True-crime documentaries are a foundational part of Netflix — and some of the most popular shows on the site. With shocking limited series that tackle horrible injustices, documentaries that shed light on situations too few people know about, and detailed looks into some crimes that seem too unbelievable to be true, Netflix has true-crime documentaries that manage to both inform and entertain.
Some of their docs, like “Casting JonBenet,” shed new light on tragic cases that became national news. Others, like the “Tiger King” docuseries, became national sensations themselves; this one became the most controversial and discussed series of all time. There are Oscar-nominated documentaries like “Icarus” and “Strong Island,” and award-winning series like “Surviving R. Kelly” and “Wild, Wild Country.” Other docs expose the massive failures of the American justice system, like “Time: The Kalief Browder Story” and “Making a Murderer.” Then there are shows like “Bad Sport,” which covers the dark side of sports in six episodes, with each focused on a different drama.
If you’re interested in learning about infamous serial killers, chilling cold cases, baffling kidnappings, and controversial cults, watch the best crime documentaries on Netflix now.
— Additional reporting by Lauren Harano, Haley Lyndes, Kalyn Womack, and Naomi Parris
