Top 10 Craziest Docuseries You Need to Binge
#10: “McMillions” (2020)
Fair warning… there’s going to be a fair amount of murders and mysterious deaths on this list. “McMillions” is an outlier in this regard; it’s just about some good old-fashioned white collar crime! But as this HBO series proves, blood needn’t be shed to make an insane story. “McMillions” takes an in-depth look at a long-running case of fraud carried between 1989 and 2001 by Jerry Jacobson. As the head of security for the company handling McDonald’s annual monopoly game, he was able to steal the rarest property pieces and pass them along for a portion of the prize. Not only is the premise compelling, but the way it plays out often veers into the realm of the absurd thanks to the odd characters involved.
#9: “Making a Murderer” (2015-)
Top 10 Details Making a Murderer Left Out
This was arguably Netflix’s first megahit of a true crime docuseries, inspiring countless imitators.“Making a Murderer” follows the story of Steven Avery, a man who was wrongfully convicted of attempted murder and sexual assault. He served 18 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Then, just two years after his release, with his civil case pending against the county to the tune of $36 million, Avery once again found himself under arrest - this time for murder. Across the first season of the series, we’re presented with a riveting tale of questionable police work and an alleged frameup. The second season doesn’t pack quite the same punch, but is a worthy investigation of the US legal system.
#8: “Wormwood” (2017)
From 1953 to 1973, the CIA ran a covert mind control operation called Project MKUltra. That sentence might sound like something from a conspiracy theory reddit thread, comic book or sci-fi flick… but it’s now a matter of public record. Of course, before it came to the attention of the masses, the vast majority of the documentation was destroyed by order of then-CIA Director Richard Helms. And so decades later, even armed with the surviving declassified documents, we’re still putting together the pieces. In this six part miniseries, documentary filmmaker Errol Morris explores the CIA’s use of LSD, the suspicious death of scientist Eric Olson, and the enduring mystery of MKUltra.
#7: “The Pharmacist” (2020)
Top 20 Craziest Docuseries You Need to Binge
It’s only a matter of time until this one gets turned into a biopic. It’s that good. In 1999, disappointed by apathetic police efforts, small town pharmacist Dan Schneider took it upon himself to solve the murder of his son, who was killed while buying drugs. This quest for justice soon evolves, however, into a battle against the growing OxyContin epidemic. Like something out of a crime thriller, this mild-mannered pharmacist uncovers a trail of corruption and profit maximizing principles that goes all the way up to the top, implicating big pharma. It’s an incredible story, sure, but the docuseries also highlights the complexities of opioid abuse, and the ways in which it ties into questions of poverty, addiction and the American healthcare system.
#6: “The Staircase” (2004-)
Top 10 Best Netflix Original Docuseries
Though perhaps best known today as a Netflix original, the first season of this docuseries was released way back in 2004 under the french title “Soupçons”, meaning “suspicion”. As fans of the true crime genre know all too well, these cases often span decades, and so subsequent episodes were released in 2013 and 2018 respectively. “The Staircase” follows the trial of Michael Peterson, an American novelist convicted of killing his wife Kathleen. The name of the series is taken from a staircase which Peterson claims took his wife’s life. The forensic evidence however, suggests a different cause of death. The end result is a true crime thriller that’s inspired countless theories and which people are still revisiting years later.
#5: “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” (2015)
Top 10 Craziest Behind The Scenes Moments From The Mandalorian
The true crime genre is full of stories about people who went to jail for crimes they allegedly did not commit. Less common, however, are tales of suspected murderers who walk free despite being linked to the death of multiple people. But getting such an individual to agree to be interviewed for a docuseries? That’s almost unheard of. “The Jinx” explores the disappearance of Robert Durst’s wife Kathie, as well as the murders of his friend Susan Berman and neighbor Morris Black. Durst was considered a suspect in all three. We won’t give away the ending, but unlike so many docuseries of its kinds, this story actually has a relatively satisfying conclusion, with no shortage of twists along the way.
#4: “Don't F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer” (2018)
Top 10 Craziest Live TV FAILS of 2021
Murder… meet the internet age. There’s no mystery in this three-part Netflix original, but that doesn’t make it any less compelling, bingeable or disturbing. “Don't F**k With Cats” follows the rise to infamy of convicted murderer Luka Magnotta from the perspective of a community of online sleuths. Magnotta filmed himself killing a university student named Jun Lin and posted it online, subsequently becoming one of the most wanted men in the world. Before that, however, he’s thought to have been behind a video involving the torture and killing of two kittens. That’s the video that rallied an internet community, and this documentary is the story of how they tried to bring him to justice before he could kill again.
#3: “Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist'” (2018)
Top 20 Most Evil Power Rangers
Watch this docuseries at your own risk; you may never be able to enjoy pizza quite like you did before - or feel comfortable going to the bank. This deadly robbery has to be one of the strangest crimes in American history. “Evil Genius” tells the convoluted story of Brian Wells, a man who, after completing a bank heist, was killed when the explosive device on the collar around his neck went off. It’s like something out of a comic book (or the Saw franchise). Though the nature of Wells’ death is indeed morbid, it’s just one small piece of a complicated puzzle that will have you on the edge of your seat.
#2: “Wild Wild Country” (2018)
Who’s ready to take a trip down the rabbit hole? American history is made up of all manner of odd characters and strange chapters, but few can hold a candle to that of the Rajneeshpuram community. This controversial group, led by guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, left India in the 1980s and settled in Wasco County, Oregon. Though the community seemed to center around sexual liberation, meditation and dancing, Rajneesh was equally known for his love of material wealth. As the story progresses, the dream soon begins to unravel as tensions rise between Rajneeshpuram and the locals of Wasco County. Bioterrorism, a Rolls Royce collection, power struggles and questions of constitutional freedom - this documentary has got it all! Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “The Confession Tapes” (2017) “Cheer” (2020) “The Devil Next Door” (2019) “The Family” (2019) “The Confession Killer” (2019)
#1: “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness” (2020)
Top 10 Most Shocking Moments From Netflix's Tiger King
“Wild Wild Country” might have the word “wild” in its title twice… but when it comes to docuseries, it simply doesn't get any more wild than “Tiger King”. This explosively popular Netflix original series broke the internet in March of 2020, becoming a true cultural phenomenon. It’s about big cat collectors, breeders and conservationists. Specifically, it focuses on the bitter feud between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, two figures on opposing sides of the big cat debate. Both are wildly eccentric individuals, and as filmmakers Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin unravel this complex narrative, the twists and shocking reveals come fast and heavy. But honestly… no plot summary can prepare you for the insanity of “Tiger King”; you just have to watch it for yourself.
