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10 best true crime shows on Netflix right now (January 2025)

A man walking outside with his collar up looks pensive and disturbed in The Breakthrough.
Netflix

We have an inherent fascination with true crime, reveling in the real-life stories of killers, kidnappings, and unsolved mysteries. These translate to both gripping docuseries and dramatizations of real-life events. You’ll get a nice mix of both on Netflix.

The best true crime shows on Netflix right now include old favorites like Mindhunter, which fans are still lobbying to come back with a new season. Plus, new shows like the Swedish drama The Breakthrough have captivated viewers with their stories. If true crime is your jam, check out what’s available on Netflix, including these picks. You won’t be disappointed.

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The Breakthrough (2025)

The Breakthrough
tv-14
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Watch on Netflix

This new Swedish crime drama has had fans gripped. An adaptation of the novel by journalist Anna Bodin and genealogist Peter Sjölund, The Breakthrough is a fictional story but rooted in a real-life crime story from 20 years ago. Back in 2004, two people were stabbed to death in broad daylight in Linköping, Sweden. One was a 56-year-old woman, and the other an eight-year-old boy. While the case remained unsolved for more than a decade and a half, new evidence unearthed by a genealogist could crack it wide open.

The four-part miniseries quickly rose to the streamer’s top 10 list once it began streaming in early January 2025. We found that among the many reasons to watch The Breakthrough is how different it is from other crime shows. It plays out over an entire 16-year period as the lead detective, John (Peter Eggers), is haunted by the case, the victims’ families continue to grieve without resolution, and residents live in constant terror that such a senseless act could happen again. The focus in The Breakthrough isn’t so much on finding the killer. It’s interested in presenting the personal toll the case took on everyone involved. That proves far more compelling and heart-wrenching than a traditional whodunit.

I Am a Killer (2018)

I Am a Killer
tv-ma
6 Seasons
Genre
Documentary, Crime
Created by
Franckie Williams, Romaine Chapman
Watch on Netflix

With six seasons under its belt, each case chronicled in this true crime docuseries is more compelling than the last. Hailing from the U.K., I Am A Killer tells the stories of convicted killers, but from a unique perspective: the killers themselves. Rather than talking to police, family members, and victims who theorize about motives and psyches, this series gets the details right from the source. A large part of every episode is the convicted killer, seated in a chair in an empty room, retelling their story.

With many of these killers on death row, the stakes are high and the cases complex. One involves a teenager who committed murder but says things happened very differently than what the prosecution argued. Another portrays a man sentenced for a triple murder with connections to Satanism. There’s even a woman who unbelievably claims the murder of her boyfriend was consensual. The situations get even more complicated in season 5 with a robber who claims he didn’t realize his gun was loaded. For anyone intrigued by the thought of diving into the mind of a killer, I Am A Killer is deeply fascinating.

Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street (2023)

Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Documentary, Crime
Stars
Joseph Scotto, Diana B. Henriques
Watch on Netflix

Not every true crime series centers around murder, kidnapping, and cults. Some crime is financial in nature and devastatingly life-altering for the victims as well. Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street tells the story of Bernie Madoff, his rise to power, and those who took him down after he orchestrated the biggest Ponzi scheme in the world.

Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street paints Madoff as a monster and sheds light upon the numerous red flags that people ignored. You’ll also see never-before-seen footage, provided to director Joe Berlinger by the attorney who deposed Madoff during the various clawback lawsuits against him. Through the series, you get to dive into the mind of a man who would commit such a heinous crime, irreparably harming individuals and families all while padding his own pockets. 

Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey (2024)

Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Documentary
Watch on Netflix

In 1996, JonBenét Ramsay was tragically killed at the age of six, and the hunt for her killer became one of the most high-profile cases of the 1990s. Today, almost 30 years later, the murder remains one of the most puzzling unsolved cases ever in America. From allegations against her parents and a man claiming to have killed her to weird ransom notes and theories galore, it seems true crime fans never tire of hearing about this mysterious case. That’s a good thing though because there needs to be justice served for this beautiful young girl.

Directed by Joe Berlinger, the man behind Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes and the drama film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, as well as other true crime projects like Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsay takes another look at the case with a fresh set of eyes. The focus is on media and law enforcement and the alleged mistakes they made throughout the investigation. There’s also a discussion about what could be done today to help solve the long-time mystery. Most interestingly, however, the series includes new interviews with Ramsay’s father, John Bennet Ramsay. Now 80, he is still desperate to find answers about what happened to his little girl.

Unsolved Mysteries (2020)

Unsolved Mysteries
tv-ma
5 Seasons
Genre
Documentary, Drama, Mystery
Watch on Netflix

One of the preeminent mystery documentary series, Unsolved Mysteries has been around since 1987, though it has gone off the air and been revived numerous times. The latest revival was in 2019, when Stranger Things executive producer Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine) rebooted the series for Netflix with a slightly new format. Even without a host (could anyone ever truly replace Robert Stack?), the episodes still draw you in with their terrifying tales of murder, mysterious vanishings, UFO sightings, and other creepy stories.

Each episode focuses on recollections from those involved in each case, and includes archived footage, theories, interviews with law enforcement, and reenactments. Some of the most compelling episode include those about the Berkshires UFO, the infamous Dupont de Ligonnès murders in France, the mysterious disappearance of Rey Rivera, and the chilling tale of Amanda Antoni, who was discovered dead on her basement floor. The best part about Unsolved Mysteries is you can watch each season or episode in any order you like, even selecting only the true crime stories you find most interesting.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (2024)

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny, Cooper Koch
Created by
Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan
Watch on Netflix

A gripping dramatization of one of the biggest murder cases of the 1990s, Ryan Murphy tackles the story of Lyle and Erik Menendez in his second installment of the biographical crime drama anthology series Monster, which began with his interpretation of the Jeffrey Dahmer case. In Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch brilliantly portray the two brothers at the center of the harrowing case. Claiming years of mental, physical, and sexual abuse, they plan to murder both their parents in cold blood. Their actions thereafter disturb everyone, going on a spending spree with their massive inheritance.

The case is far more complex, however, than two young men killing for money or to break free from a domineering dad, as the trial reveals. A riveting story about one of the most infamous murder cases in American history, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story sets out to both humanize and vilify the brothers, as well as their parents. It’s the type of dramatization that will leave you curious to learn more and spark conversation. Chavez and Koch, both relative newcomers, lead the series with their heart-wrenching, nuanced performances.

Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)

Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Evan Peters, Richard Jenkins, Molly Ringwald
Created by
Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan
Watch on Netflix

Evan Peters earned an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of the sadistic serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in this first instalment of this biographical true crime anthology series. Created by Ryan Murphy, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story provides an intimate look into the life and crimes of Dahmer, who lured, murdered, and dismembered 17 males between 1978 and 1991. He engaged in necrophilia and even cannibalism, and the series attempts to dive into the psyche of the killer, exploring not only his twisted motivations, but the desperation of his parents to help their clearly troubled son.

Niecy Nash is a standout as Dahmer’s suspicious neighbor, Glenda (she won an Emmy for the gripping performance), as is Richard Jenkins as his father, Lionel. Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story isn’t an easy watch. But beyond the gruesome and disturbing nature of many of the scenes, the series presents crucial commentary about law enforcement, missed opportunities, and the treatment of cases involving young and marginalized victims.

Mindhunter (2017)

Mindhunter
tv-ma
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv
Created by
Joe Penhall
Watch on Netflix

Arguably one of Netflix’s best-ever original series, and certainly one of the best in the true crime space, David Fincher‘s Mindhunter is a psychological crime thriller based on the real-life story of two FBI agents and a psychologist who coined the term serial killer back in the late 1970s and early ’80s. Veteran agent Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), rookie agent Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff), and psychologist Wendy Carr  (Anna Torv) devise a research project to try and understand the minds of repeat killers, who they eventually begin to refer to as serial killers. The goal is to understand their motivations and psyches, in hopes this will in turn help them solve future cases and prevent more killings.

The actors playing real-life killers like Edmund Kemper, Charles Manson, David Berkowitz, and Dennis Rader are incredible in their portrayals. They capture everything from the look to the vocal inflections, attitudes, and even subtle mannerisms of these individuals. With conversations taken right from actual transcripts, Mindhunter will leave you with goosebumps as you listen to these vicious killers recall why they did what they did and justify their heinous acts with no remorse. Sadly, Mindhunter ended in 2019 after two seasons. But that hasn’t stopped fans from continuing to beg for its return, even to this day.

Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)

Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Crime, Documentary
Stars
Deanna Thompson, John Green
Watch on Netflix

One of the most disturbing true crime docuseries released in the last five years, Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer focuses on the story of convicted Canadian killer Luka Magnotta. But the approach is much different than a typical docuseries. It centers around a group of internet sleuths who discovered troubling videos a mysterious person had posted online and became determined to discover his identity. They were convinced his actions of killing two kittens on camera would eventually lead to murdering humans, and they were right. The group banded together to search for clues in his videos so they could find something, anything, to convince authorities to investigate these heinous acts.

A story of Facebook being used for good and the incredible talent and determination of a group of citizens who had no ties otherwise to the incidents will keep you at the edge of your seat through all three episodes. Just be prepared to feel intense emotions when watching: this one is only for true crime fans who aren’t easily put off.

Escaping Twin Flames (2023)

Escaping Twin Flames
tv-ma
1 Season
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Shaleia Divine, Jeff Divine, Janja Lalich
Watch on Netflix

What’s so angering about Escaping Twin Flames is the fact that Jeff and Shaleia Divine are reportedly still running their Twin Flames Universe organization, which many have deemed a cult. The true crime docuseries tells the story of a married couple who begin to run an online business whereby they purport to help individuals seeking love find their “true flame,” the person they are destined to be with. But over time, it becomes apparent that coercive control, indoctrination, and abuse are rampant. As time goes on, the situation gets even more shocking and bizarre.

Told through the lens of several former members, along with video footage of the Divines themselves, the series is executive produced and directed by Cecilia Peck, the woman behind Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult. She reportedly began devising this show after receiving messages from people urging her to expose this cult. The series has earned a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, shocking viewers with the stories of survival and indoctrination, and the bizarre videos of the Divines conducting their “courses.” It’s worth watching the similarly named Escaping Twin Flames Universe on Amazon Prime Video when you’re done for even more perspective. You’ll hear more emotional stories, including harrowing accounts from families of those still struggling to get their loved ones back.

Movie images and data from:
Christine Persaud

Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about tech, she now writes about everything from tech to entertainment, business, lifestyle, and more. An admitted TV junkie (feel free to reach out for recommendations on what to watch!), if she's not working or hanging out with friends and family, she's probably relaxing with a crisp glass of wine while binging her latest TV series obsession. Follow her on Twitter @christinetechCA.

 

 

 

 

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