The 2025 True Crime Shows That Left Our Jaws on the Floor

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In the ongoing battle of which is stranger, truth maintains its winning streak over fiction.

Judging by this year, people are still very interested in true crime documentaries and shows. These programs explore the darkest sides of human behavior, and audiences continue to be captivated by them.

Some shows, like Ryan Murphy’s Monster series which drew heavily from the story of Ed Gein (who inspired Psycho), took significant creative license. However, Netflix also released some of the year’s most talked-about and shocking true crime documentaries in 2025.

And we don’t mean Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, though that was a journey to remember.

The incredibly compelling series Unknown Number: The High School Catfish—which details how a Michigan mother cyberbullied her own daughter—really grabbed viewers’ attention. People were shocked that Kendra Licari agreed to share her perspective on this disturbing situation on camera.

Call it catharsis, perhaps.

Director Skye Borgman told Variety that Licari’s involvement in the film seemed to help her reflect on her experiences. Borgman noted that even simple questions prompted Licari to think deeply, which she felt was beneficial.

Netflix’s documentary A Deadly American Marriage presented many sides to the case of Molly Martens and her father, Thomas Martens. They were accused of killing Molly’s husband, Jason Corbett, in 2015. Thomas claimed he acted in self-defense, protecting his daughter from abuse, but ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Molly also accepted a plea deal, choosing to plead no contest.

Jason’s family members interviewed for the documentary, including his adult children, all believe Molly and Tom were guilty of murder. However, Molly and Tom, who were released from prison before the documentary came out in May, continue to say they were acting in self-defense.

HBO’s five-part series, A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read, didn’t offer a clear resolution when it premiered in March, leaving viewers with unanswered questions.

However, she was found not guilty in June after a second trial, and Elizabeth Banks will portray Read in a new series coming to Amazon.

One of the most memorable true crime documentaries of 2025 was Netflix’s The Perfect Neighbor. It stood out from other shows in the genre by presenting raw, unedited body camera footage from law enforcement officials. The documentary details the events surrounding the tragic 2023 shooting of 35-year-old mother of four, Ajike Owens, by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz.

Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, the film won Best Documentary Feature and Best True Crime Documentary at the 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards in November. It has also been nominated for a Critics Choice Award for Best Editing. (You can watch the 2026 Critics’ Choice Awards on January 4th on TopMob and USA Network.)

Gandbhir explained to the Los Angeles Times that she wasn’t trying to stir up trouble with her reporting. She wanted viewers to feel what the community felt, and she believed the realistic body camera footage helped achieve that, allowing people to truly experience the story from all sides.

Although The Perfect Neighbor is unusual for a Netflix true crime documentary – it’s being considered for an Oscar – many actors have gained awards recognition by portraying murderers.

Charlie Hunnam has received Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award nominations for his intense performance as the lead killer in Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Like previous seasons of the show that focused on Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers, some critics found this season excessively graphic and sensationalized for shock value.

Hunnam hopes the film is seen as a genuine look into the motivations behind the character’s actions. He told The Hollywood Reporter that the filmmakers weren’t trying to be sensational, but rather tell a truthful and honest story.

Michael Chernus is also up for Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television at the Critics’ Choice Awards. He’s nominated for his role as serial killer John Wayne Gacy in the Peacock series, Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, and will be competing against Charlie Hunnam for the award.

Similar to Charlie Hunnam, Peter Chernus was often asked about his decision to play John Wayne Gacy, the convicted murderer of 33 boys and young men who was executed in 1994.

According to reports, John Wayne Gacy seemed like a very outgoing and even charming person in his everyday life,” Chernus told TV Insider in October. “I was fascinated by the contrast between that public persona and the horrific crimes he committed – how someone capable of such terrible acts could otherwise appear completely harmless and non-threatening.

What makes this particularly chilling is that it’s based on real events. Here’s a look at actors like Charlie Hunnam and Matthew Chernus who have taken on intense, dangerous roles:

In the 2019 movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, Zac Efron played the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. Before he was executed in 1989, Bundy admitted to committing 30 murders during the 1970s.

 

The 2002 film Dahmer starred Jeremy Renner as the notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who murdered and dismembered nearly 20 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.

Chad Michael Murray played Ted Bundy in the 2021 movie, Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman.

In the 2021 Peacock series Dr. Death, Joshua Jackson played Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a neurosurgeon from Texas. The show was based on the popular podcast of the same name.

Similar to the notoriety surrounding Jeffrey Dahmer, the 2017 film My Friend Dahmer, directed by Marc Meyers, depicted Dahmer’s life as a high school student, with Ross Lynch in the starring role.

Darren Criss, known for his role in Glee, completely transformed himself to play serial killer Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. His performance was critically acclaimed, earning him an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award.

Damon Herriman has portrayed Charles Manson, the notorious cult leader, twice. He played Manson, referred to as “Charlie,” in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood. He also appeared as Manson in a 2019 episode of Mindhunter, acting alongside Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany.

The TV show American Horror Story: Cult featured a recreation of the Manson family murders. Actor Evan Peters, a lead in the show, portrayed Charles Manson in the episode.

Cameron Britton delivered a terrifying performance as Ed Kemper in the Netflix series Mindhunter. The show continues to impress with its compelling characters and unsettling storylines.

The 2013 film The Frozen Ground featured John Cusack as serial killer Robert Hansen, also known as the Butcher Baker. Hansen was arrested and convicted in 1983 after terrorizing Alaska for years, abducting, assaulting, and murdering at least 17 women.

In a 1992 TV movie, Brian Dennehy portrayed John Wayne Gacy, a serial killer and sex offender responsible for the murders of at least 33 young men and boys between 1972 and 1978.

Charlize Theron received an Academy Award for her role as Aileen Wuornos, a serial killer who killed seven men in Florida from 1989 to 1990. The 2003 film, Monster, also features Christina Ricci playing a character inspired by Wuornos’ former partner, Tyria Moore.

In the ninth season of American Horror Story, Zach Villa portrayed the infamous serial killer Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker. Ramirez committed a series of terrifying crimes in Los Angeles and San Francisco from 1984 to 1985. He later died in prison in 2013 while serving a life sentence.

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2025-12-23 18:18