10 Best True Crime TV Shows, Ranked

True crime is an ever-expanding genre of TV and movies, but the best dramatized true crime shows excel above the rest. Humanity is fascinated by the psychology that leads people to commit crimes, as evidenced by the popularity of true crime. Documentaries and docuseries on murder cases and other horrific cases have become a staple. However, many of the best stories about true crime are dramatizations that tell the story using actors.

This fact stretches all the way back to the theater, where playwrights fictionalized crimes like the murder of Julius Caesar. Lifetime movies from the aughts that are based on true stories prove that this is nothing new, even for TV and movies. Still, in the past decade, the standards for true crime have changed. The demand has risen for more accurate storytelling, giving the victims voices, and tackling the related systemic issues. The best true crime drama shows put these values at the forefront.

10

The Girl From Plainville (2022)

Based On The Suicide Of Conrad Roy

Hulu’s The Girl From Plainville is a true crime drama series with a highly divisive story, but it’s incredibly well-told. The show uses an experimental format for the genre, adding Conrad Roy as a figment of Michelle Carter’s imagination even after he dies. They also make effective use of flashbacks. Actress Elle Fanning does a good job portraying Michelle, a complicated teenager who experiences mental health issues and does something unquestionably horrible.

By giving Michelle scenes without others, The Girl From Plainville offers a clearer picture of the character’s psychology. Her mind isn’t the sole focus of the series, though. The show seeks to understand the depression and conflicted emotions of Conrad. While this show is definitely one of the best true crime dramatizations, it does rank lower because the pacing can feel a little off at times. Some moments move too quickly while others drag on.

9

The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016)

Based On The Murder Trial Of O.J. Simpson

American Crime Story is an anthological series, and its first season follows the case of The People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson, better known as O.J. Simpson. This retelling of the story is one of the best true crime dramatizations of all time. Actors Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance, and Sterling K. Brown did an incredible job acting as some of the lawyers who put in the time and effort defending their side. Paulson, in particular, excelled at showing the character’s frustration building over time throughout the case.

The script of The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story is phenomenally well written, examining the trial from all sides. Unfortunately, this show falters in two major ways. Firstly, John Travolta’s performance leaves a lot to be desired. Additionally, the show focuses too little on Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.

8

Candy (2022)

Based On The Murder Of Betty Gore

Hulu’s Candy is an incredibly well-made true crime drama series with strong performances by Melanie Lynskey and Jessica Biel, who play Betty Gore and Candy Montgomery, respectively. The series may center on the killer’s point of view, but it does what others fail to by showing a full picture of the victim as well. The narrative format, which jumps around in time, makes the show interesting even for those familiar with the case. However, it is certainly more enjoyable for those with minimal knowledge beforehand because that preserves the mystery.

Candy also far exceeds the other true crime show that came out about the same case close to the same time, Love and Death, because it makes important social commentary. This series highlights the dark underbelly of oppression placed on suburban housewives. Unfortunately, the series struggles slightly with blending together the psychological character study of Candy in the first half with the courtroom drama in the second half.

7

Under the Banner Of Heaven (2022)

The Murders Of Brenda And Erica Lafferty

Under the Banner of Heaven is one of the best true crime dramatizations. The show explores the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her baby daughter and its intrinsic connection to the Mormon faith. This movie did a phenomenal job blending the controversial history of the Mormon church and faith with the events leading up to the crime without muddying the narrative. The narrative isn’t afraid to ask the big, heavy questions surrounding crime and fundamentalism.

Every actor in the Under the Banner of Heaven cast gave a phenomenal performance that showed the multidimensional aspects of the characters. Even the villains of the story felt fleshed out. The pacing helps add weight to the show’s mystery. Unsurprisingly, the series received multiple nominations, winning Best Miniseries and Limited Series at the Saturn Awards. The only place where this series falters is the fact that it doesn’t have quite as much suspense as other great true crime dramatizations.

6

Dr. Death (2021-Present)

Based On The Medical Malpractice Of Dr. Christopher Duntsch And Dr. Paolo Macchiarini

Peacock’s Dr. Death is a series that examines the true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch and Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, two surgeons who maimed and killed their patients. The first season, which followed the former medical professional, was incredibly well-made and thrilling to watch. The story is told in just as harrowing of a way as the eponymous Wondery podcast. The actors do a great job of getting into the heads of their characters. However, Dr. Death became one of the best true crime shows of all time after season 2 came out.

The casting directors brought in powerhouse actors. The story offers a strong balance between the Benita Alexander love story and the horrific choice Macchiarini made to repeatedly perform experimental surgery on sick people. Ultimately, Dr. Death isn’t as good as other true crime shows, not because of its own flaws, but because the others exceed all expectations.

5

The Dropout (2022)

Based On Elizabeth Holmes And The Theranos Fraud

The Dropout is a great Hulu miniseries that outlines Elizabeth Holmes’ journey from being a Stanford student to the head of a company committing high-scale fraud. This series is strong for many reasons, including good directing and a strong script. Actress Amanda Seyfried’s performance as Elizabeth Holmes is the heart and lifeblood of The Dropout, though.

She does an incredible job getting into the head of a young woman who is in over her head as an entrepreneur and chooses deception. Unsurprisingly, Seyfried won the 2022 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for this role. However, it’s worth noting that the rest of the cast also did a great job encapsulating the personalities of their characters. The only thing that places The Dropout below others is the slight pacing issue. Still, the story and acting are good enough to keep it among the best true crime shows.

4

Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021)

Based On The Clinton-Lewinsky Scandal

The show American Crime Story has three seasons as of the time of writing, each of which tells a different crime story that rocked the United States. All three are phenomenal in their own right, but the best is Impeachment: American Crime Story. This season already had the makings of a great show when it first came out. Every actor thrives in their role. However, Beanie Feldstein went above and beyond by giving a compelling performance as Monica Lewinsky, depicting the young woman’s vulnerability and infatuation.

Additionally, the show did something unique. According to Variety, the real Monica Lewinsky helped produce the show and influenced the creative team’s portrayal of the incident. The season becomes one of the best true crime dramas when seen through a cultural lens, though. This story calls out abuse of power, which is more important than ever with the political scandals that have come out in recent years. Additionally, the #MeToo movement has redefined the way that we look at the Clinton Affair, which was one of the first nationwide incidents of cyberbullying.

3

A Friend Of The Family (2022)

Based On The Kidnapping And Sexual Assault Of Jan Broberg

Peacock’s drama miniseries A Friend of the Family is a must-see for anyone who enjoys true crime. The show tells a story that’s stranger than reality and impossible to believe. The case of Jan Broberg first came to public attention in 2017 with the documentary Abducted in Plain Sight. While that was extremely well done, the story was better told in the dramatization A Friend of the Family. The events are more horrifying to see in action with Hendrix Yancey and Mckenna Grace playing Jan at different ages.

The real Jan Broberg helped make A Friend of the Family, and she even plays a minor role as Jan’s therapist. She felt it was important to give herself and her family a voice in their own story. By involving her in the process, the show included more nuance and a more accurate representation of the interpersonal dynamics. This gives the show a huge edge over other true crime shows.

2

Unbelievable (2019)

Based On Serial Rapist Marc O’Leary And His Victim Marie

One of the best true crime dramatizations of all time is the Netflix miniseries Unbelievable. The show highlights the case of Marie, an 18-year-old young woman who was raped, but the police didn’t believe her and actively coerced her into retracting her report. This series does an incredible job of weaving together Marie’s story with that of the officers who investigated and brought to justice her rapist. The story isn’t just well told, but it also tackles difficult issues like police misconduct, lack of education about rape survivors, and flaws in the police system.

While she wasn’t directly involved in the making of the drama miniseries, Variety reported that the real Marie watched the show and found closure in the beautiful portrayal. This is unquestionably because of the all-women team who approached the story with sensitivity and care. Unbelievable shows the importance of women’s voices when telling true crime stories about misogyny and violence against women.

1

When They See Us (2019)

Based On The Central Park Five

The best true crime show of all time is arguably When They See Us, which tells of the miscarriage of justice perpetrated against Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise – the Black and Latinx teen boys known as the Central Park Five. Directed by Ava DuVernay, this miniseries performed an incredible feat by tackling a complex case filled with racism and police misconduct. The series had an added challenge because it spans from the attack on the jogger in 1989 to the wrongful conviction settlement in 2014. Still, it handles the subjects beautifully.

In addition to pulling at the heartstrings, When They See Us scenes also humanize the teen boys involved by making them individuals with their own experiences and personalities. This doesn’t happen often in the Central Park Five case because the boys are lumped together. However, in reality, injustice was committed six times – once towards each of the boys and once towards the rape victim, Trisha Meili. When They See Us is an important watch for everybody, true crime fan or not. Additionally, it should serve as proof that Black directors bring important authenticity to stories about racism.

Sources: Variety and Variety