True Crime Documentaries That Will Keep You Up at Night

Deviant human behaviors can be thrilling, exhilarating, and mind-bending at times. However, when the crime is so detailed and well executed, it can make you question the potential of the human brain when the devil unleashes.

From genius criminals to mind-boggling executions, these crime documentaries depict the way the harmless “halo effect” and “pretty privilege” can turn harmful. According to criminology experts, most of the crimes are committed by the outcasts who stand at the brim of society. These people feel secluded which triggers their passion for proving their impact on society.

Clearing Up Myths About True Crime Documentaries – Safe or Unsafe

From serial killers to sophisticated crimes, these unconventional geniuses never get their due from society. Eventually, they find unconventional means to complement their unconventional intellect. Although, true crime documentary is a very controversial genre because most psychologist debate if this can work as inspiration; experts in criminology and forensics believe that copycat crimes are very rare because they have a greater shock value.

True crime is a genre that is on the boom in recent times. YouGovAmerica reports that 13% of the users enjoy true crime documentaries and they believe it is a good pastime. 34% of individuals report true crime creeps them out so it is their least favorite genre. If you are into crime documentaries and you enjoy some creepy thrill that can make you feel cold crawling up your spine, we have got the best list for you.

To enjoy the best true crime documentaries, it is a no-brainer that you need a steady internet and a subscription to an online content streaming platform. You can get Netflix, Hulu, amazon, Apple, or Disney subscriptions. All these sites have their true crime shows. If you are looking for steady internet you can explore Comcast Internet español. Comcast is one of the best and most reliable internet out there. With Comcast, you will also get free Peacock Premium and Xumo so you can enjoy your favorite shows online.

True Crime Documentaries That Are Too Impactful to Ignore

Athlete A

Starting off our list with one of the most impactful and talked about topics in the current era. Athlete A is a 2020 true crime Netflix original. It is a 1h 43m, chilling digital piece directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk.

The documentary talks about Larry Nassar who was a whistle-blower in the young athlete abuse scandal. Her impactful standing initiated a domino effect that further became a very important part of the #metoo movement. She uncovered the most chilling story behind young athletes that were being abused by one of the athletic team doctors.

With multiple people to back the story and surplus shreds of evidence, the story unraveled to show how women trying to make it to the athletic industry have such high stakes that they find it hard to report the darkest experiences of their lives.

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey

Manipulated, brainwashed, exploited, and segregated from the real world, Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is a 2022 crime Documentary that is too good to be missed. Directed by Rachel Dretzin and Grace McNally, this is a series that can make you curious about the power of the state.

The series gets the viewer in depth of the Warren Jeffs’ case – the spiritual leader known to be one of the biggest cult leaders of recent times. Jeffs claims to be a prophet and the leader of the Mormon Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). The documentary offers the viewers a sneak peek of what goes on inside the church – polygamy, exploitation, subjugation, and worst of all – Abuse.

The documentary is far too bone-chilling for most people to sleep at night. From extreme sexual assault to child abuse, Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey talks about everything that is wrong with modern US state control. The story further takes the viewer on a roller coaster ride that ends with liberation stories from the survivors.

Our Father

Most criminals are expected to be anti-social, deprived of love, and uneducated. What if the true criminal is loved by all, a philanthropist, seen as a saint and a head of a church? Someone who knows you more than you know yourself, your doctor maybe. 

Our Father is a thrilling yet extremely complicated story of a fertility doctor who secretly becomes the sperm donor for all his patients. This original 2022 baffling digital masterpiece is 1h 37m long and directed by Lucie Jourdan.

This true documentary takes the viewers on a journey of hope through science and then to the darkest sides of using technology for the wrong reasons. Explaining the highs, lows and exceptional details that bind the viewer, this master craft must not be missed.

American Murder: The Family Next Door

Light, refreshing, good-looking, and passionate love that is just too good to be true, what if the family that moved into your neighborhood is not the picture-perfect couple that you think they are? American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020) is a true crime Netflix documentary that will make you question everything that you see in rom-com.

This 1h 22m long digital masterwork will take you on an exceptional journey that intertwines with the things that we deem normal. Apart from the shock value that most viewers get out of this, you will eventually start to second guess the perfect happy social media couples who you look up to.

The Keepers

Right wrong and somewhere in the grey areas, keepers will make you doubt the authority of religion and the power religious people hold over us. This 2017 true crime documentary series talks about the keepers of faith and what goes behind closed doors.

From taking you through the conspiracy that is built on the abuse to shifting into a bone-chilling murder, the story is too gruesome to be ignored. Directed by Ryan White is a gripping and extremely spell bounding Baltimore crime series that you must have on your list.

Bottom Line

Crime can be frightening, offense, and scandalous but also thought-provoking. From raising awareness to helping you break out of the idea of normalcy, these true crime documentaries will help you become a responsible citizen.