🔪 The Ultimate Struggle: Finding the Perfect True Crime Binge
In search of the perfect true crime binge-watch
If you are like me, your ideal night involves a comfy blanket, snacks, and a horrifying documentary that makes you rethink trusting everyone. I mean, I am obsessed with true crime, but honestly, finding the best place to watch is a whole investigation itself.
True crime is everywhere now. It’s not just on the classic cable channels anymore. Every major streaming platform is dropping huge docuseries, which makes it super hard to figure out which subscription is actually worth the money for our specific obsession.
So, I did the work for you. I dug through Netflix, HBO Max, and Hulu to give you my honest ranking of where to get the best true crime fix. Whether you like cults, scammers, or old-school serial killers, I have you covered.
Looking for even more picks? Don’t miss TV critic Randy Harward’s weekly What To Watch guide for the freshest streaming recs.
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1. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015)
Okay, if you haven’t watched this, seriously, stop everything. I’m talking about The Jinx, the original HBO documentary that basically changed the game for true crime. It follows eccentric real estate heir Robert Durst, who has been linked to three separate deaths over decades.
I swear, the storytelling is a masterclass in suspense. They have unprecedented access, and I felt like I was right there with the filmmakers trying to figure out what was going on. The original ending is one of the most famous moments in TV history. I literally screamed. And now, there’s a follow up series, The Jinx: Part Two, that brings the story into the present day. You need to watch the original first, though. Trust me on this. It’s good.
Where to stream The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
2. American Nightmare (2024)
Netflix started the year strong with American Nightmare, and it’s a total binge. It’s a three part docuseries about Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn, whose terrifying home invasion and kidnapping story was initially dismissed by the police and the media as a Gone Girl hoax.
The whole thing is infuriating. I kept yelling at my TV because you see how the investigators completely failed the victims by immediately assuming they were lying. The documentary uses police interrogation footage and interviews to systematically tear down the “hoax” theory. It’s a raw look at how quickly public opinion and flawed policing can turn a victim’s life into a total nightmare.
Where to stream American Nightmare
3. Under the Banner of Heaven (2022)
Under the Banner of Heaven is one of my favorite scripted true crime dramas right now, even though I usually prefer docs. It stars Andrew Garfield (yes, Spider-Man!) as a detective investigating the horrific murder of a mother and her baby daughter in a tight-knit Latter Day Saint community.
What makes it so gripping is how it ties the shocking crime back to the dark, violent origins and radical fundamentalism of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS Church). The story is intense, the acting is incredible, and it’s the kind of show that makes you want to immediately look up all the real-life historical context. It’s heavy, but it’s also a must-see for a deep dive into the power of extreme belief.
Where to stream Under the Banner of Heaven
4. Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey (2022)
If you’re into the scary side of cults, Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is a four episode deep dive into the FLDS Church and its polygamist leader, Warren Jeffs.
This series is so unsettling. I’d heard the name Warren Jeffs before, but the documentary uses incredible archival footage and chilling first hand accounts from the women and children who escaped. They tell their stories with such honesty, detailing the abuse and control they lived under. It’s a tough watch because of the subject matter, but it’s an important look at the resilience of the survivors.
Where to stream Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey
5. Candy (2022)
I love a good 1980s period piece, and Candy on Hulu delivers. It’s another excellent scripted series about the notorious murder of Betty Gore by her friend, Candy Montgomery, in a small Texas town in 1980.
Jessica Biel as Candy is perfection; she plays this outwardly perfect, slightly too eager-to-please housewife so well. The show does a great job of illustrating how simmering resentments and secret affairs in a quiet suburb can escalate into something unimaginably violent. It’s a compelling psychological drama that makes you wonder what your neighbors are really up to.
