Since we have been in quarantine for the past year, the crime genre increased on multiple streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and HBO Max. I was one of many who watched several documentaries, shows and movies that consisted of gory crime.
I have listed a show, documentary and movie to watch to spark your interest, hopefully. These are not the only ones I wish I could watch again for the first time. If I listed every show, documentary and movie I have ever seen, all of that would lead to a long read.
- Netflix Original – Mind Hunter
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Mind Hunter is set in the 1970s and is about two FBI Agents, Holden Ford and Bill Tench. The two men interview serial killers in prison to learn how they think and why they killed men and women. Mind Hunter is different from other crime television because it doesn’t show gory, graphic photos or scenes. I know it sounds disappointing, but trust me, it will make sense why I chose this show. The agents and the serial killer sit at a table and talk to form relationships with the killers. The best part is that the men Ford and Tench interviewed are real killers who received a lot of attention. For example, Charles Manson, a cult leader who had teenagers kill for him, was in the show. It’s not the real Manson, just actors but the actors look like the real men.
I wish I could watch this for the first time because of how the actors play each serial killer’s role and learn about what they did. The only downside is that the show ends at season 2, but there is hope for a new season. So, take it slowly when watching because I was sad when I finished it too quickly.
- Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
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A new documentary on Netflix that came out this year called “Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer” is about the killer Richard Ramirez known as “Night Stalker” from the 1980s. It’s a one-season, four-episode documentary of Ramierz’s killings and the detectives Gil Carrillo and Frank Salerno. This documentary was extensive because Rameriz had a gruesome story on how he killed his victims. His name came from killing in the homes of his victims at night. The documentary talked about his 14 victims.
A little after the documentary came out, people started saying it was too graphic for them and unnecessary scenes were involved. This is why I decided to watch the documentary and see if it for myself. In my opinion, I didn’t think it was at all, but some people could disagree. Other than that point, I just found this documentary interesting because of Ramirez’s story. It was interesting to read then watch the timeline of Rameriz’s killings and being caught. I also found it crazy that he had some “fangirls.”
- My Friend Dahmer
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This movie on Hulu is about serial killer Jeffery Dahmer in the late 1970s. Dahmer is known as the serial killer who eventually started eating his victims. This movie is about Dahmer’s teenage life before he started killing. Ross Lynch plays him and does a fantastic job of making a personality for someone who had problems. The movie shows how Dahmer grew up as an awkward boy living with his parents, who fought all the time. He met two boys and began a friendship with them. It even shows Dahmer’s interaction with Steven Hicks, Dahmer’s first victim.
There are so many shows, documentaries, and movies about crime that I wish I could watch again for the first time. I hope you enjoy these three options as much as I did!