When people ask me what kind of TV shows I like to watch, they’re often shocked when I say true crime, but it’s one of my go-to genres. It’s not because of the content and terrible things people have done; it’s because of the puzzles that are being solved. As a watcher, I get to follow along, look at evidence and critically think about it. I get to hear all sides of the story and piece it all together. People find it weird, but it’s a different kind of thinking that allows me to engage my mind in new ways.
Disclaimer: These shows do include some sensitive topics and content, so keep that in mind if you plan to watch.
There are two TV shows I’d recommend to someone who wants to start watching true crime. Both are true events being acted out, rather than documentaries. First, one of my favourites is Mindhunter. It follows the story of two FBI agents, one played by Jonathan Groff (what’s not to love), who started looking into serial killers and profiling them. Throughout the show, they investigate different crimes and interview famous serial killers, including Charles Manson, Son of Sam and many more you’ve probably heard of. One thing I love about this show is how similar the cast looks to whom they’re portraying. As well, the beginning scene in each episode depicts the life of a famous serial killer who was active during the period in which the show takes place. The second show, which is similar in theme, is Manhunt: Unabomber. This, again, follows an FBI profiler, but the entire show is all based on the Unabomber case. It’s well done; you get to watch it like it’s happening in real-time, and you’re solving the case alongside them.
One documentary show I’d recommend is Unsolved Mysteries. It allows you to work on your crime solving skills because there are no definitive answers to any of the crimes. They’re all real-life events that have happened, been investigated and are now essentially cold cases. The nice thing about this one is that each episode is a different case, so there isn’t any need for long-term commitment; you can just watch an episode here and there.
On the other hand, a docuseries that does require some commitment is Making a Murderer. It follows the conviction of Steven Avery and goes through every part of the case step by step. Steven’s family members are interviewed, his own side is included and the lawyers and court are included too. This show allows you to be part of everything. Evidence is shown, lawyers from both sides come up with cases and time in court is filmed. As an audience member, you get to act like someone who’s investigating the case. The most interesting thing about this series is that the case is still ongoing. For example, I follow Steven Avery’s lawyer on Twitter and get updates about everything going on. When you first start this show, you won’t expect to form opinions, but by the end you’ll be so involved and convinced that you’ve solved the case. I think my friends call me weird for watching these shows because they haven’t experienced them the same way I have. You have to start with the basics and work your way up so that when you’re into the more involved cases, you have all the knowledge to solve them on your own. That’s what I like about them: the ability to take a bunch of information, look at things from different perspectives, form an opinion and then see how accurate you were at the end. The best thing to do is watch them with your friends, come up with different theories and solve them together.