Top Five True Crime Documentaries on Netflix Everyone is Talking About

Netflix has a reputation of producing brilliant documentaries of our favorite true crime cases. With striking visuals, colors and original content, it seems that they've come up with a formula for the perfect entertainment. But what Netflix excels in is showing never-before-seen content that chills viewers to the bone.Here are Netflix's top five true crime documentaries, and why they're worth your time.

5. Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics: 67% Audience: 80%

A heavy story told brilliantly by Netflix, "Don't F**k with Cats" took the internet by storm in 2019. The documentary explores concepts of animal cruelty, the power of internet communities and just how deep the Dark Web goes. With a fascinating storyline and highlights the steps ordinary people took to solve a heinous crime uploaded to YouTube back in 2010.

4. Unsolved Mysteries

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics: 77% Audience: 70%

This trendy documentary made its debut in July 2020. "Unsolved Mysteries" lives up to the hype on social media as the reboot of the classic 14-season show. Created by Stranger Things' Shaun Levy, "Unsolved Mysteries" is a collection of, well, unsolved mysteries. But what sets this show apart from the others is the sheer bizarreness of the cases presented in Vol. 1. From murder to UFO sightings, this collection of intriguing stories will keep you on your toes wondering what will happen next, while also leaving room for you to create your own theory. I personally recommend "Tsunami Spirits" from Vol. 2. It's a mixture of paranormal and true crime that fans of "Buzzfeed Unsolved" will love.

3. American Murder: The Family Next Door

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics: 85% Audience: 77%

This particular story isn't for the faint of heart. Surrounding the tragic story of the Watts family, this documentary covers all aspects of how Shannan Watts and her two young daughters went missing in 2018. The story takes a shocking turn that confirms investigators' worst fear. Released in September 2020 and produced by Jenny Popplewell, "American Murder" explores themes of adultery, familial trauma and violence against women.

2. Making a Murderer

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics: 84% Audience: 98%

Now, anyone who has access to the internet has heard of "Making a Murderer." Released in 2015. This documentary exploded over the internet for one reason: The blatant failure of the American justice system. Focused on the story of Steven Avery, "Making a Murderer" walks the viewer through the crime, the trial, and the time Avery spent in jail for something he didn't do.The reason this documentary is great even six years later is because this problem is very real, and happens to real people. From cops pushing a speedy investigation to psychological manipulation, "Making a Murderer" is an evergreen story raising awareness for wrongful convictions that have ruined the lives of hundreds of individuals.

1. The Keepers

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics: 97% Audience: 94%

This underrated gem was released on Netflix in 2017 and follows the investigation into the cold case murder of Cathy Cesnik. Cathy was a Catholic nun who was murdered in 1969. While "The Keepers" tells Cesnik's story, highlighting evidence gathered throughout the years, there are still no developments in the case. Exploring abuse within the Catholic Church and a potential cover-up, "The Keepers" isn't talked about enough among true crime fans.*A note on Rotten Tomatoes scores- There are two completely different scores on this website: critics and audience. While it is notable that critics' scores include technical aspects, the most valuable score is the audience score. This is how the average person perceived the TV show, movie or other forms of media on the site. Additionally, it is important to form your own opinion before consulting Rotten Tomatoes.