What are the best true crime documentaries to stream?
Streaming has given the traumarama junkies among us the ability to plummet down the most harrowing rabbit holes wherever and whenever we choose. Suddenly, we’ve turned our laptops and TVs into crime scenes, our couches into the front lines of detective work. In the throes of this grim fascination, the scramble to unearth the best true crime documentaries has become a quest for aficionados. As we blitz between the eldritch saga of Elisa Lam in Crime Scene: Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, or the proverbial bait-and-switch in Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?, what makes a true crime docuseries truly captivating? Let’s lean in, dear reader, and embrace the eerie intrigue.
Murder, mystery, and soft drinks
The chilling tale of Elisa Lam’s disappearance in Crime Scene: Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel has leapt off the pages of LA’s grimy chronicles onto our screens. Nestled in decades of nefarious lore, the Cecil Hotel is a cesspool of allegory and tragedy, its twisted history a pulsating undercurrent to Lam’s unfathomable story. Taut direction and diligent storytelling make this one of the best true crime documentaries to add to your must-watch list.
Next, we canter to the lighter side of the crime genre, yet equally beguiling, with Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?. Remember that Pepsi Points fiasco from the 90s? Well, this quirky docuseries vaults us back to the heady era when ad claims were taken literally, and brand loyalty could apparently score you a fighter jet. With a blend of nostalgia and wry commentary, this unconventional crime story is a wild hoot, demonstrating the versatile reach of the genre.
Even in the quality-driven world of streaming, these standout series elevate the landscape of true crime storytelling. Whether you’re an armchair sleuth or just dipping your toes into crimes past, we live in a golden era of a storytelling genre that continues to reveal humanity’s darkest sides and oddest missteps. Honey, **you’ll want to bookmark these highfliers** amongst the best true crime documentaries on offer.
Spilling the bean on Straight-Up Crimes
Taking a harrowing and jolting dive into humanity’s dark side, “The Keepers” explores the unsolved murder of a Baltimore nun and the horrific secrets that linger long after her death. This is a show where each layer peeled back reveals another murky level of deceit, abuse, and cover-ups. Get ready dolls, this crime docuseries is set to churn your stomach and boil your blood. It’s a sobering, headlong plummet into a generally avoided discussion of abuse and corruption within our most trusted institutions.
Next on our true crime binge is “Making a Murderer“, which took the world by storm when it first aired. This Netflix series is a hauntingly detailed examination of the Steven Avery case, flipping our understanding of the justice system on its head. This is no Morse-style slow burner but a high octane truth is indeed stranger than fiction saga, full of twists that’ll keep you guessing. Making a Murderer is a pioneering force in the genre and remains one of the best true crime documentaries to date.
Lastly, we have “Forensic Files”, the mother of all true crime series. Showcasing how cutting-edge science helps solve real crimes, Forensic Files turns us all into couch forensic pathologists and armchair detectives. With over a whopping 400 episodes under its belt, Forensic Files keeps us all enthralled to the mind-boggling process of connecting murder, science, and justice. Time to put on your Sherlock fedora and pop those Eureka! moments with one of the best true crime documentaries available for streaming.
“Taken for a thrilling ride”
Strapped in for a bumpy journey down macabre memory lane, “The Keepers“ rips open the scandalous story of an unsolved nun murder. Jimmying the Pandora box of skullduggery and abuse, this true crime documentary will leave you gasping for air. Bring your angst and your tissues, ’cause these are the shady depths of trusted institutions laid bare.
On to “Making a Murderer“, a bona fide supernova upon its fiery entrance into the true crime world. Has the truth ever been stranger than fiction? This documentary pries open the Steven Avery case with such revelatory candor, that the justice system itself is left reading its Miranda rights. TV has seldom gripped us like this before!
And where would we crime buffs be without the OG, “Forensic Files“? With over 400 episodes to binge on, this captivating show account on case-solving through modern science installs us all as budding CSI agents. Time to dust off your deerstalker hat as you peel back the curtain on the intricate dance between science and justice in one of the best true crime documentaries. Get clued in or get left behind!
Curtains down, lights dimmed
Thus, fellow crime connoisseurs, ends our macabre tour of the best true crime documentaries currently gracing the streaming universe. From the haunting echoes of the Cecil Hotel to the ludicrous Pepsi Points debacle, and the somber whodunit entwined with abuse in “The Keepers”, to the labyrinthine justice system peeling back layers of truth in “Making a Murderer”, and the thrilling science-powered procedural “Forensic Files”, our love for true crime endures. These tales – sometimes eerily bizarre, other times shattering our trust in justice, and often exposing humanity’s darkest hues – unravel our fascination with the harmonious chaos that is life. As you surrender to these paragons of the genre, remember, truths are stranger than fiction. As we have it, the stage for melange of real-life horrors and thrills is vast and ready. Lean in, turn the lights down, and let your silhouettes slide into the gripping world of the best true crime documentaries.
