UNBELIEVABLE TRUE CRIME
Tiger King, Killer Inside, Wormwood +
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably devoured every true-crime documentary known to man. You’ve listened to the podcasts and done the reading. Or you’re looking to delve into the genre. Either way, you’ll find this list of recent true crime documentaries will provide hours of material to fill any binge-a-thon. All are on Netflix (though that’s coincidence and not on purpose.) Enjoy, PROVOKRs.
TIGER KING
Tiger King took the world by storm when it dropped on Netflix in March. The story of big cat owners focuses on Joe Exotic, who ended up in prison for hiring someone to kill animal rights activist Carole Baskin. (Full disclosure: She also owns big cats, but she doesn’t breed them.) The eight-part series, full of zany characters, will hook you immediately. And you’ll ask yourself, “Did Carole kill her husband?”
WORMWOOD
Wormwood combines aspects of the traditional documentary with dramatic re-tellings featuring Peter Sarsgaard, Bob Balaban, Molly Parker and more. A CIA coverup is at the heart of this tragic tale. When an Army scientist throws himself out a window, his family uncovers a government experiment that leads to his death. It’s a harrowing and haunting story that remains with you long after you watch it.
THE INNOCENT MAN
The Innocent Man documents the story of a man on death row for 11 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Murders in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, serve as the backdrop for this John Grisham-produced series. Grisham wrote the accompanying novel of the same name. It’s a story you have to see to believe.
KILLER INSIDE: THE MIND OF AARON HERNANDEZ
NFL star Aaron Hernandez is at the helm of this three-part series. In 2013, Hernandez was convicted of murder. However, the moments that lead to his 2017 death are of prime interest in this story. The crime-sport documentary highlights the mental toll football takes on its players. By the end, you will feel sympathy for the killer.
DON’T F**K WITH CATS: HUNTING AN INTERNET KILLER
No, this isn’t related to Tiger King. When a video pops up on the internet of a man killing cats, a swarm of Facebook users band together to locate him before he hurts someone else. What they don’t realize is it becomes an international manhunt. Rule zero of the internet? Don’t F**k with Cats.
TELL ME WHO I AM
If you could wipe away a horrific memory, would you do it? What if it wasn’t your memory but that of your twin brother? That’s the premise of this 2019 documentary. It follows Alex Lewis, who loses his memory at age 18 in a car accident. Helping him recreate it is Marcus Lewis, who leaves out the elements of their childhood filled with sexual abuse. The emotional documentary will leave you breathless.
