Warning: This article contains brief descriptions of disturbing crimes, including against animals.
True crime can be one of the most emotive genres out there, as the way that a documentary is presented can have a major effect on the narrative. The best true-crime TV shows represent the victims as people, while including enough intrigue and suspense that they capture our attention. Additionally, many excellent true-crime TV shows can be binged in a day.
There are other, wider stories to be told within the true crime category, as many crimes highlight societal issues and provoke discussions about them. The major cases often draw viewers in, but lesser-known cases can be introduced to a wider audience through a TV series — and some TV shows have even helped to solve real-life investigations.
Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting An Internet Killer
2019
While this documentary is a very hard watch at times, it offers a much greater story than the crime it initially covers. The series begins with a terrible piece of footage circulating online, in which a man kills two kittens. The three-part docuseries then follows the group of people across the internet who track down the escalating killer and bring him to justice.
Internet sleuths often have a bad reputation for taking the law into their own hands, but in this case, they are key to taking the killer — Luka Magnotta — down. The way the team works together to examine every detail in the room, as well as their taunting and trailing of Magnotta, is both controversial and inspiring. This makes the series a great conversation starter.
Making A Murderer
2015
Making a Murderer follows the complicated tale of Steven Avery, who is convicted of a murder that he did not commit, spending two decades in prison before being exonerated. However, this is far from the end of the story, as Steven is then convicted of a second murder. Making a Murderer will have viewers changing their minds constantly, and the truth is still unknown.
Making a Murderer leaves some evidence out, which is likely due to time constraints, but it follows the many twists and turns of the true case. Like many great true crime TV series, it is a thought-provoking watch. Making a Murderer examines the way that preconceptions can impact investigations and explores the conduct of law enforcement, making it a must-watch for viewers interested in the law.
The Most Hated Man on the Internet
2022
The internet might have changed the world, but one of the worst crimes to come out of the technology is revenge porn. The Most Hated Man on the Internet is an infuriating but essential watch, following Hunter Moore. Moore shared explicit images of his ex-partner before the activity was recognized as a crime.
The Most Hated Man on the Internet is made by the same team as Don’t F**k With Cats.
As Moore’s betrayal of trust was not technically illegal, people resorted to other charges to get the website taken down. He saw little justice for his crime besides a short prison sentence and a fine, but the TV show highlights how far the law has come — and how far society still has to go when it comes to prosecuting perpetrators of revenge porn.
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich
2020
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich and its companion documentary about Ghislaine Maxwell are must-watch TV shows to understand the current discourse surrounding Jeffrey Epstein. While his sex crimes are so infamous that the true story inspired an episode of Law & Order: SVU, the documentary series gives his victims a much-needed voice and the chance to share their experiences.
It can often be difficult for some to understand why victims do not speak out against their attacker, and Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich offers nuanced and compassionate insights. The series explores the way he chose his victims, holding the prospect of a better life over their heads, as well as the systemic failures that allowed him to continue for years.
Tiger King
2020
Tiger King follows the bizarre life of the self-titled “tiger king,” Joe Exotic. Joe owned a private zoo of big cats, and the docuseries explores the controversial ethics of exotic animal breeding. All the while, Joe’s complex relationships and rivalries provided behind-the-scenes drama. The show got progressively darker as accusations of animal abuse escalated, but it remained intriguing.
Of all the viral TV sensations we watched during the lockdowns of 2020, the strangeness and drama of Tiger King captured the world’s attention like nothing else. The show became a cultural phenomenon, making it essential viewing for anyone who wants to understand the world in 2020. While it has mostly vanished from conversation, Tiger King was one of Netflix’s most-viewed shows.
American Murder: Gabby Petito
2025
American Murder: Gabby Petito explores what really happened to Gabby Petito after her disappearance shocked the world. Gabby and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, appeared to be living an idyllic life on social media as they traveled through the U.S. in the van they were living in. However, when Brian returned home without Gabby, the alarm was raised.
The documentary covers the events leading up to the disappearance. This includes the viral moment when Gabby and Brian were captured on a police body camera and separated after what was characterized as a couple’s argument. It is rare for such a significant moment to be captured on camera, and it offers insight into the warning signs present prior to her death.
American Murder: Gabby Petito is a must-watch. This is not just because it shows footage of Gabby and her friends and family, bringing her voice back, but also because it raises an important topic. Sometimes, domestic abuse does not look the way that it is expected to look, and the documentary highlights the need for awareness, both from the police and the public.
Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer
2025
Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer is a fascinating docuseries, as it offers a conclusion to the previous short film, Lost Girls, which covers the same case. When Lost Girls aired in 2020, the mystery of Long Beach’s Gilgo Four had not yet been solved. However, there have been major updates in the case, including more bodies found and a suspect.
The timeline in Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer covers the investigation from the day a disturbing phone call was made. It explores the finding of Shannan Gilbert’s body, leading up to the discovery of more bodies and the arrest of the Rex Heuermann. The story is well told, with respect given to the victims and the chilling details of their cases.
The Man With 1000 Kids
2024
There have been several relatively recent docuseries exploring the dark side of fertility treatments, and while the feature-length documentary Our Father is one, another series is equally good. The Man With 1000 Kids explores a story in which a sperm donor, Jonathan Jacob Meijer, fathers hundreds of children through various clinics without disclosing that fact.
The Man With 1000 Kids is full of shocking reveals told through many different angles. The series highlights the lack of regulation across the sperm donation industry, as well as the implications for the children Meijer fathered. One person made the point that anyone in the world could be their half-sibling, raising questions about future partnerships.