True crime documentaries, IMHO, are worse than horror movies. With horror movies, you can at least close your eyes and tell yourself this didn’t happen in real life. There’s a film crew behind the camera, there’s a scriptwriter and a director — every murder is orchestrated, every severed limb made gory with special effects. Unfortunately, for documentaries, that excuse does not apply. They’re real-life stories in all their disturbing glory and while they tend to scar viewers for life, they’re still a good watch. Here are 8 of the best true crime documentaries on Netflix for your rainy binge-watch list.
Our Father
This documentary 100% falls into the category of bizarre and disturbing. Our Father tells the true story of a fertility doctor, Dr. Donald Cline, who used his own sperm to inseminate his patients without their consent. No one knew of his disgusting deeds until a woman took a DNA test to trace her family ancestry. She found out that she had several half-siblings and, eventually, found out who their father is. If you’re considering artificial insemination in the future, we’re warning you, this might make you paranoid.
Watch it on Netflix here.
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
Better keep your lights on or watch Night Stalker in broad daylight because boy, is this a terrifying docu. This miniseries is about demystifying serial killer Richard Ramirez and the detectives who launched a hunt for him in 1985 Los Angeles. However, parts of this documentary are a little off-putting. For one, it seems to glorify the police who (spoiler alert) caught him, but glosses over the mistakes in the investigation. At least they got the job done? Eventually?
Watch it on Netflix here.
Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror
Chilling documentaries aren’t only about murder, fraud, or dating hoaxes. In the digital age, they’re now about the horrors of using messaging apps too. Cyber Hell is a Korean documentary about a network of online chatrooms rampant with sex crimes and exploitation. It recounts a South Korean case where chatroom operators forced women to send explicit photos and videos.
Watch it on Netflix here.
Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King
Who hasn’t been interested in what cryptocurrency is at one point in their lives? All you need to know is that crypto is a form of digital money. You can use it to pay for things or, in this documentary’s case, withdraw actual money. Trust No One recounts what happened when a founder of a collapsing cryptocurrency exchange suddenly dies. His group of cryptocurrency investors suspects that his death is a sham and that he stole $250 million from them.
Watch it on Netflix here.
Athlete A
This 2020 American documentary film exposes USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar for sexually abusing young gymnasts. A team of investigative journalists from The Indianapolis Star dig into Nassar’s heinous crimes and talked with his victims, ladies who bravely talked about their abuse. This disturbing documentary also exposed USAG’s toxic culture — covering up the perpetrator and failing to protect their athletes better.
Watch it on Netflix here.
Seaspiracy
If you need another reason to be simultaneously disappointed in humans and fear global warming, watch Seaspiracy. This 2021 documentary follows a filmmaker who set out to document the extent of human damage to our seas and marine species. It amplifies doubts about sustainable fishing and launched petitions to stop eating fish. Seaspiracy tells us point-blank the state of our oceans and it’s not a good thing.
Watch it on Netflix here.
The Social Dilemma
Social media is actually pretty scary, the depths of which you might not understand if you haven’t watched The Social Dilemma. It’s fun to get updates on the lives of your friends or be instantly connected with the world but there is a price to pay for that. This documentary explains how every action you take is recorded and monitored. It also shows viewers how there are Big Bosses who control your feed algorithm and can box you in an echo chamber if they wanted to.
Watch it on Netflix here.
Catching Killers
Catching Killers is a two-season docuseries recounting the investigation, arrest, and conviction of the world’s most violent killers. Each episode focuses on the perpetrator and the investigators of their case and how it affected their lives. Expect episodes on Oregon’s The Happy Face Killer, the Phoenix Serial Shooter, the Toronto Village Killer, and more. Catching Killers is like a one-stop-shop for all things heinous.
Watch it on Netflix here.
Got other Netflix documentaries to recommend? Leave them in the comments below!
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