Netflix Recs For The Crime Junkie

Here I am again, talking about true crime and all things related to it.

To dive right in, here are some of my favorite TV shows, movies, and docuseries both fictional and based on famous criminal cases. Some of these stories are pretty dark, not going to lie, but I have always been interested in the mysterious reasons people do the things they do.

22 July

Based on a true attack in Norway, 22 July is a dramatization of the horrific events that took place in 2011. I don't want to give too much away, but this version of a true crime story keeps your eyes on the screen the entire time. The fact that it is based on true events makes the film even more thrilling, yet very heartbreaking.

Money Heist

I started Money Heist just a few months ago during quarantine, so I'm only into season 2, but when I tell you it is one of the best shows I've ever seen, I mean it.

Money Heist was a Spanish television drama that failed initially in Spain but has seen great success on American Netflix. The first season, and so far the second season, is all based on a robbery of The Royal Mint of Spain planned by "The Professor" who recruits several notorious criminals to go through with the plan. Though it is a fictional plot, the story sets up the characters to where you find yourself rooting for the villains, making it incredibly addicting.

The Staircase

If you don't already know the Kathleen Peterson story, you have to watch The Staircase. This docuseries follows the trial of Michael Peterson, whose wife Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of their staircase with an obscene amount of blood surrounding her. Of course, Michael was the first and only suspect, although he argues it was just a horrible accident. The Staircase gives a behind-the-scenes look into a murder trial and brings to light some intense circumstances in Michael Peterson's past.

Zodiac

Zodiac (2007) is the dramatization of the real-life events surrounding Northern California's "Zodiac killer" in the 1960s and 1970s. If you have no other reason to watch this film, do it because it stars Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Jake Gyllenhaal. Quite the trifecta if you ask me.

The Zodiac killer was known to send taunting letters and evidence to the press - some with ciphers and secret codes. To this day, it is not known for sure who was responsible for the several murders in the Bay Area, but Zodiac also features the most-suspected culprit as a character in the film.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

Zac. Efron. As. Ted. Bundy.

What more can I say?

Ted Bundy is a household name in the true crime world. He was known for his charming personality, allowing him to hide his secret psychopathic tendencies from the world. A brilliant, notorious killer who escaped from prison twice, Ted Bundy became famous worldwide.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, with Zac Efron and Lily Collins, shares the more personal side of Ted Bundy. The film was a major hit when it was released last year, and sparked the conversation, "Did Efron play the Bundy part a little too well?"