If you’re anything like me, you like your TV with a bit of spice and a twist of truth. I’ve always loved “based on true events“-type of shows and movies. If that’s also you, and you’ve been in need of recommendations for something new to watch, I have 3 shows based on true crimes you might have missed. And you should really rectify that, pronto.
Dr. Death
The insane but true story of a neurosurgeon who maimed 33 patients, killing at least 2 of them, Dr. Death is a stressful but rewarding watch. I mean, Dr. Christopher Dunstch made his best friend a quadriplegic and then never bothered to check in on how he was or said he was sorry. Don’t worry about this recommendation having too many spoilers, though, because honestly, the show is full of nail-biting tension from start to finish. This Peacock original boasts a fantastic ensemble cast which includes Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater. Limited to 8 episodes, it never overstays its welcome. Minute-per-dollar, one of your best bang-for-your buck you can consume right now.
The Act
This Hulu original tells the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, the most famous case of Munchausen-by-proxy. Patricia Arquette and Joey King make for a dynamic duo of epic proportions, and the ending, which we all see coming due to the notoriety of the case, is still a thriller to watch. It’s also a difficult watch: it’s not comfortable seeing that level of abuse from a mother toward their child. But as far as real crime cases go, you can follow this one even today, as Gypsy Rose is still very much a public figure. As far as the show goes, the single-season is once again the right amount of time to explore the subject matter without overstaying its welcome. An absolute cracker.
Candy
This is one of my wife’s favorite-ever TV shows. Hulu is really knocking it out of the park with original content. We knew what the outcome of the trial was going to be and even then, we were glued to the screen the whole time. It’s very different from the other two, shot with weird angles and a haunting, largely unconventional soundtrack. This is Real Housewives gone horribly wrong, and though we only hear one side of the story, the creators did a really good job of trying to balance out the “what ifs” of the case. Single-season again, just so you don’t go around waiting for a year to find out what happens in the next season.
Did we miss anything?
If you think we’ve missed anything, please let me know via Twitter @MarcosCodas. I love talking true crimes with fellow chair detectives.
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