What to Watch This Winter While You "Netflix & Chill"

Netflix has come a long way since its debut in 1998 as a DVD mail rental service. Millions of people use streaming services across the world and many people have opted to cancel cable altogether. Netflix is still the leader in streaming and has stepped up its game when it comes to true crime in the last few years. There is nothing I love more during these winter months then pouring a glass of wine, turning on a true-crime documentary and relaxing.

Documentary series such as Making a Murderer and Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes have allowed viewers to become armchair detectives and look into the mind of brutal killers. No matter what your interest is within the world of true crime, Netflix has something for you. I am constantly combing through the home menu for new suggestions on my Netflix account and recently have watched some pretty interesting programming. Here are my suggestions for those of you who enjoy avoiding the snow and binge-watching as much as I do!

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Mindhunter

If you know me, you know my ride or die TV crime drama is Criminal Minds on CBS. Well, Netflix's original series Mindhunter is my EXTREMELY close second. Therefore no matter what the season, I am always highly recommending this series to those who want to know more about the minds of serial and sexual offenders. You can stream the first two seasons now, and in my opinion, season two is even better than season one! It has not been confirmed yet whether there will be a season three or not, but fans are convinced they are just keeping them in suspense.

Side Note: I highly recommend catching up with all 14 seasons on Criminal Minds on Netflix. If you have not become addicted to this show as I have, I do not know what you are waiting for. Season 15 is on CBS now and sadly this will be the last season!

Dream/Killer

If your a fan of Making A Murderer and a supporter of Attorney Kathleen Zellner then you have to check out this two-hour documentary. Dream/Killer follows the incarceration and exoneration of Ryan Ferguson. I first came across Ryan's story after watching a short-lived series on MTV called Unlocking the Truth. I was fascinated by Ryan's story and kept up with him on social media. To my surprise, he was one of the top speakers at CrimeCon 2018, where I got to hear his story first hand and meet him in person. This documentary has been in the works for years and certainly brings to light the injustice that happens within our criminal justice system. I hope the film makers of this documentary revisit Ryan's story in a follow up episode.

Unbelievable

This Netflix original series focuses less on murder and more on the culture of rape within our society. This series is eye-opening for both the male and female population on how rape victims are sometimes treated by law enforcement, medical personnel, and their family members. This is a documentary where there are strong female lead actor roles, which is a breath of fresh air within the true crime world. In my opinion, this series is very astonishing and informative to a social issue that does not get enough recognition in our society.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

This made my recommendation list for a few different reasons. First, I was extremely impressed by the acting portrayed by Zac Efron. I thought he did a fantastic job playing Ted Bundy and allowed viewers to get a sense of who Ted was before, during and after his murder regime. Secondly, I loved that this story did not focus on gruesome crime scenes or details about Bundy's murders. The story was told through the eyes of his long-time girlfriend, who eventually turned him into law enforcement. This view point puts a unique spin on a serial killer story that many of us already know oh so well.

Abducted in Plain Sight

I know most people have already watched this utterly disturbing documentary series but if you have not... YOU NEED TO! Even if you are not into true crime I would recommend viewing this twisted series. I do not want to spoil any of the shocking moments but I promise while watching this documentary you will constantly be thinking "what the f**k". Just when you think the story can not get any more twisted...BAM! This documentary will defiantly pull you in and make you grab the popcorn for the long haul.

The Confession Killer

This was my most recent binge on a Sunday where I was home doing laundry and relaxing before a busy week. This series is only a few episodes but provides a lot of information to the viewer. The baffling story of Henry Lee Lucas is told, who is said to be one of the worst serial killers ever to be caught. I quickly started second-guessing Lucas and what I was being told. This docuseries is one that makes you think and wonder "how could he have done what he is saying he did". It is hard to not experience some doubt after listening to the details of Lucas's case.

Don't F*** with Cats

I kept seeing this pop up on my Netflix and all over my social media. A co-worker asked me one day if I watched it and was shocked when I told her I hadn't. I finally had the chance to watch it one Tuesday evening and had two thoughts afterward: 1- these people have extremely to much free time and 2- what a crazy case with so many twists and turns! This is not a "searching for a serial killer" documentary, it is told by citizens that wanted to find an online animal abuser and turns in to soooo much more. Check it out and see for yourself. This will only take a few hours of your time to finish and if you are like me (and my boyfriend), you will be sucked right in!

Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez

I had to add this one to the list since it was released during the writing of this blog. Almost everyone is aware of the case of the NFL star turned murderer: Aaron Hernandez. Unfortunately, Hernandez took his own life, while waiting for an appeal, after being convicted and sentenced to prison. This three-episode documentary explores his career in the NFL and his down ward spiral after the death of his father. The motive for his suicide is unknown and there is many who speculate that his sexuality played a role. Others believe he was trying to set his future wife and daughter up financially for life. No matter what side of the argument you agree with, one can agree this is a unique case that left many unanswered questions.

I hope you have found some of these Netflix suggestions helpful. All of the suggestions above are Netflix original programs and can only be found by subscribing to the streaming service. If your a lover of true crime content and have not made the monthly commitment to Netflix, I would highly recommend doing so if your budget allows. As always feel free to connect me with your suggestions or maybe even your thoughts on one of these! I would love to hear what your binge-watching this winter.

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