The 23 best true crime documentaries on Max
Can’t get enough of true-crime tales? With HBO Max and Discovery+ combining, Max has you covered with a wealth of documentaries that explore curious cases, horrendous homicides, outrageous criminals, and much, much more.
With so many options, how do you know which true crime doc is your next must-see? We’ve scoured the lot to select the 20 best true crime documentaries on Max. In the mix are grim recountings of serial killer sprees, thought-provoking investigations into polarizing charges, empathetic explorations into the lives of victims, and even some surprisingly whimsical tales of true crime. Each one offers a chance to dive into a rabbit hole of armchair psychology, amateur sleuthing, and nonfiction nightmares.
Here are the 23 most gripping true crime projects, both TV series and films, now streaming on Max.
1. The Lady and the Dale
Max has a library of sensational true crime offerings, yet this 2021 mini-series is uniquely fascinating. Directors Nick Cammilleri and Zackary Drucker unfurl the times and trials of Elizabeth Carmichael, who was not only a nationally recognized automobile executive and infamous con artist, but also a wife, mother, and transgender trailblazer.
For decades, her story has been framed by those who despise her, resulting in a narrative rife with speculation and transphobia. In this challenging and boldly funny four-episode documentary mini-series, Carmichael’s story is reclaimed by balancing the perspective of her haters with in-depth interviews with those who knew her best. With animated photography, a playful soundtrack, and a cheeky sense of adventure, The Lady and The Dale aims not only to showcase the complexity of the late Carmichael, but also to capture her spirit. All this makes for a watch that is surprising, thrilling, and unforgettable.* —Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: The Lady and the Dale is streaming on Max.
2. Mommy Dead and Dearest
Documentarian and true crime heavy hitter Erin Lee Carr — whose engrossing works appear multiple times on this list — covers the bizarre murder of Dee Dee Blanchard in Mommy Dead and Dearest. The 2017 film tells the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a 19-year-old victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, who after a lifetime of abuse conspired to murder her mother in 2015.
Some viewers will recognize the case from its serialized dramatization in Hulu’s The Act, but Carr’s telling offers a more nuanced look at the fact pattern. It’s a flummoxing conundrum of justice that sees mother and daughter trade places as victim and attacker, and raises serious questions about the criminal justice system’s ability to hand down levelheaded verdicts in morally complicated cases. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Mommy Dead and Dearest is now streaming on Max.
3. Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop
Another project from director Erin Lee Carr, Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop follows the strange case of former NYPD officer Gilberto Valle.
In 2012, Valle was arrested for conspiring to kidnap, rape, kill, and cannibalize women after his wife discovered hundreds of internet chat messages describing the acts in his search history. The apparent fetish seemed to go beyond hypothetical imagery, when Valle began improperly accessing the National Crime Information Center database through his NYPD credentials and drawing up comprehensive abduction plans for women he actually knew.
The documentary navigates the sticky legal area deftly, posing fascinating questions about what Valle’s case means for the future of crime in the digital age. — A.F.
How to watch: Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop is now streaming on Max.
4. Mind over Murder
The story of the Beatrice Six is so full of twists, turns, and uncomfortable truths that it can be difficult to know who to believe. It all began in 1985, when beloved grandmother Helen Wilson was murdered in her home. Six suspects would be collected by local police. Five would give confessions. But decades later, when DNA evidence can’t prove a single one of them was in Wilson’s home, the case and the community are thrown into spin.
Documentarian Nanfu Wang (One Child Nation) speaks with members of the Beatrice Six, the police force that targeted them, and the surviving family members of Helen Wilson to investigate how this case was horrendously mishandled and its impact 35 years later. Moreover, the six-part mini-series follows a local theater production that uses transcripts from every step of the case to try to make sense of this hometown horror. The result is a documentary mini-series that is rivetingly dedicated not only to the truth but also to reclaiming the humanity of all of the victims of this horrendous miscarriage of justice. —K.P.
How to watch: Mind over Murder is now streaming on Max.
5. The Cheshire Murders
Directed and produced by Kate Davis and David Heilbroner, The Cheshire Murders chronicles a horrific home invasion that devastated a small town in Connecticut. In the early hours of July 23, 2007, two men entered a suburban residence and began a campaign of terror against a family of four that left only father Dr. William Petit alive. It’s a truly disturbing account, which includes graphic descriptions of child rape and torture.
This project is sometimes regarded as being staunchly in favor of the death penalty, featuring damning interviews with the attackers’ families actually recommending the two convicted men be sentenced to death. However, it also offers a disturbing look at the alarming lack of transparency from police regarding the perpetrators’ arrests and trials. — A.F.
How to watch: The Cheshire Murders is now streaming on Max.
6. There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane
On July 26, 2009, Diane Schuler traveled 1.7 miles in the wrong direction on the Taconic State Parkway in upstate New York. When her minivan collided head-on with an SUV, she, her daughter, three of her nieces, and all of the passengers in the other vehicle died.
In director Liz Garbus’s There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane, Schuler’s family members, witnesses, and investigators attempt to make sense of the bizarre decisions Schuler made that day. Her blood alcohol content was reportedly .19% at the time of the collision, but Schuler had no history of alcoholism and had appeared sober to witnesses shortly beforehand. Garbus prioritizes deep and complex analysis over a tidy narrative in her take on the case. It’s a sympathetic but truthful account that will leave you with plenty to chew over. — A.F.
How to watch: There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane is now streaming on Max.
7. Beware the Slenderman
If you’re a regular true crime fan, chances are you already know everything there is to know about the so-called “Slenderman stabbing.” But uh, if you don’t? Buckle way, way up.
In this haunting documentary from director Irene Taylor Brodsky, we revisit the 2014 attempted murder of 12-year-old Payton Leutner. The attack was carried out by two other 12-year-old girls, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, who told Wisconsin authorities they attacked their friend in an effort to impress the online character Slenderman. The film offers a chilling glimpse into the sometimes warped interactions between adolescent minds and the internet that’s imperfect to say the least, but a unique watch. Some of these interviews really stick with you. — A.F.
How to watch: Beware the Slenderman is now streaming on Max.
8. The Case Against Adnan Syed
Directed by Academy Award nominee Amy Berg, The Case Against Adnan Syed can be understood and appreciated as a standalone project. But for most viewers, the four-part docuseries serves as a companion piece to the watershed Serial podcast, which brought the murder of Baltimore County high school student Hae Min Lee to international attention in 2014.
The series explores the media fervor brought on by the podcast’s popularity, as well as recounts the story from investigation through the 2016 post-conviction relief hearing of Adnan Syed, the man convicted of the murder. All told, the project isn’t likely to change your mind about the case, but it offers new insights and evidence worth your (and possibly the court’s) attention. — A.F.
How to watch: The Case Against Adnan Syed is now streaming on Max.
9. Class Action Park
Welcome to Action Park! This New Jersey amusement and water park, built by former Wall Street tycoon Gene Mulvihill, was home to attractions such as Cannonball Loop and the Alpine Slide. It was also severely mismanaged and the cause of many injuries and deaths. Class Action Park reveals just how insane the story behind Action Park was, from the park’s madcap rides to Mulvihill’s shady tactics for keeping his venture afloat.
Through a mixture of fun animation and interviews with comedians who attended Action Park as children, Class Action Park keeps things light and humorous. However, it still exercises proper seriousness and restraint when discussing the park’s fatalities. Overall Class Action Park is a wild documentary about a truly wild place – you’ll come for the descriptions of the insane rides and stay for the nuanced exploration of nostalgia and childhood in the 1980s.* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Class Action Park is now streaming on Max.
10. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
Efforts to put suspected serial killer Robert Durst behind bars have spanned decades. In The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, filmmaker Andrew Jarecki recaps the chillingly charmed life of the New York real estate heir, who in 2021 is just now standing trial for the 2000 murder of Susan Berman. Berman is one of three victims tied to Durst; he is also accused of having killed his first wife Kathleen McCormack in 1982 and his neighbor Morris Black in 2001.
Against the advice of his attorneys, Durst actively participated in the creation of the 2014 docuseries. Across six episodes, Durst sits down with Jarecki for a series of disturbing interviews, a number of which have since been treated as evidence in the continued prosecution of Durst. As far as portraits of truly terrible people go, The Jinx remains one of the most horrific. — A.F.
How to watch: The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst is now streaming on Max.
11. Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn
The murder of Yusuf Hawkins was a hate crime, no question. But in Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn, director Muta’Ali entertains the other theories that were considered in the 1989 shooting death of the Black 16-year-old just enough for you to understand the power of the white narrative Hawkins’ family was up against when seeking justice.
Thoughtful and well-paced, the 2020 documentary goes beyond the tragic facts of this death to steadily reveal the surrounding culture of racism in New York City during the late ’80s and early ’90s that made so many like it possible. It’s a heartbreaking true crime entry, but a crucial one. — A.F.
How to watch: Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn is now streaming on Max.
12. Who Killed Garrett Phillips?
The 2011 death of Garrett Phillips was the first of a string of tragedies. Not only did a New York family lose their 12-year-old son in a senseless act of violence, but the subsequent investigation left a Black man suffering greatly under a legal system ravaged by racial bias.
Another true crime film from director Liz Garbus (There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane), Who Killed Garrett Phillips? relentlessly seeks justice on both fronts. Asking the right questions at just the right times, Garbus produces a compelling narrative that is at once an indictment of police failings and a rallying cry for identifying the real killer. — A.F.
How to watch: Who Killed Garrett Phillips? is now streaming on Max.
13. Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children
Director Sam Pollard tackles one of the most troubling crime trends in American history in Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children. Between 1979 and 1981, at least 30 Black children were abducted and murdered. But prosecutors’ decision to assign all of those deaths to the convicted serial killer Wayne Williams disturbed many who doubted his involvement in every case.
Over five episodes, Pollard tracks the story from the beginning of the killings to the reopening of the investigation in 2019. It’s a comprehensive look at the insidious racism that has plagued Atlanta policing for decades, that only grows in importance. The tragedy of these cases, however, is that the decision to prematurely close them in the ’80s may mean they’re unsolvable now. — A.F.
How to watch: Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children is now streaming on Max.
14. I Love You, Now Die
Another riveting true crime project from Erin Lee Carr, I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth vs. Michelle Carter is a two-part look at one of the most senseless crimes of the modern age. On July 13, 2014, 18-year-old Conrad Roy died by suicide in a Kmart parking lot in Massachusetts. His girlfriend, 19-year-old Michelle Carter, not only knew of her boyfriend’s plan to die by carbon monoxide poisoning, but also actively encouraged him to go through with it in a series of bewildering text messages that would later land her in court on charges of involuntary manslaughter.
The series follows Carter’s efforts to prove her innocence, posing fascinating questions about what crimes can be committed online. This one is tough viewing, both for its heart-wrenching depiction of Roy’s mental health crisis and for the helplessness one feels in knowing Roy could have been saved if Carter had interceded. But if you’ve watched The Girl From Plainville, the docu-drama series inspired by these true crime events, then I Love You, Now Die might well be a must-see.— A.F.
How to watch: I Love You, Now Die is now streaming on Max.
15. The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley
Enter the absolutely unreal delusion of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley. Academy Award winner Alex Gibney walks viewers through the (alleged) scam concocted by the ex-CEO, which not only garnered the support of numerous high-profile investors but even saw its entirely fake technology — a blood-testing device called “Edison” — begin a pseudo rollout in actual pharmacies.
Repurposing some incredible footage of Holmes intended for use in a Theranos advertising campaign, Gibney renders a stunning portrait of a (again, alleged) con artist. The result is a mesmerizing watch that will make you question how easy you’d be to fool when faced with one of the most notorious liars of the 21st century. — A.F.
How to watch: The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley is now streaming on Max.
16. Undercurrent: The Disappearance of Kim Wall
The story of Denmark’s notorious “submarine” case is rife with sensational elements, including snuff films, a heinous murder, an eccentric entrepreneur, and his personal submarine. However, documentarian Erin Lee Carr ushers her audience past the tabloid fodder, cutting through the misogynistic headlines to rediscover Kim Wall, an intrepid reporter who lost her life while on an assignment that should have been breezy, not deadly.
This two-part limited series speaks with Wall’s friends and colleagues, resurrecting her story and revealing her legacy. Meanwhile, a no-nonsense submarine expert and a conflicted biographer detail how the alibi of accused killer Peter Madsen fell apart, uncovering the horrifying depths of his ruthless ambition. More than a tale of tragedy, Undercurrent explores the humanity in journalism and the horrors of toxic masculinity. — K.P.
How to watch: Undercurrent: The Disappearance of Kim Wall is now streaming on Max.
17. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
This 1996 documentary from HBO was the first of many to question the verdict reached in the infamous case of Arkansas’ West Memphis Three. And while there’s plenty you’ll want to research about the case after seeing the movie — seriously, you’ve got 25 years of legal developments that aren’t accounted for here — it remains one of the most well-regarded perspectives on the disturbing crime available, not to mention an utterly transfixing viewing experience.
On May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys were found dead and mutilated in a wooded area known as Robin Hood Hills. Local teenagers Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley Jr., and Jason Baldwin were soon identified as prime suspects in the crime, but their connections to the murders were flimsy. Directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s Paradise Lost is an essential true crime watch that always strikes a nerve. — A.F.
How to watch: Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills is now streaming on Max.
18. Behind Closed Doors
The double homicide of 13-year-old Aarushi Talwar and her family’s servant 45-year-old Hemraj Banjade remains a world-shaking event for the people of Noida, India.
In Behind Closed Doors, documentarian P.A. Carter takes viewers into the heart of the media storm that erupted when the two were found dead in 2008. Over two parts, Carter interviews those closest to the case about everything from the small details needed to nab the killer to the broader societal issues that made this particular investigation so tumultuous. It’s a particularly intriguing true crime entry, considering it allows for a broader discussion of how justice is or isn’t carried out internationally in a genre typically dominated by western audiences. — A.F.
How to watch: Behind Closed Doors is now streaming on Max.
19. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark
One of the best portraits of a true crime writer to date, director Liz Garbus’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark serves as both a look into the terrifying Golden State Killer (also known as the “Original Night Stalker” and “East Area Rapist”) and the woman who would stop at nothing to identify him.
Michelle McNamara, who died suddenly in 2016 leaving behind a daughter and her husband Patton Oswalt, dedicated years of her life to finding the man responsible for a string of murders, rapes, and burglaries across California between 1973 and 1986, despite not knowing anyone directly impacted by his crimes. A book chronicling her work, also titled I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, was released posthumously and the docuseries serves as a sort of companion piece — filled with loving remembrances and overwhelming admiration for McNamara.
As far as true crime “fans” go, McNamara was the best of us. Her unrelenting passion for justice leaps from the page and screen even now, and will serve as an inspiration always. — A.F.
How to watch: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is now streaming on Max.
20. McMillions
For more than a decade starting in 1989, a veritable army of crooks and stooges bilked McDonald’s out of $ 24 million worth of winnings from its annual McDonald’s Monopoly sweepstakes. It was such a sprawling scheme that HBO turned it into a documentary miniseries directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte. Across six episodes, the fascinating and frequently hilarious doc introduces us to colorful characters on both sides of the law as it digs into the particulars of the criminal enterprise and how it eventually fell apart.
By the time it’s all over, you’ll know the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the historic McDonald’s Monopoly fraud case. But you’ll also be left with plenty of questions about what McMillions‘ most memorable character, FBI Agent Doug Matthews, isn’t telling us. — Adam Rosenberg, Senior Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: McMillions is now streaming on Max.
21. Deadly Women
Deeply in guilty pleasure terrain, Deadly Women is a documentary series that covers several stories of female murderers in each episode. These vicious vignettes are tied together by themes like greed, lovers turned enemies, or moms who murder. An advantage to this format is that if you can only handle a small dose of true crime tragedy, it’s easy to hit pause before the next story begins.
Moody reenactments give audiences a look at what might have happened to these victims and their killers. Along the way, experts in criminal profiling and psychology weigh in, speaking to the facts, the speculations, and the gnarly mental states that led to murder. To be frank, the whole show functions on a ghoulish misogyny that is hellbent on deeming most of its subjects as bad since birth. But beneath the condemnations of the interview subjects and the smirking delivering of the unseen narrator, you can pick out clues to systemic evils that don’t make these women innocent but suggest more depth than this devotedly trash true crime show aims for. —K.P
How to watch: Deadly Women Season 1-14 are now streaming on Max.
22. Fear Thy Neighbor
If you’re frustrated by a noisy or nosy neighbor, this show might be a balm…or throw you into panic. Relying on reenactments and interviews with survivors, each episode of Fear Thy Neighbor welcomes audiences into a new neighborhood, where the residents might once have been friendly but have turned into fearsome foes. Disagreements over home maintenance, gardening, and children at play escalate into heated arguments, and often gunplay and homicide.
What makes this true crime show uniquely intriguing is that each episode tries to tell both sides, without giving away how things end. So, as viewers watch survivors — and witnesses — give conflicting accounts, they are encouraged to not only figure out whose side they’re on but also to look for clues to what ultimately happened, who might have walked away, and whether someone’s absence on camera means they’re in prison or in the grave. —K.P.
How to watch: Fear Thy Neighbor Season 1-8 are now streaming on Max.
22. See No Evil
We live in an age of surveillance. Gas stations, schools, apartment buildings, and many more locations have cameras always on the lookout. And while that’s apt to make us all feel a bit paranoid about being watched, See No Evil shows an upside.
Each episode begins with a murder mystery, then traces the investigation, which — in these cases — always includes crucial evidence caught on tape. Sometimes it’s the last moments of a victim walking down a dark street. Sometimes it’s the flash of a speeding car at a curious hour. Sometimes it’s elevator footage that reveals what horrors went on behind closed doors. If you like true crime docs that offer answers, you’ll appreciate the vision of See No Evil. —K.P.
How to watch: See No Evil Seasons 1-8 are now streaming on Max.
23. Your Worst Nightmare
Who needs sleep? If you’re craving true crime stories that’ll keep you up at night, you can’t do better than the aptly named Your Worst Nightmare. Each hour-long episode focuses on a story that is truly chilling from abductions, to murders, to situations that are literally horror movie inspirations. Told through a mix of reenactments and talking-head interviews with law enforcement, criminal justice professionals, friends and family of the victims, and even survivors, Your Worst Nightmare sets the stage for real-life horror and does not let up. This one is not for the faint of heart. —K.P.
How to watch: Your Worst Nightmare Season 1-6 are now streaming on Max.
Asterisks (*) indicate the entry description comes from a previous Mashable streaming list.
UPDATE: Jun. 9, 2023, 10:48 a.m. EDT This list has been updated to refresh links to Max and add Discovery properties.
