5 Crime Documentaries Worth Watching
I'm not sure if you have heard of the term "crime junkie", but I am a full-on crime junkie ever since I started listening to true crime podcasts. I have always liked crime-related shows and learning more about history, and I feel like crime documentaries and podcasts are changing the way history is told for the younger audiences that are now listening to podcasts as an activity.
If you have never watched a crime documentary, you are in for a sweet treat today! I have compiled a list of 5 crime documentaries that I believe are worth watching, as I have watched them myself and I love each one of them. Each crime documentary either taught me something new, intrigued me, made me gasp or made me shudder at the fact that humanity includes crazy humans like these.
Most of these documentaries will be found on Netflix - just be wary.
O.J. : Made in America
30 for 30, made by ESPN
If you don’t know anything about O.J. Simpson (like I didn’t know anything when I first saw this documentary), then you are going to learn so much from this film. I will not spoil any of these documentaries for you readers, but I will tell you that this is a 5-part series, made by ESPN, covering everything aspect of O.J.’s life.
The documentary is so well done, and it really kept me on my toes through each episode. If I could watch the entire documentary in one sitting, I would. However, the entire documentary is 7 hours and 47 minutes long. So pace yourself with this documentary. It’s worth it.
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez
Made in 2020, Found on Netflix
Just like the O.J. Simpson film above, I did not know a single thing about Aaron Hernandez before watching this film. I knew that he was an NFL player that went to jail, but that was the extent of my knowledge. Every opinion on Aaron Hernandez is different. It all depends on if you oversee his criminal acts with the person that he is. This documentary is 3 episodes long, each about an hour or so. And I learned so much about Aaron Hernandez.
Abducted in Plain Sight
Made in 2017, Found on Netflix
Are you ready to watch something weird and unheard of? If you said yes, then you need to watch Abducted in Plain Sight. Every aspect of this documentary had me at the edge of my seat. You could easily digest this film in one sitting, as it is 1 hour and 31 minutes long. But you will be processing what you watched for a long time after you watch it. Trust me…I still think about this documentary to this day.
What I can tell you about this film, without spoiling anything, was that a young girl was taken by a family friend. But there is so much more to it than that! You get personal interviews from mostly everyone involved in either witnessing or participating in this act. And that puts a tremendous perspective on the entire experience.
Watch this documentary, and let me know what you think about the film in the comments. Us crime junkies have got to unite! Plus, I love talking about crime - can’t you tell?
I Am A Killer
Made in 2018, Found on Netflix
If the cover art of this Netflix documentary doesn’t make sense to you, let me spell it out for you. I Am A Killer is about inmates who are on Death Row, and how they got there.
Season 1 of this documentary is out now on Netflix, and Season 2 will be coming January 31st, 2020. In Season 1, each episode is about 50 minutes, and there are 10 episodes in the first season. Each inmate’s story is so unique, and really puts a lens on what actions have brought that inmate to where they are today. I believe everyone involved in this documentary is still alive (those that are on Death Row, I mean).
You can never trust anyone too closely - just sayin’.
Conversations with A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
Made in 2019, Found on Netflix
Some may say I saved the best documentary for last, but this list isn’t ranked! Ted Bundy is his own character, and this film shows exactly that. There are 4 episodes in this documentary. The first 3 episodes are about 50 minutes long, and the last episode is about 75 minutes long (that’s 1 hour and 15 minutes, in case you didn’t know).
People make jokes about Bundy and what he did. But I never truly knew the extent of what Bundy did to innocent girls until I watched the documentary. This film does not lack on the edge-of-your-seat feeling as you watch it.
The documentary is so well done, and I believe everyone should educate themselves on this killer’s actions and get caught up in the The Ted Bundy Tapes.
I hope this blog post piqued someone’s interest, or gave someone a whole new library to watch on Netflix.
Regardless, please share this post on social media, and I may post more of a “worth it” type series.
