The True Crime Boom: Morbid Curiosity Hits Mainstream

Discover the Most-Watched True Crime Shows Everyone Is Streaming Right Now

Have you ever caught yourself in a spiral of binge-watching true crime documentaries on Netflix for hours and hours on end with no break? Whether it be the Diddy case that’s been taking over mainstream news, or the popularity of cannibal based murder cases like the Jeffrey Dahmer Netflix series.

This morbid curiosity to understand a murderer’s mind, motive, and moves is no longer just an isolated experience, but a full-blown cultural phenomenon. True crime has always intrigued audiences with its complex murder cases, financial crime scandals, and unsolved murders, which not many have an appetite for.

In this article, we will dissect the boom of True Crime, from its fanatic fan base to the ethical concerns surrounding its impact on real-life victims. 

Also, check out the editor’s choice of the best TV shows and films to watch in 2025 here.

What is True Crime? 

(Hellerman, April 2nd,2024 ) True crime is a genre of non-fiction that focuses on real-life crimes, which are usually violent, and the individuals involved in them. This can include murder cases, kidnappings, robberies, financial crime, and other criminal activities. 

True crime stories, whether it is based on a true story or it is a long-form investigative pieces, often explore the motivations and psychology of crime, often taking insights from crime psychology to understand criminal behaviour, as well as what drives murderers, the accused, and sometimes the innocent. 

They can take many forms, such as books, podcasts, TV shows, documentaries, or explainer reels on social media platforms.

The psychology behind why people like True Crime

In a study conducted by Vivint blog on the popularity and impact of True Crime content, it was found that True crime fans spend an average of 3.8 hours per week consuming true crime, primarily through Netflix, which was the most popular platform to stream true crime documentaries and true crime shows.

Another self-reported study showed that there were a variety of reasons for the growing interest in true crime stories.

• 73% said that they watched it out of curiosity
• 46% said that they had found it entertaining
• 45% said that they liked the mystery element related to murder cases or unsolved murders
• 33% said they watched it for the storytelling
• 32% said that they found the genre to be fascinating
• 10% said that they watched it for the adrenaline boost

While the remaining 7% of respondents reported that they watched to better prepare themselves for potential real-life threats such as robbery, financial crime, or encounters with murderers. 

Some other reasons stated by the general public for their interest in True crime are due to the psychology of crime, which allows viewers to be immersed in the content, not fully, but just enough for escapism from real-life situations.

It becomes a puzzle for their mind to solve while piecing together the different motives and outcomes involving those who are accused, guilty or innocent. Thus leading to the binge watching culture around true crime podcasts, true crime books, and reality television that further amplifies this phenomenon, by offering stories that are intriguing for the audience.

Why do Women like True Crime?

In reports studying the demographic details of true crime viewers, it was found that white women made up the largest demographic that enjoyed the true crime genre.

A hypothesis was formed from this that women are more likely to consume true crime content compared to men, due to the constant anxiety surrounding the fear of being attacked, so they combat this by turning to true crime to learn how to better handle a threat.

In some cases, since most of the victims covered by true crime documentaries and true crime podcasts are primarily white women, this also creates an audience that is targeted for other white women to consume leisurely, as they can insert themselves into the content. This, then, creates an idea that there is “only one type of victim” whose stories are worth listening to—thus reducing the victims from marginalised groups and communities to merely statistics. 

Also, read about celebrities who are making a difference by using their platform to advocate for human rights here.

How Streaming Platforms are fuelling the True Crime Boom: 

Streaming platforms are undoubtedly a major driving force behind the current surge in popularity of true crime content. Here's how they're fuelling the boom:

I. Better Accessibility to various streaming platforms:

Popular streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime provide easy access to hundreds of true crime documentaries, true crime shows, and true crime stories that keep users entertained with unsolved murder cases for endless hours from anywhere, at any time. This easy access makes it simpler for audiences to deep dive into cases and different genres of films.

II. Binge-watching culture:

Many shows that have been released in the past few years have had full season drops that encourage binge watching, to deepen viewer engagement, and feed into their obsession with shows surrounding murder cases, robberies, and financial crime narratives. Platforms also benefit from engagement by profiting from viewers' interest in deep dives about the psychology of crime.

III. High Production Value:

Streaming platforms invest heavily in high-quality true crime productions that feature in-depth investigations, professional narrative-based storytelling, and immersive experiences with high-definition video and sound. This helps to elevate the genre beyond traditional reality television broadcasts and makes it much more appealing to a wider audience who are interested in the psychology of crime and murder cases that feel as gripping as a narrative that is based on a true story.

IV. Availability of a variety of formats: 

Streaming platforms not only provide multiple genres of true crime documentaries and shows to binge-watch but also offer a diverse range of formats for the audience to choose from. This can be fictionalized dramas or even interactive experiences that cater to different engaging ways for audiences to explore the genre of crime psychology, robbery or unsolved murders.

V. Global Reach and the Niche Genre: 

Streaming services now have a larger grip over global audiences, allowing them to bring true crime stories that have happened around the world to a wider audience. They can also cater to the niche interests within the true crime genre by addressing cases that don’t have much mainstream media coverage. This leads the community of true crime enthusiasts to continue expanding as more cases come to attention. 

VI. Social Media and Community Engagement:

Social media platforms like Reddit, Instagram, X, and YouTube can often create feedback loops for true crime content. The constant discourse and theories from enthusiasts within the community contribute to the genre’s popularity and create a sense of kinship amongst viewers. A growing community also allows viewers to help crowdsource the investigation and advocate for the victims caught in the crime. 

VII. Authentic and Cost-Effective Content: 

As more and more streaming platforms that are focused entirely on true crime come out every day, platforms are prioritising cost-effective unscripted content to get viewer subscriptions. True crime documentaries then become an attractive option for streaming platforms to maintain engagement without any additional costs.

Top platforms to watch True Crime documentaries and Series:

Looking for the best places to stream gripping true crime stories? Here's a quick guide to the top platforms serving up the most chilling documentaries and series.

Popular Streaming Platforms: 

Netflix:

Netflix has been known for its extensive collection of long-form true crime documentaries and limited docu-series, many of which are based on true stories that are perfect for a weekend of binge-watching and escapism.

Why you should watch it: These shows often explore the psychology of crime and present chilling murderers and unsolved murders that border on reality television.

How much does it costs? A Netflix subscription in the United States ranges from $6.99 to $24.99 per month, depending on the chosen plan and features, with no extra costs or contracts. 

The most notable True crime documentaries and docu-series to watch on Netflix are:

• The Menendez Brothers
• American Murder: The Family Next Door
• Girl in the Picture
• The Tinder Swindler
• What Jennifer Did

Hulu:

Why you should watch it: Hulu offers a wide variety of true crime documentaries and dramatic versions of true crime shows in its growing library of the true crime genre, while maintaining the pace of reality television.  

How much does it cost: A standard Hulu subscription with ads in the US costs $9.99 per month, or an alternative ad-free plan for $18.99 per month. Students are also offered a subscription with ads for $1.99 per month.

The most notable True crime documentaries and docu-series to watch on Hulu are:

• Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini
• How I Caught My Killer
• Wild Crime: Blood Mountain
• Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence
• Web of Death

HBO Max (Now Max):

Max provides high-quality, long-form true crime documentaries that are well-produced and follow an investigative narrative of the psychology of crime, which often explore stories that are based on true stories. 

Why you should watch it: These stories cover sensitive issues related to robberies, abuse, and unsolved murders, presented with emotional depth and often framed with sensationalism that appeals to fans of true crime books and true crime podcasts.

How much does it costs? A Max subscription in the US costs $9.99 per month for the basic plan with ads, and $16.99 per month for the standard plan. Annual plans offer a 16% savings for a viewer compared to monthly billing.

The most notable True crime documentaries and docu-series to watch on HBO Max are:

• Allen V Farrow
• Autopsy
• Breath of Fire
• The Vow
• Mind over Murder

Peacock TV:

Peacock is a recent streaming platform that has taken over the cultural landscape of true crime shows.

Why you should watch it: It focuses on recent murder cases, robberies, and Dateline-style storytelling in the form of reality television, often told with the emotional urgency of true crime, similar to true crime podcasts.

How much does it cost? The monthly cost of a peacock subscription in the US is $10.99 with ads and $16.99 for ad-free, with an increase for new subscribers, and after the first billing cycle. 

The most notable True crime documentaries and docu-series to watch on Peacock TV:

• Anatomy of Lies (2024)
• Bloodline Detectives
• Cruise Ship Killers (2022-present)
• Dr Death
• Gypsy Rose: Life after Lock Up

YouTube (Premium and Free):

YouTube now has a growing archive of independent creators, investigative journalists, and videos from true crime podcasts that film and produce their docu-series or explore unsolved murders. 

Why you should watch it: These often blend crime psychology with the thrill of reality television, making them ideal for binge-watching or even the discovery of lesser-known true crime books and cases.

How much idoes t costs: YouTube Premium has different pricing tiers. In the US, the individual plan costs $13.99 per month, and the family plan is $22.99 per month for up to five members. It also offers a student plan for $7.99 per month.

The most notable True crime documentaries and docu-series to watch on YouTube:

• Real Stories
• Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime
• Criminally Listed
• JCS – Criminal Psychology
• This is MONSTERS

Top True Crime Podcasts:

Here is a list of true crime podcasts to listen to in 2025 for lovers of crime psychology, unsolved murders, sensationalism, and interesting narratives: 

The Apology Line:

Overview: A phone number gets posted across the streets of New York City in the early 80s, into which strangers can spill their secrets through voicemail. What started as a social experiment took a life of its own as Allan Bridge, aka ‘Mr Apology’ found himself tapping into the dark side of the human Psyche. 

Why you should watch it: This pioneering podcast redefined true crime podcasts, as it explores real murder cases and probes the innocent, the guilty, and the system’s flaws. Perfect for fans of true crime stories, looking for escapism for the weekend. This show unfolds like a true crime documentary, rich with eerie confessions involving robberies, emotional manipulation, and even murderers.

Where to watch it: It’s available on Spotify.

The Kill List:

Overview: Imagine someone rings you out of the blue to tell you that they had found your name and address on a murder-for-hire website on the dark web by someone you know. This podcast follows tech journalist Carl Millie as he tracks down as many people as possible who appear on the list, alongside a number of frustratingly slow police investigations. It's a gripping tale based on a true story that also explores how digital footprints intersect with financial crime and conspiracy.

Why you should watch it: This true crime podcast is a must for anyone who is drawn to suspenseful narratives that are not only based on a true story but also give audiences an insight into the workings of law enforcement.

Where to watch it: It’s available on Spotify

The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby:

Overview: This true crime podcast follows Kaitlyn, a young woman in crisis, who is pregnant after experiencing sexual assault and tries to reach out to dozens of birth workers to help her through a series of unrelenting disasters. The narrative that follows is as raw as any true crime book, revealing the dark underbelly of trust violations. 

Why you should watch it: Not only is this podcast well produced and carefully told, but a reminder that scammers exist in the most unexpected of places, and are not always driven by monetary gain.

Where to watch it: It’s available on Spotify.

My Favourite Murder:

Overview: A true crime podcast for true crime junkies who don’t take themselves too seriously. My Favourite Murder is a biweekly safe space for comedians and hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark to break down the murder cases that keep them up at night. The comedic focus makes it feel like reality television.

Why you should watch it: These murder cases are not only about coping with fear but also exploring the psychology of crime, and finding solidarity in the phrase, “stay sexy and don’t get murdered”. This true crime podcast is smart, emotionally honest, and oddly uplifting.

Where to watch it: It’s available on Spotify.

The Shrink Next Door:

Overview: The Shrink Next Door is a bizarre tale led by the charismatic host Joe Nocera, A New York Times Journalist, who decides to dive into cases after his psychotherapist neighbour, Ike Herschkopf, mysteriously disappears. 

Why you should watch it: This true crime podcast looks at how therapy can sometimes go very wrong. If you’re a true crime sleuth who is interested in the psychology of crime, true crime stories based on a true story, or just loves slow-burning, sensationalism-free narratives with reality television-like shocking twists, then this is the right fit for you.

Where to watch it: It’s available on Spotify.

Conclusion: 

True crime continues to captivate audiences by offering deeply human stories that are often filled with mystery, emotion, and moral complexity. These narratives draw in audiences not just for the suspense, but also to understand what drives individuals to commit horrible crimes, and how the justice systems respond.

True crime podcasts and true crime documentaries do not just endure audiences but also entertain while leaving them with endless questions, thus pulling them in for more. Whether it’s a surprising twist, a slow-burning investigation, or a personal account of resilience, true crime documentaries are able to tap into something that is universally compelling: the need to make sense of the chaos in the world around us.

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