Netflix's Worst Roommate Ever reminds viewers that they should be careful who they trust and who they let into their homes. The show tells four different true stories of regular people and their harrowing experiences with roommates who quickly made their lives a living nightmare.
The mini-series packs a big punch but will certainly leave viewers clamoring for more true crime content. Whether it be a raucous documentary series like Inventing Anna, there's a world of great shows to watch after Worst Roommate Ever.
Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel (2021)
Stream On Netflix
Often, the truth is stranger than any fiction that could be devised in a writers' room. Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel is a documentary series that sheds light on the mysterious death and disappearance of a young woman as she was staying at Los Angeles' notorious Cecil Hotel.
The grizzly details of the case are enough to keep any true crime fan engaged, and the mysterious details will have the viewer hooked from the first episode. Though the show does illuminate a long-standing mystery, it also serves as a warning of the dangers of so-called "internet sleuths" who interfere with investigations and cause problems in innocent people's lives.
Monsters Inside: The 24 Faces Of Billy Milligan (2021)
Stream On Netflix
Much of what audiences know about legal proceedings comes from what they see in movies and TV. Monsters Inside: The 24 Faces of Billy Milligan recounts the story of an accused criminal who claimed that he was inhabited by 24 distinct personalities that controlled his thoughts and actions. The show also breaks down the massive impact that the case had on legal proceedings going forward.
While most true crime focuses on the crime aspects of the story, Monsters Inside is a fascinating look at legal proceedings and how high-profile cases were handled in the 1970s. What also sets the show apart is the insight provided by experts and eyewitnesses who were a part of the case.
Inventing Anna (2022)
Stream On Netflix
While the documentary series has become a popular medium to recount fascinating stories, dramatization is still a powerful tool for storytelling. Inventing Anna follows a journalist who delves into the world of a supposed German heiress who had inserted herself into New York's social scene and stole millions of dollars as well.
Though delving into the behind-the-scenes facts is necessary to get the full story, Inventing Anna still excels at telling its true crime story. The performances and direction help to bring the modern tale to life and viewers will find themselves hanging on each new detail as the miniseries unfolds.
Puppet Master: Hunting The Ultimate Conman (2022)
Stream On Netflix
Similar to Worst Roommate Ever, the moral of Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman is a cautionary tale about trusting strangers. The documentary series follows the investigation into a conman who posed as a British spy to plunder the coffers of his unsuspecting victims.
Casting a villain is an important part of any true crime documentary series and Puppet Master excels at that aspect of its story. By interviewing the victims of the crimes, the show brings things into sharp focus and adds an emotional element to its story. While most true crime stories can seem separated from their source, Puppet Master is gritty and detailed.
Catching Killers (2021-Present)
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Television is packed with police procedural shows, but they are usually from a fictional perspective. Catching Killers is a documentary series that recounts the steps and methods employed by law enforcement to track down and arrest some of the most notorious murderers in recent history.
Generally regarded as one of the best true crime shows on Netflix, Catching Killers presents a harrowing tale with each episode. With each case requiring different methods, it is fascinating to hear the ins and outs of what steps law enforcement took to stop brutal crime sprees. Shedding the usual filler of modern true crime, the show strikes right to the heart of the cases.
Evil Genius: The True Story Of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist (2018)
Stream On Netflix
While many true crime series focus on famous crimes, some of the best fly under the radar with their harrowing tales. Evil Genius recounts the story of a brutal bank heist involving an unwitting bomber who became wrapped up in an evil scheme.
Throughout the series, the story shifts gears and toys with the viewers' expectations. Though the brutal crime opens the series, it is the investigation that makes up a bulk of the show from then on out. Seeing the twists and turns that the FBI went on to solve the case is a fascinating glimpse into some of the most sophisticated techniques in law enforcement.
Tiger King (2020-2021)
Stream On Netflix
Few documentary series have taken the world by storm quite like Netflix's infamous Tiger King series. Following a pair of big cat enthusiasts, Carol Baskins and Joe Exotic, the series shows their rivalry as it grows sour. Eventually, Exotic is wrapped up in a murder-for-hire plot that lands him in prison.
Though season 2 shined a light on new information, it was season 1 that had the biggest impact. The real life characters in the documentary are as fascinating as they are funny, and the show is a cautionary tale about hubris and how internet rivalry can get out of hand. Viewers will find themselves unable to look away as the car crash of a story plays out in front of them.
The Staircase (2004-2018)
Stream On Netflix
Though rising in popularity in recent years, The Staircase shows that the true crime documentary series isn't a new phenomenon. The show follows the case of a novelist named Michael Peterson who is accused of murdering his wife in 2001. The show follows the case, and the events that followed after the verdict was rendered.
Spanning well over a decade, The Staircase does its due diligence in showing the case from top to bottom. As the story progresses, the viewer finds themselves torn and they are forced to question what they previously believed about the case.
The Keepers (2017)
Stream On Netflix
The best documentaries tend to start with one idea and eventually grow into a larger story that unfolds in front of the viewer's eyes. The Keepers tells the story of the mysterious murder of a young nun, and the world of corruption and evil that lead to her death, as well as the coverup of the same.
Though slower moving than most documentary series, The Keepers gives its story a lot of time to breathe as the intricate details are examined. What starts as a simple mystery, begins to shine a light on a massive scandal inside one of the largest church institutions in the world.
The Jinx (2015)
Stream On HBO Max
True crime usually plays out in retrospect. The story is typically finished by the time the public becomes aware of it through the slew of documentaries and films that the story sometimes produces. However, The Jinx still featured many question marks and dealt with a case that hadn't been closed. The series follows the life and times of a real estate mogul named Robert Durst who was also the prime suspect in several high profile murder cases.
Cinematically speaking, The Jinx rivals even the best fiction television with its slick production. As a story, the documentary series is endlessly fascinating and the inclusion of new footage with interviews keeps the story engaging. Like the case itself, the documentary plays out slowly but eventually reaches a fascinating crescendo by the final episode.