The 28 Best True Crime Shows Streaming Now, from ‘Under the Bridge’ to ‘The Vow’

‘American Murder: The Family Next Door’ (Netflix)

Even if you know what you’re getting into with the family annihilation-involved ‘American Murder: The Family Next Door,’ the Netflix series should be approached with continuous caution. The horrific and bleak story of a Colorado man who inexplicably murdered his wife and two young daughters is undeniably difficult to watch, but also commendable for director Jenny Popplewell’s confident telling and clear compassion for victims of domestic violence. —AF

‘The Blood is at the Doorstep’ (Tubi)

Currently streaming on Tubi, ‘The Blood is at the Doorstep”’is an award-winning documentary about a family’s emotional quest for answers in the murder of Dontre Hamilton, a 31-year-old mentally ill unarmed Black man who was shot 14 times by Milwaukee police officers in 2014. Filmed over a three-year period, the documentary details the devastating aftermath of Hamilton’s murder and the fight for Black lives. —LM

‘The Cheshire Murders’ (Max)

There’s a cold brutality to ‘The Cheshire Murders’ that makes the tragic series not for the faint of heart. On July 23, 2007, a Connecticut home invasion crescendoed in a fire that only the father survived. The triple homicide had a significant impact on the suburban community, and frequently experiences renewed attention for its role in shaping death penalty legislation. —AF

‘Class Action Park’ (Max)

‘Class Action Park’ isn’t strictly speaking a true crime series, considering the legal matters it documents were addressed through civil suits. Still, Max’s surprisingly fun look back at a deeply dangerous New Jersey water park is too good to disqualify on those shaky grounds. Stand-up comedian Chris Gethard appears as one of many attendees and workers who witnessed the unbridled bedlam of a place with slides so poorly made it earned the nickname ‘Traction Park:’ a fact you can bet played to the favor of the plaintiff. —AF

‘Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer’ (Netflix)

You can find some unimaginably heinous stuff on the internet, a lot of it involving animal abuse. Beyond that cesspool of viral cruelty discussed (but not shown!) in Netflix’s ‘Don’t F**k with Cats,’ there is an inspiring story of vigilante heroes: eager to hunt down the sickos messing with the web’s favorite funny pet. Their worthy investigation soon reveals something that, if you can believe it, is even darker than dead kittens. —AF

‘Finding Kendrick Johnson’ (Tubi)

Eight years after the mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson, filmmaker Jason Pollock investigates the controversy surrounding the case. Johnson, a 17-year-old high schooler, was discovered rolled up inside a high school gymnasium in Valdosta, Georgia. In March 2021, the Georgia sheriffs announced that the case was reopened. ‘Finding Kendrick Johnson’ is produced by Pollock, Malcolm D. Lee, Morgan J. Freeman, Jenifer Lewis, and Amy Campbell. —LM

‘The First 48’ (Hulu)

One of the longest-running true crime series, ‘The First 48’ offers an inside look at the life of homicide investigators. Each episode picks one or more homicides in different cities, covering each alternately, showing how detectives use forensic evidence, witness interviews, and other advanced investigative techniques to identify suspects. While most cases are solved within the first 48 hours, some go on days, weeks, months, or even years after the first 48. The series was nominated for a Distinguished Documentary Achievement Award in the Continuing Series category by the International Documentary Association. It also inspired several spin-offs looking at missing persons and one hosted by prosecutor Marcia Clark discussing infamous cases in popular culture. —KL

‘The Girl From Plainville’ (Hulu)

Yet another scripted adaptation of a popular documentary, ‘The Girl From Plainville’ is a dramatization of Conrad Roy’s infamous ‘texting suicide’ death and the role that his girlfriend Michelle Carter played in it. Elle Fanning anchors the series with an outstanding performance as Carter, and Colton Ryan is equally stellar as Roy. It does not do much to reinvent the genre, but it competently executes its most beloved tropes, making it a must-watch for serious true crime fans. —CZ

‘I’ll Be Gone in the Dark”‘(Max)

‘I’ll Be Gone in the Dark’ explores the investigation into serial killer Joseph James Deangelo (aka the Golden State Killer) as told through the tireless work of writer Michelle McNamara. Directed by Liz Garbus, the six-part documentary unpacks McNamara’s extensive probe into one of the most prolific and violent serial rapist/killer in crime history.

‘On its surface, it’s the story of DeAngelo’s criminal activities and how he was eventually captured,’ IndieWire’s Kristen Lopez writes of the film. ‘But what Garbus does is skillfully weave in the story of McNamara’s obsession with bringing the man she only knew as EAR/ONS (East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker) to justice, coupling that with the nature of being a victim of assault. What feels like disparate elements, or the subjects of their own individual documentaries, are masterfully integrated to form a complete picture not strictly of one writer’s life, or a crime itself, but how crime changes women and what it meant to be the victim of rape in the 1970s.’ —LM

‘Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley’ (Max)

This 2019 straight-to-streaming documentary from Alex Gibney offers as complete a picture of Elizabeth Holmes’ crimes as existed to that point. ‘Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley’ meticulously picks apart how Holmes tricked her investors — and dozens of would-be patients — in an Icarus-like tale of style over substance most memorable for its unwavering audacity and screamingly boring knitwear. —AF

‘The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst’ (Max)

Boasting one-of-a-kind access to its subject, this series investigates the unsolved 1982 disappearance of Robert Durst’s late wife Kathie, the 2000 execution-style killing of writer Susan Berman, and the 2001 death and dismemberment of Durst’s neighbor Morris Black in Galveston, Texas. Durst was suspected of involvement in the first two murders and confessed to the third but claimed self defense. Before his death, Durst was convicted Berman’s death and indicted for his wife’s murder. ‘The Jinx’ remains one of HBO’s landmark series in the true crime genre, inspiring a host of imitators in its wake. —KL

‘The Lady and the Dale’ (Max)

A work unlike any other title on this list, directors Nick Cammilleri and Zackary Drucker’s ‘The Lady and the Dale’ paints a technicolor portrait of automobile entrepreneur Liz Carmichael. The four-part series not only deftly explores the biases and failures of our justice system (particularly in relation to trans rights) but also cleverly explores the genius of its complex starring character through inventive storytelling featuring striking animation. —AF

‘Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York’ (Max)

From director Anthony Caronna, ‘Last Call’ is a true crime series that feels shaped by the most common criticisms of the genre. The four-part HBO series tells the story of four queer men murdered by an unidentified killer in Manhattan between 1991 and 1993. The so-called Last Call killer, who was convicted for two of the murders in 2005, gets some backstory in the fourth episode in order to explore the ways institutional homophobia allowed his killings, but the series doesn’t linger on him. Instead, ‘Last Call’ makes an effort to prioritize the victims beyond all else, as their surviving loved ones share their stories and memories, while queer activists of the early ’90s dig into the police prejudice that helped the murderer escape consequence for so long. It’s a searing, emotional work that trades surface-level thrills for something far more impactful. —WC

‘The Last Narc’ (Amazon Prime)

If ‘Narcos’ caught your attention, Prime Video’s four-part docuseries, ‘The Last Narc,’ should be next on your list. The series revisits the 1985 kidnapping and murder of DEA agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena. Prime described the series as a depiction of a fallen hero, who was abducted, tortured, and murdered by drug traffickers in Guadalajara, Mexico. Three drug lords were convicted in the murder of Camarena whose story peeled back the layers of the world of drug cartels and the federal agents who tail them. ‘The Last Narc’ includes first-hand accounts from Camarena’s friends and family, as well as three cartel members. —LM

‘McMillions’ (Max)

If you prefer your true crime documentaries without gruesome murders, you can’t do much better than ‘McMillions.’ James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte’s gonzo documentary looks into the story of a massive scam perpetuated through the McDonalds Monopoly game. Through six wildly entertaining episodes, the show reveals how Jerry Jacobson stole nearly $25 million through the fast food promotion. It’s a story that has to be seen to be believed. —CZ

‘Mommy Dead and Dearest’ (Max)

Anyone familiar with Hulu’s ‘The Act,’ will enjoy this closer look at the story of Dee Dee Blanchard, and her daughter, Gypsy Rose Blanchard. ‘Mommy Dead and Dearest’ digs into the strange relationship between mother and daughter, years of lies about Gypsy’s health condition, and what led to Dee Dee’s murder. The 2017 documentary, directed by Erin Lee Car, includes personal footage from home videos, old photos, text messages, and Gypsy’s own account of growing up with her mother. —LM

‘Murder on Middle Beach’ (Max)

When Barbara Beach Hamburg was murdered in 2010, it looked like an open-and-shut case. The obvious suspect was her soon-to-be-ex-husband, who owed her large sums of money, but this documentary reveals that there was much more to the story than initially met the eye. The documentary was directed by Hamburg’s son, Madison, and his connection to the story and willingness to investigate his own family dynamics elevate ‘Murder on Middle Beach’ into something special. —CZ

‘Murdertown’ (Amazon Freevee)

True crime doesn’t just extend to the United States and ‘Murdertown’ is the perfect show to combine one’s love of true crime with Anglophilia. The series, hosted by Katherine Kelly, looks at various crimes and unsolved mysteries happening in the United Kingdom. The show premiered in 2018 and includes interviews with family members, local police, witnesses, and the press in various UK cities. The show doesn’t look at the crimes themselves but how they end up impacting the various communities they take place in, showing a new landscape on Britain away from the idealized world often seen on PBS. —KL

‘The Staircase’ (Max)

Max’s scripted adaptation of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s landmark docuseries starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette does an excellent job of complimenting the original documentary without overshadowing it. The show leans away from the legal battles in the trial of Michael Peterson, instead focusing on intimate moments between the man and his wife he was accused of murdering — and later that same man’s relationship to the filmmakers’ following him around as he awaits a trial and verdict. —CZ

‘Taken at Birth’ (Hulu)

In 1997 a shocking story made headlines. Thomas Hicks, a small-town Georgia doctor, illegally sold more than 200 babies from the back door of his clinic. Jane Blasio has been trying to uncover the mysteries of the Hicks clinic for over 30 years. She is joined by Lisa Joyner and Chris Jacobs as they try to bring closure to those stolen babies desperately searching for their true identities and birth families. This TLC series is fascinating, examining how numerous people throughout the United States were sold as children. Their stories range from the tragic to the inspirational. This is a show that, once you start, you won’t stop. —KL

‘Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop’ (Max)

‘Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop’ centers around the jaw-dropping story of Gilberto Valle, a 28-year-old former NYPD officer who was arrested in 2012 on kidnapping charges after his wife found cannibalistic messages that he sent to women in chat rooms. Ultimately, Valle’s case was thrown out for lack of evidence. The documentary, which features Valle’s own words, examines both sides of the story and questions the lines blurred between fantasy and crime. [Editor’s note: The series touches on similar BDSM themes as 2022’s “The House of Hammer.”] —LM

‘The Tinder Swindler’ (Netflix)

When it premiered on Netflix in early 2022, ‘The Tinder Swindler’ quickly went viral on social media as viewers grew obsessed with the bizarre case at the center of the documentary. Director Felicity Morris digs into the crimes of the titular swindler Shimon Hayut, who used the dating app Tinder to pose as the son of diamond mogul Lev Leviev and traveled around Europe using his falsified profile to con women out of millions of dollars. Focusing on three victims of Hayut’s fraud, the film directly led to Tinder banning Hayut from the app and received five Emmy nominations. —WC

‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ (Hulu)

Andrew Garfield stars in this adaptation of the landmark true crime book of the same name by Jon Krakauer. It juxtaposes the investigation of a heinous murder by extreme Mormons Ron and Dan Lafferty with a story about the formation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The result is an unflinching look at the way organized religion can be abused when in the hands of the wrong people. —CZ

‘Under the Bridge’ (Hulu)

One of a precious few true crime dramas to feel empathetic rather than gawkish, ‘Under the Bridge’ looks at the 1997 murder of Canadian teenager Reena Virk from a multitude of perspectives, including the girl herself (Vritika Gupta), the police officer investigating the case (Lily Gladstone), and even Rebecca Godfrey (Riley Keough), the author whose book about the case the show directly adapts. The result is a well-crafted tale that never tips into alarmism and provides understanding and nuance for all of its players. —WC

‘Unsolved Mysteries’ (Netflix)

Since premiering on NBC in 1987, ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ has enjoyed 16 seasons across a number of networks and platforms; hopping first to CBS then to Lifetime and to Spike before landing where it currently resides: Netflix. The latest incarnation of the legendary unscripted cold case docuseries brilliantly balances supernatural suspicions and alien sightings with unsolved murders and missing persons cases. In Season 3, producers tackle the strange death of local Las Vegas legend ‘Buffalo’ Jim Barrier and the unexplained disappearance of college student Joshua Guimond among other stories. —AF

‘The Vow’ (Max)

HBO’s two-season expose into the notorious NXIVM cult has many issues. It’s too long, with a luxurious two seasons of 15-hour-long episodes. And it doesn’t always dig into the complexities of the case with as much nuance and insight as you would expect. But if you want a true crime series that will make your jaw drop, ‘The Vow’ is the perfect deep dive to throw on. Beginning by outlining the innocuous self-improvement philosophy NXIVM preached, ‘The Vow’ takes its time to reveal all the abuse and horror that went on in the Keith Raniere-led group, making for a salacious but undeniably arresting rabbit hole. —WC

‘You Belong to Me: Sex, Race & Murder in the South’ (Amazon Freevee)

‘You Belong to Me: Sex, Race & Murder in the South’ shines a light on the little-known story of Ruby McCollum, a wealthy Black Floridian woman who was convicted of murdering a white doctor in 1952. The documentary, directed by John Cork, tackles issues of racism, class, and gender bias during the early years of the Civil Rights movement. —LM

‘Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn’ (Max)

On August 23, 1989, 16-year-old Yusuf Hawkins was among four Black teenagers attacked by a white mob of dozens in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of New York City. Thirty years after Hawkins’ murder, the ‘Storm Over Brooklyn’ filmmakers look back at the homicide case’s staggering lack of justice and the systemic racism that continues to fosters crimes like it. The straight-to-streaming documentary was released in 2020 at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests held in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. —AF