannibals in America. Evan Peters (American Horror Story; Mare of Easttown) stars.
The Dropout (2022)
Based on the podcast of the same name, Hulu’s The Dropout follows the deceit (and self-destruction) of Elizabeth Holmes’s company Theranos. After dropping out of Stanford at 19, Holmes infamously told investors that Theranos—which purported to scan for hundreds of diseases with just a pinprick of blood—would revolutionize biotechnology. But the entrepreneur (portrayed here by Amanda Seyfried in an Emmy-winning turn) was later caught for fraud—and Theranos’s too-good-to-be-true technology deemed just that.
Inventing Anna (2022)
For those who prefer their true crime with less blood, there’s no better watch than this Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix miniseries based on Anna Delvy, the faux heiress who scammed her way through New York’s arts scene and swindled banks out of at least $100,000. Portrayed by Julia Garner with pitch-perfect accuracy and heavy on Rhimes’ signature fast-paced vivacity, the show makes for a playful romp that will have you wondering if Delvy was merely an intrepid entrepreneur or something far more sinister. The fashion industry references are pretty fun, too.
The Staircase (2022)
After Michael Peterson’s wife, Kathleen, is found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their home, Peterson, a crime novelist, is accused of her murder. This HBO miniseries—based on the 2004 true crime docuseries of the same name, and starring Colin Firth, Toni Collette, and Michael Stuhlbarg, among others—follows his trial to answer the age-old question: Is it always the husband?
Under the Banner of Heaven (2022)
Based on the 2003 book by Jon Krakauer, this psychological thriller unravels the chilling true story behind a mother and her baby’s double murder in the Salt Lake Valley in 1984. As investigators— including a Detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield)—pursue justice, they shed light on religious extremism within the Mormon community.
Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer (2021)
Split into four parts, Night Stalker is a documentary series about Richard Ramirez, a serial killer and sex offender who wreaked havoc on Los Angeles in the mid-1980s. A detective and investigator team up to track down the killer and bring him to justice.
Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer (2020)
This gripping five-part docuseries shifts the focus from Ted Bundy to his victims, placing his actions in the context of the feminist movement of the 1970s and underlining Bundy’s extreme misogyny. (Consider it a counter to the rather more glamorous Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, starring Zac Efron and Lily Collins.)
Don’t F**K with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
This three-part docuseries follows the online manhunt for Luka Magnotta, a former porn actor who posted a video of himself killing two kittens in 2010 before becoming the prime suspect in the murder of Jun Lin, a Chinese international student. The show explores the dark side of the internet and the pursuit of justice by a group of internet sleuths.
Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story (2018)
Trayvon Martin was 17 years old when he was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in 2012. Claiming that he acted in self defense, Zimmerman was later found not guilty of second-degree murder—prompting a wave of protests against both the trial’s verdict and the American justice system more generally. This series explores the intersections of racism, gun violence, and politics in the United States, while honoring Martin’s life with a touching portrayal of the young man before his tragic death.
The Keepers (2017)
The Keepers investigates the unsolved murder of Sister Cathy Cesnik, a Catholic nun and high school teacher in Baltimore who went missing in 1969 before being found dead two months later. It’s worth a watch, especially now that a related case is making headlines again.
American Crime Story (2016- )
The Emmy award-winning anthology series has covered a different crime each season, jumping from the O. J. Simpson trial in 1995 to the assassination of Gianni Versace in 1997 and—most recently—the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal in 1998 to 1999. The latter featured Beanie Feldstein as the young White House intern, Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp, and Clive Owen and Edie Falco as the president and first lady.
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015)
New York real-estate heir Robert Durst is surrounded by death. First, his wife goes missing in the 1980s; then his family friend is murdered; and then his neighbor. But the one thing they all have in common is Robert. The six-part series is the culmination of a decade’s worth of research—through police files, formerly hidden documents, archival footage, and even an interview with the convicted murderer himself.