Hello everyone!
I love binge-watching true crime documentaries however, I'm well aware that dramatic true crime shows have the power to reach a wider audience than their documentary counterparts. For months, if not years, TV has been dominated by fictionalised versions of real-life murderers, kidnappers and scammers.
I'm not going to get into the ethics of true crime shows, and the notion of creating entertainment from the very public grief of real victims. I believe that when handled correctly, there can be value in telling these kinds of stories.
Many of today's true-crime dramas are based on stories previously shown in documentary films, docuseries, and podcasts. Below, I made a list of ten (10) drama series inspired by true crimes you can binge-watch right now!
1. Women of the Movement (6 episodes)
This miniseries is an American historical drama. It tells the story of Mamie Till-Mobley, who in 1955, risked her life to find justice after her son Emmett was brutally murdered in the Jim Crow South.
2. The Thing About Pam (6 episodes)
This is an American true crime comedy-drama based on real-life crimes committed by a woman named Pam Hupp. Betsy Faria's brutal murder set off a chain of events that would leave one man dead, another man implicated, and uncover a sinister scheme.
3. Candy (5 episodes)
Candy is based on the true story of Candy Montgomery, a housewife in Texas who in 1980, was accused of murdering her neighbour, Betty Gore.
4. Under the Banner of Heaven (7 episodes)
This drama series is based on a true story that is documented in the 2003 book of the same name. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith written by author Jon Krakuaer, documents the real-life murder of Brenda Lafferty in the 1980s.
5. The Girl from Plainville (8 episodes)
A teen's death by suicide unearths painful questions for his family and reveals a complicated, mostly virtual relationship with a young woman. The series explores the events leading to the death of Conrad Roy and his girlfriend Michelle Carter's conviction for involuntary manslaughter.
Image by Freepik
6. The Staircase (8 episodes)
The miniseries is based on the 2004 true crime docuseries of the same name created by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. Michael Peterson, a crime novelist, is accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home.
7. Inventing Anna (9 episodes)
This series tells the wild true story of fraudster Anna Sorokin, who posed as a wealthy German heiress named Anna Delvey while living in N.Y.C.
8. The Dropout (8 episodes)
The series, based on the ABC Audio podcast of the same name, is about the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and her fraudulent healthcare technology company Thernanos.
9. Dahmer - Monster: the Jeffrey Dahmer Story (10 episodes)
This series tackles the motives of Jeffrey Dahmer and how he became one of the most notorious serial killers in America. His murders were executed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Ohio between 1978 and 1991.
10. A Friend of the Family (9 episodes)
Based on the incredible true story of the Broberg family, this series explores just how methodical and manipulative Bob Berchtold was. He was obsessed with Jan Broberg and her family.
A true crime drama series may not be as accurate as a docuseries, but they can be very entertaining to binge-watch, especially this close to Halloween.
What is your favourite true crime drama series? Leave a comment and let me know.
Talk to you soon.
