They say no one is born evil, but how true is that statement? True crime documentaries and crime dramas on Netflix makes one think otherwise.
For a human being, truth is far stranger than fiction, maybe that is why so many are drawn to the true crime genre. One cannot fathom the notion that a fellow being can become so vile and cruel that they start thinking of others as mere objects that satisfy their diabolical fantasies. Every year Netflix comes out with some great true crime documentaries and dramas that shed light on the darkest parts of a human’s mind. Watching these series, one cannot help but wonder what goes inside the mind of criminals? What makes them want to kill or harm others? What factors drives them?
Even though these true crime documentaries cannot reveal how exactly the mind of a criminal works, they do shed light on the darkness that lingers within each and every one of us, highlight the psychological extremes humans are capable of, and reveal how unjust the systems that are meant to protect us are. NewsZemians if you are looking for some great true crime documentaries and crime dramas to watch on Netflix then refer to our list, because we are as much intrigued by true crime as you are, and great minds do think alike.
Top True Crime Documentaries and Dramas on Netflix in 2024
American Murder: The Family Next Door
One can never imagine, even in their wildest dreams that their husband and the father of their children will drain the life out of them. The very hands that vowed to protect and hold will be around their neck one day. This is exactly what happened to 15 weeks pregnant, mother of 2, Shanann Watts.
Never did Shanann wonder that her husband will not only strangle and dump her in a shallow grave but will also kill their daughters aged 4 and 3, dumping their bodies in an oil vat. What was the motive? Chris Watts, the family killer, was having an affair with his co-worker, Nichol Kessinger. It’s difficult to wrap one’s mind around the fact that a man killed his wife and children to hide his infidelity and be with his lover. Now Chris Watts is facing 5 life sentences for killing his family.
American Nightmare
What’s worse than having your home broken into and getting kidnapped? The authorities not believing you. American Nightmare is a true crime documentary on Netflix that explores the harrowing experience of a young couple. On the night of 23rd March 2015, Denise Huskins and her boyfriend Aaron Quinn were awakened by a stranger in a wet suit, shining a bright light in their eyes.
The stranger drugged the two and tied them up. He left Quinn behind, taking Huskins with him. The next morning Quinn called the police, hoping to get some help, however, was met with disbelief and accusations with the police going as far as to say that Denise was the real-life Gone Girl and fabricated her own disappearance.
Monsters: The Jeffery Dahmer Story
A crime drama that made chills run down our spine, one that was so diabolical, and unnerving that we spent weeks trying to get through it was Netflix’s Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer Story. The crime drama explores the life of serial killer and cannibal Jeffery Dahmer. The viewers are shown, in harrowing details, how circumstances, accidents, upbringing, and bad decisions made Dahmer into a monster, highlighting that monsters are made, not born.
The series also shed light on how discrimination overshadows justice. Dahmer might have been caught sooner enough if the victims he targeted were not gay men of color. Evan Peters managed to skillfully capture the expressions of a man who had no humanity left, and remorse was something he never heard of. The most chilling aspect of Dahmer’s story are surprisingly not the gruesome murders he committed but the lack of motive and compunction.
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
Watching this true crime documentary made us lock our doors and windows and crawl under the sanctuary of our blankets. Night Stalker unveils the dangers that lurk underneath the glitz and glamour of 1985 Los Angeles. The series explores the crimes of prolific serial killer Richard Ramirez. Enclosed by the cloak of night, the Night Stalker hunted, tortured and murdered his victims in horrifying ways.
The killer was able to evade the jail bars for one long year, in which he claimed the lives of 13 people. Richard’s lack of remorse and callousness inspired fears in the hearts of many. Even when Richard was sentenced to death, he failed to show any remorse and stated “Big deal. Death always went with the territory.”
This is the Zodiac Speaking
You know what chills us to the bones? You, never realize when you are in the midst of a killer, they possess a special tendency to hide their true intentions. That is exactly what the Seawaters didn’t realize when time and time again they got in the car with Mr. Allen, the alleged Zodiac killer. Throughout the series we are shown how Allen got close to the Seawaters, how the Zodiac started his killing spree, hid deciphers and messages, the threats that were made, and how the Seawaters came to the realization that they might have accompanied the Zodiac to some of the prominent crime locations.
To this very day, confusion remains as to who actually was the Zodiac killer even though circumstance points in the direction of Allen. The case still remains open, as detectives try to decipher the messages from Zodiac and try to unveil the person behind the murders.
