I can’t always handle horror movies and TV shows. Between the unexpected gore they'll sometimes throw at you—I'm looking at you, American Horror Story—and the jump-scares that exist solely to make you, you know, jump? No thanks.
So, when I want to feel a little freaked out, I watch true crime shows. Nothing jumps out at me, and while they're sometimes gory, it's in that archival footage, "based on a true story" way that’s a little less visceral. Plus, true crime shows force me to confront the inherent darkness of the human condition and the knowledge that those capable of the most heinous acts walk among us without ever calling attention to the horrors of their mind. So, you know, win-win!
The last few years have seen—and continue to see—a lot of spooky, riveting, can’t-believe-it’s-real true crime shows, both documentary and dramatization. This list contains the best of the best, the most compelling of the genre. And, once you've binge-watched them all, you can expand into other media and check out our guides to the best true crime books and podcasts, too. (Content Warning: The series on this list and this article include mentions of murder, suicide, assault, sexual assault, and child abuse.)
'Apple Cider Vinegar' (2025)
This Netflix adaptation of the book The Woman Who Fooled the World tells the story of Belle Gibson (played by Kaitlyn Dever), an Australian woman who claimed (fraudulently, of course) that pseudoscientific alternative medicines had cured her cancer and gained a major following as a wellness influencer.
'The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story' (2018)
This dramatization centers on the divergent lives of fashion designer Gianni Versace and his killer, Andrew Cunanan, delving backwards toward their origin stories and forward toward that fateful, cataclysmic meeting.
'Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children' (2020)
This docuseries attempts to make sense of an unsolved case involving the killings of more than 30 Black children from 1979 to 1981 in Atlanta.
'A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read' (2025)
Across five episodes, A Body in the Snow dives into the death of Boston police officer John O’Keefe and the ensuing 2024 murder trial. His girlfriend, Karen Read, was accused of hitting O’Keefe with her car and leaving the scene, to which her defense team argued that she was actually the victim of a frame job.
'Des' (2020)
If you're looking for a dramatization of a real-life murderer, David Tennant is deeply bone-chilling as Dennis Nilsen. The Scottish serial killer preyed on men and boys in the '70s and '80s in London, and Tennant nails the almost blasé attitude Nilsen had when finally caught.
'Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke' (2025)
Ruby Franke was a successful family vlogger until 2023, when she and a friend, Jodi Hildebrandt, were arrested and charged with aggravated abuse of two of Franke’s six children. This three-part docuseries—made with participation from Franke’s ex-husband and two eldest children—is full of genuinely shocking, disturbing details about the whole ordeal, while also remaining sensitive to the victims of the women’s crimes.
'Dirty John' (2018–2020)
After a first season that focused on the titular serial abuser and con man, Dirty John morphed into a true-crime anthology series. The second installment focused on the story of Betty Broderick, a woman who was convicted of murdering her ex-husband and his second wife in 1989.
'The Dropout' (2022)
The saga of Theranos, the one-drop blood analysis company founded by Elizabeth Holmes, and how it was defrauding investors and patients. Amanda Seyfried plays the infamous scammer to chilling results.
'Fear City: New York vs. The Mafia' (2020)
The docuseries follows the FBI's investigation into and subsequent takedown of N.Y.C.'s Five Families: the Gambino, Colombo, Bonanno, Lucchese, and Genovese crime families.
'The Girl From Plainville' (2022)
Elle Fanning is eerily spot-on playing the titular young woman, Michelle Carter, in this miniseries. In a precedent-setting case, she was convicted in 2017 of involuntary manslaughter for having encouraged her boyfriend to kill himself in text messages leading up to his death.
'How to Fix a Drug Scandal' (2020)
A docuseries docusing on criminal drug lab chemists Sonja Farak and Annie Dookhan, who tampered with evidence, leading to tens of thousands of drug counts being dismissed.
'I Am a Killer' (2018– )
This long-running and often chilling series differs from many other true crime programs in that it allows convicted murderers to speak for themselves, via extensive interviews from death row.
'I'll Be Gone in the Dark' (2020–2021)
The late true crime writer Michelle McNamara's quest to uncover the identity of the Golden State Killer.
'The Innocence Files' (2020)
Based on the work of the Innocence Project, each episode of this series focuses on a different wrongful conviction case.
'Inventing Anna' (2022)
Whether or not you already know the whole story of Anna Delvey—who pretended to be an ultra-wealthy German heiress to scam her way into lavish parties, hotel rooms, vacations, and multimillion-dollar loans—this dramatized take on her years-long con (starring Julia Garner in the lead role) is worth a watch for anyone morbidly fascinated by real-life scammers.
'Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich' (2020)
Based on the 2016 book of the same name by James Patterson, the four-part series tells the stories of Jeffrey Epstein's survivors and sheds light on how he used his power and influence to commit his crimes.
'The Jinx' (2015–2024)
This HBO docuseries kicked off a renaissance of well-researched, riveting true crime content. Robert Durst was accused of three murders and spoke to producers directly about his take on what happened. This one also has an epic reveal at the end of season 1 that you won't see coming.
'Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez' (2020)
The three-part docuseries tracks the rise, fall, and eventual death by suicide of NFL football player Aaron Hernandez after he was sentenced to life in prison following his conviction for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd.
'Love & Death' (2023)
In 1980, Candy Montgomery was accused of having stabbed Betty Gore, the wife of her former lover, 41 times with an axe. Candy claimed she was acting in self-defense after Betty attacked her first, and, somewhat shockingly, she was ultimately acquitted of the crime. Her story has since been dramatized multiple times, including in the 2022 Hulu series Candy starring Jessica Biel, and here, with Elizabeth Olsen stepping into her shoes for HBO Max’s prestige drama take on the case.
'Making a Murderer' (2015–2018)
The docuseries follows Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man who was released from prison after serving 18 years for a crime he didn't commit, then was accused of another murder shortly after his release.
'Mindhunter' (2017–2019)
In theory, this shouldn't be as compelling as it is: 1970s FBI agents are tasked with interviewing and profiling serial killers for the first time. But in the hands of David Fincher, it's compelling TV, watching the most prolific killers of all time—Charles Manson, Richard Speck, you name it—talk about why they did what they did.
'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' (2024)
This nine-part show, technically the second season in yet another Ryan Murphy-led true crime anthology series, garnered nearly a dozen Emmy nominations for its deep dive into the dark tale of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted of the 1989 murders of their parents.
'The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story' (2016)
If you grew up in the '90s, you'll remember the shocking murder trial against a pro footballer accused of killing his wife and another man. However, it's worth watching this riveting miniseries to remember what actually happened. It's a cliché, but in this case, truth really is stranger than fiction.
'The Pharmacist' (2020)
Louisiana pharmacist Dan Schneider's quest to find his son's killer—which ultimately sets him on a fight against a "pill mill" doctor contributing to the opioid crisis in his town.
'Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer' (2020)
In this docuseries, Ted Bundy's long-time girlfriend, Elizabeth Kendall, her daughter, Molly, and other survivors break their silence about the infamous serial killer for the first time.
'Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness' (2020-2021)
Joe Exotic, the eccentric owner of the G.W. Zoo in Oklahoma, courted controversy for years, thanks to his breeding and treatment of the big cats in his care. His high-profile rivalry with Big Cat Rescue CEO and advocate Carole Baskin eventually escalated to the point that Exotic was convicted in a federal murder-for-hire case for allegedly hiring a hitman to kill Baskin.
'Trial by Media' (2020)
Each episode of the series explores a famous court case and dissects how media coverage impacted the outcome of the case.
'The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez' (2020)
The six-part miniseries details the horrific abuse and eventual 2013 murder of Gabriel Fernandez, an 8-year-old boy from Palmdale, California, and the ensuing court cases against his mother and her boyfriend for the crimes.
'Unbelievable' (2019)
This miniseries adapts the story of an 18-year-old woman (Kaitlyn Dever) who reported being sexually assaulted at knifepoint and then took the report back when the investigators didn't believe her. Her case is later taken up by two female detectives (Toni Collette and Merritt Wever) from another state investigating a serial rapist.
'Under the Banner of Heaven' (2022)
Based on Jon Krakauer’s (very good) 2003 account of the crime, this miniseries follows a 1984 Utah murder case in which two brothers associated with extremist Mormon fundamentalism were convicted of killing their sister-in-law and young niece.
'Under the Bridge' (2024)
Another true crime miniseries based on a critically acclaimed book—this one by Rebecca Godfrey—Under the Bridge explores the tragic 1997 death of a 14-year-old girl, for which her peers were accused. The story is largely told through the eyes of a local police officer, played by Lily Gladstone, and an investigative reporter: a fictionalized version of Godfrey herself, played by Riley Keough.
'Unsolved Mysteries' (1987– )
The beloved and strange TV show of the '80s, '90s, and 2000s received a Netflix reboot in 2020, which so far has proved to be just as addictive as the original. Fun fact about Unsolved Mysteries: It has led to several mysteries being solved!
'The Vow' (2020–2022)
The nine-part series digs deep into the alleged sex cult NXIVM and its leader, Keith Raniere.
'When They See Us' (2019)
The four-part series is based on the real-life Central Park Five case, from the night the five teenagers were arrested in 1989 to their long-awaited exoneration in 2002.
'Who Killed Malcolm X?' (2020)
The docuseries focuses on Abdur-Rahman Muhammad, a historian who has dedicated more than 30 years to investigating the assassination of Malcolm X.