5 Gripping Crime Docs to Binge on Netflix This Week

With nearly every streaming platform offering crime documentaries, it’s sometimes difficult to settle on one that fits the bill. To make things easier, here are five gritty Netflix crime docs that you can sink your teeth into this week.

5

Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street

When something seems too good to be true, it probably is–and those who invested in Bernie Madoff’s hedge fund business found out the hard way.

This eye-opening four-part series offers unprecedented insight into what was probably the largest-scale Ponzi scheme in history. If nothing else, it serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of greed and that some people will stop at nothing to get exactly what they want. Presented by director Joe Berlinger in the style of a financial thriller, the docuseries makes you wonder how the SEC and industry insiders let Madoff continue his fraudulent streak for so long, and why Madoff thought he’d get away with a scheme that is estimated to have cost his clients about $65 million.

Interviews with many individuals directly involved in Madoff’s machination—ranging from the whistleblower who repeatedly tried to dob him in to some of his unsuspecting victims—really bring this story to life. If, like me, you’re fascinated by financial crime, you’ll easily get through Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street in one sitting.

4

Escaping Twin Flames

If you’re in the mood for a hard-hitting documentary that will introduce you to a disturbing world that you didn’t even know existed, Escaping Twin Flames is the one for you.

Let me introduce you to Jeff and Shaleia Divine, the (in)famous faces behind Twin Flames Universe, who claim that their online community-based subscription service lets people find “beautiful, healthy, loving, romantic relationships.” However, as this shocking docuseries reveals, the platform’s members are often left feeling exploited and coerced into doing things they never imagined they’d do.

By the time you reach its conclusion, you’ll be scratching your head, wondering whether what you’ve just watched was really a depiction of real-life events. This isn’t the type of documentary you’ll enjoy with a pot of popcorn—but it’s one that will open your eyes to the realities of the online world, and it’ll stick with you long after you’ve finished watching it.

3

Making a Murderer

I tend not to watch docuseries that are more than a few hours long, but once I started Making a Murderer, I couldn’t stop.

This is the ultimate man-versus-state story that tells the tale of Steven Avery, who was sentenced to 32 years in prison for sexual assault, attempted murder, and false imprisonment. However, this isn’t a cut-and-dry case, as new DNA evidence that surfaces gives him hope that he’ll be a free man sooner than expected. What unfolds thereafter, however, is sure to leave you questioning the integrity of the U.S. justice system.

The producers of Making a Murder don’t do things by halves—authentic interviews, court proceedings, telephone and video recordings, news bulletins, and hard evidence give you a true fly-on-the-wall perspective, inviting you to jump onto the very same emotional rollercoaster that the subjects themselves experienced as events unfolded.

2

The Staircase

On the surface, novelist Michael Peterson appears to be your typical American man. However, when he calls the police after supposedly discovering his wife dead at the bottom of a staircase, his life turns upside-down. Did he do it, or was he merely a convenient suspect?

This well-paced docuseries delivers a bombshell in every episode, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you wonder, “What next?” We’re treated to behind-the-scenes footage of the accused in his everyday life, making us question whether this pipe-smoking, emotionless man really had it in him to murder his wife.

Just when you think you’ve settled on a theory, you’re presented with a new tidbit of information that has you cleaning the slate and starting again. The Staircase is a perfect example of a crime doc that introduces you to the messy logistics of a complex legal case.

1

Unlocked: A Jail Experiment

Detainees in Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility in Little Rock are locked down for up to 23 hours a day. However, Sheriff Eric Higgins is proposing a radical idea—open the doors and remove the prison officers.

If you’re interested in human behavior and psychology, this is, without a doubt, the documentary for you. It is the ultimate test of humankind—can the inmates work as a community to keep the cell doors unlocked, or will the lack of supervision lead to chaos and violence? Unlocked: A Jail Experiment is heartwarming, tear-jerking, and inspiring, as you feel yourself willing the prisoners to work together, put aside their differences, and strive to achieve a common goal. But not everything goes to plan, and the inmates’ relative freedom hangs in the balance.

This moving documentary is one of those that stays with you for a while. I really hope there’s a second season.

Whether you’re looking for an attention-grabbing crime doc or open to other genres, make sure you’re getting the most from your Netflix subscription by creating multiple profiles, fine-tuning your recommendations, adjusting your video quality, and changing the appearance of your subtitles.