Over the past 20 years, true crime has become one of the defining genres of our time. There are dozens of podcasts, movies, and especially TV series devoted to the topic, so much so that it can be hard to figure out which ones are actually worth your time.
True crime has become so popular that the best shows in this genre have even garnered awards attention, although more shows have been nominated than have actually won major awards.
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As an aficionado of the genre myself, I’ve pulled together a list of the very best true crime shows out there. These shows get at all the things that we love about true crime, from shocking twists and surprising revelations to intimate looks at how the mind of a killer works.
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015)
True crime documentaries probably could have ended satisfactorily with The Jinx, which has the kind of ending that every true crime series wishes it could get to. The series as a whole, though, is fascinating because it managed to get an extensive interview with its subject Robert Durst. Durst, a real estate heir, has long been suspected in the disappearance of his wife and two other unsolved murders, and is willing to sit down to tell his entire life story, even addressing the murders that he is still suspected of.
An American Murder Mystery: The Staircase (2018)
Although it was eventually adapted into a pretty excellent miniseries, the original Staircase docuseries is one of the most fascinating true crime stories ever told. The series chronicles the aftermath of the death of Kathleen Peterson, a woman who was found dead at the bottom of her staircase. When her husband, Michael Peterson, is suspected of the crime, he eventually goes on trial in an attempt to prove that Kathleen’s death was an accident. The docuseries follows all of the series’ most bizarre twists and turns, even as it becomes clearer and clearer that we might never know the truth.
Under the Banner of Heaven (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Daisy Edgar-Jones
Created by
Dustin Lance Black
Watch on Hulu
Telling the true story of a woman and her daughter who were murdered in the Salt Lake Valley, Under the Banner of Heaven is a show about the consequences of giving everything to your religion. The series, which chronicles a Mormon man’s investigation into the murders even as we learn more about how the LDS church might have played a role in the killings, is all about how easy it is to let faith become a vehicle for more sinister forces. Featuring brilliant performances from Andrew Garfield, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and the rest of its ensemble cast, Under the Banner of Heaven is equal parts disturbing and true.
MINDHUNTER (2017)
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv
Created by
Joe Penhall
Watch on Netflix
Although its central characters are fictional, Mindhunter expertly weaves them into real crimes from decades ago. The series chronicles the beginnings of the FBI’s criminal profiling program, which involved agents interviewing a number of the most famous serial killers in American history. Through two seasons, Mindhunter helped bring us inside the mind of those killers, as well as of the agents who are utterly fascinated by why they did what they did. Although it only lasted for those two seasons, Mindhunter remains one of the best looks both at true crime and our obsession with it.
The Act (2019)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Patricia Arquette, Joey King, AnnaSophia Robb
Created by
Nick Antosca, Michelle Dean
Watch on Hulu
Telling the story of Gypsy Rose-Blanchard, a young, sick girl with an overprotective mother who gradually becomes convinced that she her mother is harming her, The Act is a brilliant examination of one of the most fascinating crime sagas of the past decade. Starring Patricia Arquette and Joey King, The Act is stranger and more messed up than anything you might get from actual fiction, which is part of the reason so many people were fascinated by it. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a performer of Arquette’s caliber either.
When They See Us (2019)
1 Season
Genre
Drama
Stars
Asante Blackk, Jharrel Jerome, Ethan Herisse
Created by
Ava DuVernay
Watch on Netflix
On a list filled with depressing stories, When They See Us might be the darkest. This series tells the story of the Exonerated Five, the young Black boys who were arrested in Central Park for attacking a white female jogger. The boys were eventually convicted of the crime, only to later be exonerated after evidence was released that proved they had no role in the attack. It’s a harrowing, brilliant examination of systemic racism and the way that racism filters down into young Black boys who are treated like adults when they are still just children.
The Girl from Plainville (2022)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Elle Fanning, Chloë Sevigny, Colton Ryan
Created by
Patrick Macmanus, Liz Hannah
Watch on Hulu
Telling the story of Michelle Carter, a teenage girl who stands trial for convincing her boyfriend to commit suicide, The Girl From Plainville is a series that delves into the pressures and anxieties of being a teenager. The series examines Carter herself, as well as her relationship with Conrad Roy and the events leading up to his death. Featuring a stunning performance from Elle Fanning, the series is a dark but riveting look at what might possess a person to play an active role in someone else’s suicide attempt.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)
A true crime docuseries unlike any other, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark tells the story of Michelle MacNamara, a seemingly normal mother who spent hours investigating the mysteries of the Golden State Killer after her family went to bed. In focusing on one woman’s obsession instead of the investigation itself, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark offers a unique perspective on the role that true crime plays in our lives, and all the ways that a seemingly normal person can become obsessed with the details of crimes that have nothing to do with them.
