I love true crime. I just love it. I get freaked out by it sometimes, but most of the time I just really, really love it. I don’t know why. I’m not a big TV watcher or Netflix binger, nor am I a psychotic person who loves murder, but I’ve found that true crime hooks me. It’s like a logic game trying to figure out cases that are ambiguous or unsolved. With all of the different approaches to the genre, I’ve gotten to see true crime through objective presentations, comedic conversations about cases, and fictitious displays. Lucky for me, that means I never run out of options and I can always get my fix. But with my embarrassingly large experience with true crime, some productions definitely stand out.
1. Dateline
The most basic of all true crime shows, Dateline will give you your fix of bizarre murder entertainment. The poorly done reenactments and vague images leave a little to be desired, but the storylines usually give that satisfying balance of “pretty sure that f***er’s guilty” and “but then again, could’ve been a freak *insert random unlikely occurrence here* accident”. One episode literally suggested an owl clawed this woman’s head and she bled out, and I’m not going to lie, by the end I seriously thought that could be the case.
2. Serial Season 1
I cannot recommend Serial enough, and I don’t even like podcasts. Honest to God–life-changing. Well not really, but still. For twelve episodes, journalist Sarah Koenig looks into the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee and investigates the convicted ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, and his claim of innocence. The phone conversations with Adnan in jail were so freaking intriguing. I was sick last weekend and literally binge-listened to the whole damn thing within like three days. Personally, I’m like 99.8% sure he didn’t do it, but you can decide for yourself after hearing about the murder and trial. I could honestly talk about it all day long. I won’t spoil anything…but Jay? Hella suspect.
3. Buzzfeed Unsolved
Not exactly groundbreaking investigative reporting, but I can’t help watch the dynamic duo that is Ryan and Shane (formerly Brent). They basically do internet research on famous unsolved cases or supernatural phenomenon then give us possible explanations, usually without coming to a solid conclusion. While I love the true crime episodes, seeing Ryan nearly pee his pants every time they went into a supposed haunted house was also quality content. The banter between Ryan and Shane often lightens the mood when discussing some pretty gruesome crimes. Ryan’s belief in aliens, ghosts and unlikely solutions clashes with Shane’s cynical, realistic approach. They transcribe a lot of this back-and-forth on screen, complete with every “wheeze” Ryan utters while laughing.
4. The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
As someone who wasn’t watching the trial when it actually happened, when watching the FX staging I understood why America was obsessed with this case. Seeing Ross Geller as Rob Kardashian was a bit bizarre, but other than that the whole thing had enough twists and turns to keep me hooked and I found Cuba Gooding Jr. very convincing. Unlike Serial, I’m pretty sure he did it. That being said, this was a reenactment, not the real thing, so it’s hard to say. Round of applause for quality though.
5. In Cold Blood
I know this isn’t a TV show or podcast or Youtube series, but trust me, if you’re into true crime and can at least tolerate reading, Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood could be your new favorite book. The book chronicles the 1959 murder of the Clutter family in Kansas and subsequent pursuit and arrest of the two killers. The book is considered literature, but Capote and Harper Lee (hello To Kill a Mockingbird fans) did journalistic research and interviewed people to write it. I personally love it, maybe for all the wrong reasons. When I felt sympathy for one of the guys who needlessly murdered an entire innocent family, I definitely questioned my own moral compass. I think it’s because the book felt like a work of fiction, so it was easy to distance myself from the events.
Whether you’re new to true crime or a longtime junkie like me, give any of these options a try. Start with Serial though because swear to God–incredible.
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