Calling all true crime aficionados: A new year means a new roster of engrossing documentaries and scripted true-crime series to watch. As new projects are announced, we can see trends forming for what true crime themes will follow. For 2022, it's all about scams, as the stories of crimes that caught our attention years ago (the Summer of Scam, anyone?) are fleshed out into series, laying out everything we now know about what went down. For everyone dying to hear the whole story of your favorite scammers, here are the 2022 true-crime documentaries and series to watch out for.
'The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman'
This three-part docuseries follows a conman who posed as a British spy and stole money from several victims. Though he was convicted in 2005, the crime comes full circle as a family in the present day starts fearing for their mom's safety.
'We Need to Talk About Cosby'
This is a must-watch documentary for anyone who grew up watching Cosby as "America's Dad" before his crimes came to light. Director W. Kamau Bell shows how the disgraced comedian's crimes were happening at every stage of his career, and gives his victims the space to tell their stories.
'Inventing Anna'
Based on the viral The Cut article, Inventing Anna dives into the story of Anna Delvey, a mysterious NYC socialite who scammed her way into a life of luxury. This scripted series from Shonda Rhimes will follow the journalistic investigation into Delvey (played by Ozark's Julia Garner) building the story of the leader of 2018's Summer of Scam.
'Tinder Swindler'
This romance scam doc follows the victims of Shimon Hayut, a con man who wooed the women he met on Tinder into giving him hundreds of thousands of dollars, posing as a Russian oligarch called Simon Leviev. The team behind this juicy docs includes producers and director Felicity Morris from another Netflix hit, Don’t F*** With Cats.
'The Dropout'
The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos has already spawned several books and an HBO Max documentary. Now it's getting the scripted treatment, with Amanda Seyfried playing the tech CEO who claimed to revolutionize medical blood testing (and whose trial just ended in a guilty verdict).
'Perfect World: A Deadly Game'
One day in 2019, a group of gamers who've played together for years wake up to group chat messages of another friend confessing to three murders. A fourth is planned, and the friends rushed to find the murderer's identity before he can kill again. Based on a Vice article, this two-part docuseries lays out the real-life events of this quadruple homicide.
'Worst Roommate Ever'
This docuseries covers several stories of the worst roommates people have encountered, with the stories ranging from murder to fraud to squatting and intimidation. It's definitely worth the watch, whether you're fascinated by extreme fraud or just want to start learning about tenants' rights.
'Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.'
In 2015, celebrity restauranteur and "Queen of Vegan Cuisine" Sarma Melngailis disappeared after embezzling millions of dollars from her raw-food eatery Pure Food and Wine. The investigation, laid out by Vanity Fair, found that she had been conned by her husband, Anthony Strangis, who convinces her that he could expand her food empire, and "make her beloved dog immortal"(?!). This Netflix docu-series will lay out how the couple went from vegan dreamers to runaway fugitives.
'WeCrashed'
Another series about a tech company's massive rise and fall is coming in March. This drama is based on Adam Neumann (Jared Leto) and his wife Rebekah (Anne Hathaway) and their love story at the center of WeWork, the co-working giant that went from a $47 billion valuation to bankruptcy in less than two months (money is fake, etc.).
'Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King'
2022 is the year Netflix dives into crypto scams with the story of Gerry Cotten's suspicious death. When his death was announced in 2018, Cotten controlled the largest cryptocurrency exchange in Canada at the time, and was the only person with access to $217 million worth of crypto, according to his widow. Crypto King follows a group of investors turned amateur detectives who think believe the couple ran away with the money.
'The Girl from Plainville'
In 2017, Michelle Carter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for proding her boyfriend Conrad Roy III to kill himself when she was 17 and he was 18, primarily over text messages. This new series, starring The Great's Elle Fanning as Carter, is based on the lead up to Roy's death and the trial after, showing how the real-world events affected everyone involved.
'Jimmy Saville: A British Horror Story'
Here's another docuseries about the rise and fall of a previously-beloved entertainer. The two-parter follows Saville, an English DJ, television, and radio personality who was discovered to have sexually abused hundreds of women and children during his time as one of Britian's biggest stars.
'The Staircase'
The first modern-day true-crime docuseries was released in 2004, with The Staircase capturing the trial of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist from North Carolina who was accused of killing his wife Kathleen. Now, an all-star cast led by Colin Firth and Toni Collette will portray a fictionalization that spans from the weeks before Kathleen's death to the end of the media circus trial.
Premiere: May 5 on HBO Max
'Diamond Hands: The Legend of WallStreetBets'
This scripted series is based on the real-life murder of Betty Gore by fellow housewife Candy Montgomery in a Texas suburb in 1980. Produced by Nicole Kidman and David E. Kelley and starring Elizabeth Olsen, the show's sure to be an engrossing hit.
Premiere: TBD on HBO Max
-
Prince Harry Is Worried About Archie and Lili Experiencing the "Online Harm" That Is Currently "Normalized"He says the internet needs to change dramatically.
-
Prince William Sent a Heartfelt Message to British Soccer Player Who Came Out as Gay
Jake Daniels' decision will make such a huge difference.
-
Kate Middleton and Prince William Shared Rare PDA in the Bahamas
The footage popped up on TikTok.
