Curating a list of the best true crime documentaries is no simple task. The genre, which has exploded in the decade or so since Netflix’s Emmy-winning Making a Murderer and the release of podcasts like Serial, has become somewhat overcrowded, with streamers tripping over themselves to dredge up cold cases or salaciously recount traumatic events in hopes of producing the next big hit.
That said, if you’re a fan of the genre and fancy yourself an amateur sleuth, there are plenty of well-made true crime documentaries that are very much worth watching. Whether made in an attempt to expose miscarriages of justice or unpack mysteries that remain unsolved, the best true crime documentaries are as riveting as they are perplexing. Below, discover eight true crime docs that are worth getting stuck into.
The Perfect Neighbor
Courtesy of Netflix.
Firstly, Oscar-nominated The Perfect Neighbor is a real feat of filmmaking. Comprised mostly of pre-existing police body-cam footage, and with limited narration, Geeta Gandbhir’s 2025 documentary traces the events leading up to, and the aftermath of, the deadly shooting of Ajike Owens by her white neighbour, Susan Louise Lorincz. More than that, though, The Perfect Neighbor plainly lays out the reality of systematic racial biases, especially with regards to Florida’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law.
