Top 10 true crime docs to stream if you liked Tiger King

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The one thing blowing up your social media feeds, besides the coronavirus, is likey Netflix's true-crime documentary miniseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. It's hard to think of a time when Joe Exotic wasn't part of the social consciousness because out of nowhere this very eccentric character, along with a cavalcade of supporting players, has broken through pop culture walls and people just can't seem to get enough. Maybe it's because we're all under self-isolation right now but Tiger King has averaged almost 19 million viewers in the United States over its first 10 days, according to Nielsen's SVOD Content Ratings, and more than 34 million people watched at least a few minutes of it.  True crime docs are definitely a popular form of entertainment and just in case you've burned through Tiger King and are looking for other salacious crimes to explore, here are my Top 10 true crime docs to stream right now while in quarantine. If you agree or disagree with our list, let us know in the comments or throw out some of your suggestions for the perfect true-crime binge.

THE STAIRCASE (Netflix)

The Staircase hit the true-crime radar before landing on Netflix with a 2004 French miniseries that documented the trial of Michael Petersen, a man who was convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Petersen. In 2001, novelist Michael Petersen wife's died and Petersen claimed that she passed as the result of an accident from falling down their stairs at their home. A medical examiner, however, did not back those claims and determined that she had been beaten with a weapon, leading to Petersen becoming a suspect in a murder investigation. The series that began in 2004 spanned eight episodes before being updated in 2013 and 2018, which is where the Netflix exposure comes into play. The docuseries follows the investigation as it proceeds from Petersen's arrest to the verdict being reached in the ensuing trial. The docuseries is an intriguing take on contemporary American justice and the examination of a high-profile murder trial. It's made all the more enticing because Petersen was a crime author himself and he happened to be the only person in the home when his wife died. You may not have doubts of Petersen's guilt but they do offer up alternatives that are worth exploring and some that come off a tad absurd (just wait to you get to the "owl defense"). 

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MAURA MURRAY (Prime Video)

The Disappearance of Maura Murray may not have the same mainstream pop culture recognition of the other true crime docs but true come sleuths have been obsessed with this case since 2004 but the mystery is made all the more frightening because of all the things we don't know. Maura Murray vanished on February 9, 2004, after a car crash on Route 112 near Woodsville, New Hampshire. Her whereabouts remain unknown but what makes this so intriguing for a lot of true crime aficionados is that on the day of her disappearance she e-mailed her professors and work supervisor saying she was taking a week off due to a death in the family. It was later revealed there was no death in her family, so that begs the question, why would she lie about something so serious? A passing motorist that lived nearby where Murray wrecked asked her if she needed assistance and she declined, saying she called AAA. After arriving home several minutes later, he reported the wreck but when law enforcement arrived Murray was gone and has never been seen again. The docuseries explores Murray's life prior to the disappearance and even offers up different scenarios of what might've happened to her. Perhaps the scariest thing about all of this is the unknown. Murray has been off the grid since that night on February 9, 2004 and you're left with wondering did she simply run off to escape something in her life or in those few minutes that the motorist left her alone and called law enforcement, did foul play become her fate? 

EVIL GENIUS: THE TRUE STORY OF AMERICA'S MOST DIABOLICAL BANK HEIST (Netflix)

Evil Genius starts with a you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it crime and only gets more insane as it goes along. The 2018 true crime documentary series is about the murder of Brian Wells, a high-profile 2003 incident that became known as the "pizza bomber" case. Wells was a pizza delivery man who was murdered during a complex plot involving a bank robbery, scavenger hunt and homemade explosive device near the town of Erie, Pennsylvania. The incident all went down on live TV and Wells appeared to be a knowing participant in the robbery but it became clear that there were other players involved and Wells may have been an innocent bystander thrown into an evil game concocted by Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and other co-conspirators. The bank heist is the hook that pulls you in but it's what you learn about the players involved across four episodes is what makes this docuseries stick with you long after it's over.

MOMMY DEAD AND DEAREST (HBO Now)

Mommy Dead and Dearest hits you with one hell of a true crime and then makes you question your own morals about what is right and wrong. The documentary chronicles the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard, for which her daughter, Gypsy Rose Blanchard, and Gyspy's boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, were accused. Not only does the documentary explore the murder but it also explores the equally shocking years of abuse that Gypsy suffered at the hands of her mother, who convinced many that her daughter suffered from a variety of illnesses. Gypsy was believed to be confined to a wheelchair and her mother also had her fitted with an unnecessary feeding tube. There was no evidence that Gypsy suffered from any illnesses and one physician suspected that Gypsy was a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental disorder where a parent or caregiver exaggerates, fabricates or induces illness in a person under their care to obtain sympathy or attention. Many accepted her situation as true and the two benefitted from the efforts of charities such as Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House and the Make-A-Wish-Foundation. Murder is never the solution but as you watch this documentary, you find yourself gradually shifting to Gypsy's side in terms of the plot concocted by her and boyfriend to get rid of her mother. You're brought down to reality a bit when you realize all three of these players in this story are not mentally stable you're left experiencing the tragic results of a very bizarre situation.

FYRE: THE GREATEST PARTY THAT NEVER HAPPENED (Netflix)

Want to watch a bunch of influencers get duped into thinking they're going to attend the next Coachella? Look no further than Fyre, which chronicles the failed Fyre Festival of 2017. Billy McFarland, CEO of Fyre Media Inc, started a fraudulent "luxury" music festival that was created with the intent of promoting the company's Fyre app for booking music talent (btw, more time should've been put into this worthwhile endeavor rather than the doomed music festival). The event was promoted on Instagram by "social media influencers" including Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin & Emily Ratajkowski with a lavish video that promised beautiful ladies, top-notch music and the perfect island setting for the next big musical event. The reality of the event was exposed during its inaugural weekend when the "festival" experienced problems related to security, food, accommodation, medical services, and artist relations. The documentary explores this fool's dream that you almost by into because McFarland knows how to play a crowd and makes you believe what he's selling. Soon you see how the whole thing falls apart but perhaps the saddest part of all this were the employees who were genuinely working on the Fyre app in the states and knew nothing about the music festival fraud being committed. Over the period of a weekend, their lives and well-being were undone by lies told by someone they believed they could trust. Also, food for thought, if you come across a big festival that is backed by Ja Rule, maybe assume it's most likely not legit. 

I LOVE YOU, NOW DIE: THE COMMONWEALTH v. MICHELLE CARTER (HBO Now)

I Love You, Now Die is not a fun experience by any means but it's a thought-provoking two-part documentary film that leaves you emotionally drained as you wonder what outcome you believe is appropriate given the seriousness of the situation. Two teens, Michelle Carter and Conrad Roy fell in love despite only meeting in real life about five times. Conrad was a very good kid and loved by his family but he battled intense depression which had resulted in a suicide attempt. Conrad appeared to be on the mend and posted various videos on Youtube chronicling his bouts with depression all the while he's engaged in a text message relationship with Carter that spans two years. On July 12, 2014, Conrad was found dead in his car, a case of carbon monoxide intoxication. This is a clear-cut suicide but when investigators discovered text messages between the two teens, they learn that Carter encouraged Conrad to kill himself, which resulted in her arrest for involuntary manslaughter. The big angle of the documentary is if you can be convicted of manslaughter if you weren't physically there and played no part physically in the death. I've seen this story played out on various news and media outlets but this documentary is the definitive look at the case and it really makes you question how you feel about Michelle Carter. Is she pure evil and looking for attention as the grieving girlfriend? Or was she just as troubled as Conrad and their union was just a toxic mix that ended in tragedy? It's up to you to decide.

DON'T F!@K With CATS: HUNTING AN INTERNET KILLER (Netflix)

I avoided Don't F!@K With Cats for a while because it just didn't grab me but one final push by a good friend had me dive right in and, I'll be honest, it wasn't 100% worthy of all the hype but I did think it presented an enthralling piece of the power of the internet and the average Joe and Jane coming together to solve a crime. The docuseries follows a group of individuals with various online personas that seek justice by trying to track down a guy who posted videos of himself killing kittens. The kitten video becomes just the beginning of what ultimately becomes a worldwide manhunt for a serial killer in the making. This is a true-crime docu-series that isn't interesting because of the killer they're tracking. For me, that was secondary, and while you begin intrigued by who this might be and why he's doing it, the doc becomes a much more interesting examination of the people involved who helped track him down. People behind their computer screens were doing the jobs of law enforcement by dissecting videos, looking at every little detail and doing whatever they could to bring this guy to justice. It shows the dark side of the internet but it also shows how the power of the internet can be used for good when put into the right hands.

MCMILLION$ (HBO NOW)

We all played the McDonald's Monopoly game growing up. I believe I had my mom buying all kinds of meals from McDonald's, just trying to win the various prizes. I think the most I came up with were free hash browns or fries and I never came close to the million-dollar combo of Park Place and Boardwalk. Imagine my surprise as I sat and watched McMillion$ over the weekend, only to learn during the six-part docuseries that none of us came close to winning the big prize because Jerry "Jerome" Jacobson committed $24 million worth of fraud that corrupted the McDonald's Monopoly game between 1989 and 2001. Jacobson was in charge of security for the agency that ran the promotion and when I tell you that truth is stranger than fiction, this is exactly what you get here as Jacobson began handing off winning game pieces to family members, mobsters, psychics, strip club owners, convicts & drug traffickers, just to get a cut of the winnings. McMillion$ reaches some of the craziness that people seem to be loving about Tiger King so this could be right up your alley if you loved that.

KILLER INSIDE: THE MIND OF AARON HERNANDEZ (Netflix)

This is a three-part docuseries examining what led to the murderous fall and shocking suicide of former NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez. A lot of docs have been made about Aaron Hernandez but this one was interesting because it actually dived into his childhood and even made you feel some ounce of sympathy for him. Through various jailhouse phone recordings and new info via interviews, you learn that Hernandez was more complex and conflicted than the thug masquerading as a football player that the media portrayed him as. That's not to say that what Hernandez allegedly did was right. There is also a case to be made that Hernandez had a sense of entitlement due to his fame as a New England Patriot and that he may have felt no one could touch him because of that. Any good doc presents things from all sides and that's what you get here as it even goes into the controversial details that Hernandez may have been struggling with his sexuality which may have been the source of a lot of his anger. You don't get definitive answers but it leaves you with options and maybe mixed emotions about how someone who had it all, threw it all away so carelessly.

ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT (Netflix)

This true-crime doc follows the stranger than fiction true story of the Broberg's, a naive, church-going Idaho family that fell under the spell of their neighbor who had designs for their 12-year-old daughter. Jan Broberg Felt, the 12-year-old in question, was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold in the 1970s not once, but on two separate occasions. Abducted In Plain Sight is a scream at your television documentary because Berchtold entraps Jan's religious parents in such a web of trust, shame, and complicity that he convinces them to drop the most serious kidnapping charges against him. This results in them letting him spend a disturbing amount of time with their daughter that ultimately leads to the second kidnapping. You have to see all of this to believe it but it does dive into how manipulation can be the most dangerous tool in a predator's arsenal.