20 essential movies and TV series based on true crime

Based on a true story about a family in New Jersey who bought their dream home only to find out that it came with a creepy stalker, this Hulu series stars Jennifer Coolidge, Naomi Watts, and Bobby Cannavale. 

This story, based on the actual relationship between its titular character and a California woman, is almost too weird to believe. Listen to the L.A. Times podcast first, then stream the Bravo series starring Connie Britton on Peacock. 

Ryan Murphy takes on one of the most notorious cases in all of true-crime history in "The People vs. O.J. Simpson." Thanks to a star-packed cast, including excellent performances from John Travolta and Sarah Paulson, it's worth watching even if you feel like you already know everything there is to know about the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. 

Directed by Aaron Sorkin, this Netflix film is based on the trial of the Chicago 7, a group of activists who were arrested and charged with conspiracy after the fiasco that was the 1968 Democratic National Convention. It stars Sacha Baron Cohen as the radical activist Abbie Hoffmann, and "Succession" star Jeremy Strong as Jerry Rubin, who founded the Yippies. 

If you're planning a surgery any time soon, you may not actually want to watch "Dr. Death." This Peacock series tells the story of Dr. Christopher Dunstch, a Texas spinal surgeon who maimed his patients, some of whom died, in botched surgeries. 

This Netflix series, based on the 1995 book "Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit," is a must for anyone who appreciates the science — and art — of criminal profiling. 

It's nearly impossible to believe that this Clint Eastwood film is based on a true story. It centers around the 1928 disappearance of a California boy who's later reunited with his mother...or so it seems. Angelina Jolie stars as the mother, who's convinced that she's being lied to, in this harrowing story. Stream on HBO Max. 

This 1967 film is based on Truman Capote's groundbreaking true-crime book of the same name, and is arguably responsible for kicking off our national true crime obsession. For those unfamiliar with the story, it's based on the true story of a family that was murdered in Holcomb, Kansas in what was originally intended to be a robbery. Stream on YouTube or Amazon Prime. 

Named after the "spotlight" team at the Boston Globe, this film depicts a group of journalists as they seek to unravel a child sex abuse scandal within the Catholic church, which later earned the organization a Pulitzer Prize. The film, starring Stanley Tucci, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams, was equally lauded, and took home the Best Picture award at the Academy Awards. 

Starring Zac Efron as the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" begins just as the walls are starting to close in on Bundy after the killing of multiple women. The film, available for streaming on Netflix, takes its name from comments made by the judge who sentenced Bundy to the death penalty in 1979. 

Starring Amy Ryan and Dean Winters, "Lost Girls" is the harrowing story of a group of young sex workers on Long Island who were killed by a serial killer who still has not been identified. Stream it on Netflix. 

Amanda Seyfried is uncanny as Elizabeth Holmes, the Silicon Valley CEO who is on her way to prison for defrauding investors over her company's technology — or lack thereof — in this Hulu dramatization of the Theranos saga. 

Colin Firth stars as Michael Peterson, the North Carolina man who was first convicted of murdering his wife after she fell from a staircase in their home. Peterson's conviction was later reduced to manslaughter, but don't be surprised if this series doesn't inspire more questions than answers. Stream on Netflix. 

This 2002 Spielberg classic is among the great true crime films, and is based on the dubiously 'true' story of Frank Abagnale, a legendary fraudster who participated in a wide range of schemes, some decidedly more outlandish than the other. Stream on HBO Max. 

Director Ava DuVernay's acclaimed series "When They See Us" is equal parts gripping and devastating. Based on the true story of five men who were wrongfully accused of sexual assault in New York City in 1989, it's an unflinching look at the injustices that are often perpetrated in the American criminal justice system. Stream on Netflix. 

This series, based on the murder of a Missouri woman, stars Renee Zellweger as the unhinged Pam Hupp, a woman who is as unpleasant as she is deadly. Its arguably flippant tone has inspired criticism, but Zellweger's portrayal of Hupp makes it worth watching. Stream on Amazon Prime Video. 

Charlize Theron stuns in this Oscar-winning portrayal of notorious female serial killer Aileen Wuornos, who admitted to killing seven men in her time as a sex worker. Theron's performance is especially nuanced in "Monster," delving deep into Wuornos's traumatic childhood and adult life. 

Based on an actual investigation into a series of sexual assaults in Colorado and Washington, "Unbelievable" tells the story of a woman who is charged with a crime after authorities believe she lied about being sexually assaulted. The truth, though, is much more complicated, and was only discovered after extensive reporting. Stream on Netflix. 

Brian De Palma brought noir — and one of the 20th century's most notorious murders — into 2006 with "The Black Dahlia." Starring Josh Hartnett and Scarlett Johansson, this film feels a little campy in 2023, but it's still a good way to start learning about this still-unsolved crime. Stream on YouTube or Vudu. 

Oliver Stone's take on one of the most chilling crimes in American history — the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas — is a must for anyone who can't get enough of the history (and conspiracy theories) tied to this shocking event. Stream on HBO Max.