Over the years, the world has witnessed some heart-wrenching criminal acts that shook humanity to the core. While hearing about these crimes might be difficult for the weak, there’s no denying that for some, getting into the head of these dangerous criminals can be fascinating. And to quench our thirst for fascination comes Netflix, which is filled with numerous true crime shows.
Thanks to the global pandemic, people are locked in their homes. Amidst this, Netflix takes responsibility to bring to the audience some gripping real-life stories to keep people entertained. So, here is the list of the top 25 true crime shows which people with curious minds can stream on Netflix:
25. Making a Murderer
- Created By: Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos
- Cast: Steven Avery
This investigation into the various cases involving Steven Avery was supported by Netflix. Whether he was guilty or not. The Wisconsin man who was being harassed by the legal system.
In contrast to Serial and The Jinx, Making a Murderer has increased the rage feelings by the hour, which are released episodically in a more conventional format and allowed annoyances to be metered out over time.
24. The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window
- Created by: Rachel Ramras, Hugh Davidson, Larry Dorf
- Episode Count: 8
- Average Run Time: 26 minutes
- Cast: Kristen Bell, Michael Ealy, Tom Riley, Mary Holland, Cameron Britton
It is a series that doesn’t take itself seriously at all (Kristen Bell literally hosing wine is another big clue on that front), but it has a thread that runs through it all to uncover the identity of the murderer.
Arrive for the obvious dig at thriller films (and the hilarious deadpanning through dark comedy that results) and stay for the completely bonkers celebrity cameo at the very end.
23. Better Call Saul
- Created by: Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould
- Episode Count: 63
- Average Run Time: 55 minutes
- Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Michael McKean
The Woman in the House… is a series that doesn’t take itself seriously at all (Kristen Bell literally hosing wine is another big clue on that front), but it has a thread that runs through it all to uncover the identity of the murderer. Stay for the utterly bonkers celebrity cameo at the very end. Come for the obvious wink at thriller movies (and the resulting hilarious deadpanning through dark comedy).
22. The Staircase
The series shows the life of novelist Michael Peterson, who was held guilty of the murder of his wife in their home. Though Peterson claimed that his wife fell from stairs and is innocent, the police and the court beg to differ.
This leads to a thorough investigation of the case and some cross-examinations by Peterson’s friends and family. However, whether Peterson is guilty or not is still a mystery.
21. Sophie: A Murder in the West Cork
This three-part series by Netflix delves into one of the most controversial cases of 1996 – the murder of a young French film producer – Sophie Toscan du Plantier. She was found brutally murdered while she was enjoying a holiday in Ireland. The case gave rise to many conspiracy theories, but to date, the case remains unsolved.
20. This is a Robbery
Boston, and the most significant art heist of the world of March 1990, robbing 13 masterworks of art from the gallery. The four-part docu-series by Netflix narrates the tale of Isabella Stewart Gardner’s gallery. The series also gives an insight into the network of the art thieves of New York and the New York mafia.
19. Clark
- Directed by: Jonas Åkerlund
- Episode Count: 6
- Average Run Time: 60 minutes
- Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Vilhelm Blomgren
Clark stands out in the genre at a time when true-crime tales and biopics of criminals are plentiful. A portrait and biography of Clark Olofsson, a con artist and burglar whose actions during the Norrmalmstorg robbery in the 1970s gave rise to the term “Stockholm Syndrome,” are presented in the Swedish series.
But in the vivid biography of this man, that only serves as a footnote. We watch Clark’s life unfold from birth to imprisonment to escape to more thanks to one of Bill Skarsgrd’s best performances.
18. Great Pretender
- Created by: Wit Studio
- Episode Count: 23
- Average Run Time: 23 minutes
- Cast: Chiaki Kobayashi, Junichi Suwabe, Natsumi Fujiwara, Mie Sonozaki, Yōhei Tadano
You’ve never seen a group of con artists like these, despite the fact that many great shows have focused on the art of the con. The Wit Studio original anime series Great Pretender centers on a cocky Japanese con artist who befriends a dapper French gentleman thief.
These two and their associates pull off some daring scams throughout the three arcs, or “cases,” of the show, exposing some potentially harmful and dishonest individuals in the process. It’s a lively, entertaining program with stylish animation and great humor.
17. Narcos
- Created By: Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro
- Episode Count: 30
- Average Run Time: 49 Minutes
- Cast: Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Pedro Pascal, Joanna Christie, Damián Alcázar
When it debuted in 2015, one of Netflix’s first big hits was Narcos. The show follows the ascent and eventual fall of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) and the DEA agents Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook) and Javier Pea (Pedro Pascal) who assisted in his downfall.
Even though viewers are likely aware of the main character’s fate before watching, the series is still one of the most captivating, thrilling, and addictive originals that Netflix has ever produced.
16. Good Girls
- Created by: Jenna Bans
- Episode Count: 50
- Average Run Time: 42 minutes
- Cast: Christina Hendricks, Retta, Mae Whitman, Reno Wilson, Manny Montana
When it seems like everyone is against you, what do you do? Evidently, rob a grocery store. A four-season run of the crime comedy-drama Good Girls was first broadcast on NBC. The show centers on the lives of three suburban moms who are having financial difficulties.
The group decides to rob a grocery store as financial and emotional pressures mount. However, this is not your typical heist series, by any means! It turns out that the violent street gang owns the money they stole, and things quickly descend into chaos.
15. Money Heist
- Created by: Álex Pina
- Episode Count: 58
- Average Run Time: 59 minutes
- Cast: Úrsula Corberó, Álvaro Morte, Itziar Ituño, Pedro Alonso, Alba Flores
Money Heist, also known as La Casa de Papel in Spanish, is a crime drama that has the potential to be one of Netflix’s most popular programs ever. It centers on two heists and features a cast of characters that audiences will never get tired of.
The fact that Money Heist has been able to win over fans all over the world is largely due to those characters. Each character in this tale, from the fearless lead Tokyo (rsula Corberó) to the brilliant master criminal known as the Professor (lvaro Morte), tells a sincere, complex tale.
14. Who Killed Sara?
- Created by: José Ignacio Valenzuela
- Episode Count: 25
- Average Run Time: 40 minutes
- Cast: Manolo Cardona, Ginés García Millán, Carolina Miranda, Claudia Ramírez, Eugenio Siller
Who Killed Sara? is one of the best thrillers available on Netflix’s Spanish-language selection, which includes a number of other excellent titles. Lex Guzmán (Manolo Cardona) is a former prisoner who served 18 years behind bars after being wrongfully found guilty of killing his sister Sara.
Guzmán is dedicated to finding the truth about the incident in order to exact revenge for her passing and his subsequent imprisonment.
13. Unbelievable (2019)
- Created by: Susannah Grant, Ayelet Waldan, Michael Chabon
- Episode Count: 8
- Average Run Time: 50 minutes
- Cast: Toni Collett, Merritt Weber, Kaitlyn Dever
Unbelievable is based on the true story of two police detectives searching for a serial rapist who has terrorized women in both their state of Colorado and in the state of Washington.
It is set in two distinct counties. A sometimes-difficult show to watch, we now follow only these two detectives and Marie Adler’s (Kaitlyn Dever) story, a sexual assault survivor who is thought to be lying about her rape.
12. Elite (2018)
- Created by: Carlos Montero and Darío Madrona
- Episode Count: 40
- Average Run Time: 50 minutes
- Cast: María Pedraza, Itzan Escamilla, Miguel Bernardeau, Miguel Herrán, Jaime Lorente
From the beginning to the end of Elite, the tension keeps you on the edge of your seat. Elite stakes on the whodunnit and the relationships to keep you interested, and it succeeds.
It tells the story of a group of students from an elite school in Spain who become involved in a murder. Being larger-than-life can sometimes be advantageous, as Elite has found out more often than not.
11. Peaky Blinders (2013)
- Created by: Steven Knight
- Episode Count: 36
- Average Run Time: 60 minutes
- Cast: Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, and Paul Anderson
Peaky Blinders is the pinnacle of historical fiction. The titular real-life gang, which operated in England from the 1890s to the 1910s, is fictionalized in the BBC crime drama.
The first episode of the series airs in 1919, shortly after World War I. The government dispatches a detective to track down the thieves and retrieve the weapons after the Blinders choose to steal a shipment of guns that they unintentionally came across.
10. The Sinner (2017)
- Created by: Derek Simonds
- Episode Count: 32
- Average Run Time: 47 minutes
- Cast: Bill Pullman, Jessica Hecht, Jessica Biel, Carrie Coon, Matt Bomer
The Sinner is a four-season anthology mystery series that has won widespread acclaim. It is based on Petra Hammesfahr’s 1999 novel of the same name.
The show centers on the investigations of Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman), a police officer who is often tasked with looking into cases involving suspects who seem unlikely to be criminals and hidden motives. Three seasons of this gritty, dark series, which debuted on the USA Network, are now available on Netflix.
9. Ozark (2017)
- Created by: Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams
- Episode Count: 44
- Average Run Time: 65 minutes
- Cast: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner, Julia Garner
Jason Bateman and Laura Linney play a married couple who get involved in the risky business of money laundering in Ozark, one of Netflix’s most popular crime shows. Financial advisor Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) offers to establish a money-laundering operation in the Lake of the Ozarks area of central Missouri after a deal with a Mexican drug cartel goes sour.
Along with his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) and their two children, he moves there. However, Marty and Wendy quickly become involved in the activities of the neighborhood underworld, further complicating an already difficult situation.
8. The Blacklist (2013)
- Created by: Jon Bokenkamp
- Episode Count: 196
- Average Run Time: 42 minutes
- Cast: James Spader, Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff, Ryan Eggold, Parminder Nagra
The most watched program in the genre is this NBC crime procedural. The Blacklist, which stars the legendary James Spader as a former high-profile criminal, makes use of a number of classic tropes, but the series’ outstanding performances and intricate plots are what really keep viewers interested.
Former U.S. Navy officer Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader), a wanted criminal who has spent his entire life on the run, shocks the FBI by voluntarily handing himself in.
7. Collateral (2018)
- Created by: David Hare
- Episode Count: 4
- Average Run Time: 60 minutes
- Cast: Carey Mulligan, Billie Piper, Jeany Spark, Nathaniel Martelo-White, John Simm
Collateral, a crime drama produced by the BBC, stands out for a few reasons. It’s a crime show with a female lead, for starters. Two, it’s a four-hour story with a conclusion. And three, rather than just following a predetermined procedural structure, it actually revels in nuance.
Carey Mulligan plays a confident detective in London who is assigned to look into the death of a pizza delivery man, who may have been an immigrant or refugee, in a film by David Hare (The Hours) and SJ Clarkson (Jessica Jones).
6. Mindhunter
- Created by: Joe Penhall
- Episode Count: 19
- Average Run Time: 53 minutes
- Cast: Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Hannah Gross, and Cotter Smith
Mindhunter is one of the best TV shows in recent memory, which alone should be enough of a reason to watch it. David Fincher is also an executive producer.
Similar to Silence of the Lambs, it follows two FBI agents from the Behavioral Science Unit, Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), as they travel to interview imprisoned serial killers in order to understand why they committed their crimes and to help develop a profile for the FBI to catch these types of killers.
5. Bodyguard
- Creator: Jed Mecurio
- Episode Count: 6
- Average Run Time: 65 minutes
- Cast: Richard Madden, Keeley Hawes, Gina McKee, Sophie Rundle, and Paul Ready
The first episode of Bodyguard hooks you from the get-go, and the six-episode first season of the show never really lets up.
The series follows David Budd (Richard Madden), a metropolitan police officer who is tasked with protecting the life of Conservative Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), in the midst of a political crisis—specifically, the debate over how to deal with terrorism. The series premiered in the UK to astounding numbers before making its US debut on Netflix.
4. Manhunt: Unabomber
- Creator: Andrew Sodroski
- Episode Count: 18
- Average Run Time: 42 minutes
- Cast: Sam Worthington, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Bobb, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Chris Noth
For their network, Discovery took a chance on a rare scripted series, and it paid off. Ted Kaczynski, aka the Unabomber, operated for almost two decades before the FBI finally apprehended him (in large part because, as the show notes, his brother turned him in).
Ted’s case is the subject of the television documentary Manhunt: Unabomber. In contrast, Manhunt focuses on the inner workings of the FBI through the eyes of Jim Fitzgerald (Sam Worthington), who developed “forensic linguistics” as a means of assisting in the capture of criminals.
Fitz’s path is obstructed by red tape, much like in Netflix’s Mindhunter, and he must fight the system to make it better (and feed his own obsession with the case).
3. The Keepers (2017)
- Directed by: Ryan White
- Episode Count: 7
- Average Run Time: 61 minutes
With shows like HBO’s The Jinx and Netflix’s Making a Murderer expanding the whodunit aspect of a Dateline episode into a six-, seven-, or eight-hour in-depth look at a cold case or some crime with a hook, the “docuseries” format has recently become somewhat popular.
The Keepers, which debuted on Netflix on May 19th, initially appeared to be in the same vein as these other watercooler series.
2. Bloodline (2015)
- Created By: Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman
- Episode Count: 33
- Average Run Time: 58 minutes
- Cast: Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini, Norbert Leo Butz, Jacinda Barrett
Bloodline, one of the first original Netflix series, is excellent until it’s kind of isn’t anymore. But the first season is unquestionably worth watching because it centers on Danny Rayburn (Ben Mendelsohn), a man who visits his family’s home in the Florida Keys while bringing with him a cloud of mystery as new issues raises the stakes for everyone involved.
1. The Innocent Man (2018)
- Created by: Ross M. Dinerstein and Clay Tweel
- Episode Count: 6
- Average Run Time: 47 minutes
The intriguing outlier in the genre is the six-episode true-crime Netflix series The Innocent Man. The Innocent Man, the first and only non-fiction true-crime book written by best-selling author John Grisham, was published in 2006. While true crime is currently all the rage on television, it was first popular in books.
Conclusion
One must applaud Netflix for its commendable choice of shows that the platform offers. Ranging from docuseries to full-length feature films, Netflix has everything that can keep the audience on the edge of their seats. If you love shows based on real-life or true criminal actions, shows on this list can have a space in your watchlist. So, stream these shows on Netflix and stay tuned for more updates.
