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13 outstanding true-crime shows that are worth the watch

How many of these true-crime shows have you seen? 


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Emmy Griffiths
TV & Film Editor
September 23, 2020
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Do you have an obsession with true-crime shows? If so, you've come to the right place. From fascinating documentaries to dramas, we have put together some of the best true-crime that is on television and on streaming service right now. 

I'll Be Gone in the Dark

America's most notorious serial killer that you have (probably) never heard of is examined in this new true-crime documentary. 

READ: Where is the Golden State Killer now? 

Based on the book of the same name by the late Michelle McNamara, the series looks at how 'The Golden State Killer,' who was responsible for 50 home-invasion rapes and 12 murders in California throughout the 1970s and 80s, was finally brought to justice. 

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Appropriate Adult 

ITV's new show focuses on on the heinous crimes committed by Fred and Rose West in this dramatisation which tells the true story of social worker Janet Leach and how she became involved in their case. 

Speaking about how her time with Fred West affected her, she said: "I was desperate. I couldn't sleep at night. I kept having nightmares about all those poor girls in the cellar. But I felt I had to keep talking to Fred. Otherwise, how would their families ever know what had happened to them?"

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Rose West & Myra Hindley: Untold Story 

Notorious murderers Rose West and Myra Hindley are the subject of this new ITV documentary. Released in September, it details previously unknown facts about the killers. In the show, journalist and broadcaster Trevor McDonald interviewed ex-inmates of the pair including former Category A prisoners, Marisa Merico and ex-gangster Linda Calvey to gauge what Myra and Rose were like as fellow prisoners.

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Des 

David Tennant has recently received critical acclaim for playing Dennis Nilsen in this recent series which followed the investigation into the serial killer's crimes.

READ: What is the true story behind David Tennant drama Des?

After being investigated, Dennis freely admitted to murdering up to 15 men in his flat - and was eventually convicted for six murders and sentenced to life in prison. The ITV show explores both a biographer and the police's attempts to understand the true nature behind the crimes. 

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Psychopath with Piers Morgan

In the Netflix documentary, Piers interviews a criminal for an extraordinary case, which involved Paris Bennett murdering his four-year-old sister when he was just 13 years of age, and is due to face parole. Piers has interviewed many criminals for plenty of his documentary shows including American serial killer Alex Henriquez for a one-off show, Serial Killer with Piers Morgan

carl beech

The Unbelievable Story of Carl Beech

This BBC documentary tells the stranger-than-fiction story of Carl who, in 2014, accused a group of prominent men of sexual abuse, only to be imprisoned himself for perverting the course of justice and of fraud when it emerged that he had made it all up. 

Carl also alleged that Lord Bramall, Harvey and Lord Brittan had murdered three boys, leading the police to raid their homes for evidence, which had a devastating impact of their lives. After finding no evidence and making no arrests, Carl himself became a person of interest after it was discovered he was in possession of indecent images. 

christopher jefferies

The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies 

This ITV drama is based on the real-life investigation into the death of Joanna Yeates, and how Christopher Jefferies, Joanna's landlord, life was ruined after he was falsely accused of her murder back in 2010.Three weeks after Christopher was initially arrested and released on suspicion of murder, the Avon and Somerset Constabulary arrested Joanna's neighbour, Vincent Tabak.

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Dirty John 2: The Betty Broderick Story 

Dirty John 2: The Betty Broderick Story tells the harrowing tale of Betty and her husband Daniel's bitter divorce battle and subsequent criminal case. The drama series, based on the true crime story, stars Amanda Peet and Christian Slater as its leading characters.

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White House Farm

The ITV drama follows the investigation behind the murders of five members of the same family, June and Nevill, their daughter Sheila, and Sheila's six-year-old twin boys, Nicholas and Daniel. While the detectives initially believed that Sheila had killed her family and then herself in a murder-suicide, her brother Jeremy was eventually found guilty of their murders, despite always maintaining his innocence. 

The Act

The Amazon Prime Video show follows the true story of Gypsy Blanchard, who murdered her mother in 2015 after being a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy for most of her life. Dee Dee, played by Patricia Arquette, continuously kept her daughter appearing ill to the outside world, despite her actually being completely healthy.

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Unbelievable 

The show follows a young woman named Marie who goes to the police after being attacked in her home, only to be met with disbelief from the police and eventually be fined for making up the assault. It also looks at the journey of two detectives who begin to investigate a series of assaults across the country. 

gianni versace acs

American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace 

The historical crime drama focuses on the murder of the fashion mogul, Gianni Versace, who was killed by an obsessive fan, Andrew Cunanan, in 1997. Since we'll no doubt be catching up on the hit show after it drops on Netflix, we've taken a look at what is fact and what is fiction in the show to answer your most pressing questions, but warning!

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When They See Us 

This drama is based on the 1989 case that gripped the US. Five black and Latino teenagers from America were convicted of a brutal crime they did not commit. The four-part series follows the men as they are trapped within the horrific miscarriage of justice, starring Moonlight's Jharrel Jerome, The Wire's Michael K. Williams and many more critically acclaimed stars.

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