Top 10 True Crime Series of 2022 Ranked from Least to Most Accurate
#10: “The Watcher”
Top 20 True Crime Series of The Century (So Far)
This Netflix series was inspired by the real-life story of Derek and Maria Broaddus, who were terrorized by an anonymous person calling themselves “The Watcher.” It’s a wild story on its own, but creator Ryan Murphy still wanted to up the drama. Unlike the fictional Brannock family in the show, the Broadduses never moved into the Westfield, New Jersey home. Nor was it a lakeside mansion. And while they dealt with some odd townspeople, they weren’t harassed by creepy neighbors, and didn’t live next to any possible blood cults. They also never found secret tunnels in the basement, or discovered that previous residents were murdered. “The Watcher” has the basic details of the real story but overall, the series is heavily fictionalized.
#9: “Inventing Anna”
The Shocking True Story of Inventing Anna
Though it’s based on Jessica Pressler’s 2018 New York Magazine exposé, “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People,” Netflix’s “Inventing Anna” doesn’t claim to be 100% accurate. Each episode begins with a disclaimer: “This whole story is completely true. Except for all the parts that are totally made up.” Many of the “made up” parts have to do with the fictional stand-in for Pressler, reporter Vivian Kent, who convinces Anna to go to trial, helps Anna’s lawyer with the case, and tries to break into her parents’ home in Germany. According to Pressler, that’s all fiction. Anna’s former friend and victim Rachel Williams also filed a lawsuit for the negative way she’s depicted, calling the way the series mixes fact and fiction “dangerous.”
#8: “The Staircase”
The Shocking True Story of The Staircase
This drama series is based on Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s 2004 docuseries about writer Michael Peterson, who was accused of killing his wife Kathleen. The Peterson family, de Lestrade, and Michael Peterson’s former defense attorney David Rudolf have spoken out against series creator Antonio Campos for altering real events. According to Rudolf, the series includes fictitious moments with his client and inaccurate depictions of legal proceedings. The show also suggested that the documentary team was biased, manipulating footage in Peterson’s favor. Editor Sophie Brunet has criticized the show for implying that her romantic relationship with Peterson, which began later than depicted in the drama, affected her work on the docuseries.
#7: “Under the Banner of Heaven”
The Horrifying True Story of Under the Banner of Heaven
Hulu’s series “Under the Banner of Heaven” details the 1984 murders of Brenda Lafferty and her young daughter Erica, committed by her brother-in-laws Ron and Dan Lafferty. The brothers held extremist fundamentalist Mormon beliefs and claimed to have killed them based on a revelation from God. Like the book it’s based on by Jon Krakauer, the series received criticism from Mormon writers and historians, who objected to its negative portrayal. A lot of the show’s characters are completely fictional. Former American Fork Police Chief Randy Johnson said he couldn’t recognize “any actual person” and that the show doesn’t “reflect the actual investigation”. Brenda’s sister Sharon Wright Weeks called the series “absolute fiction”, saying her sister isn’t truthfully represented.
#6: “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”
Top 10 Scariest Moments from the Jeffrey Dahmer Netflix Series
Ryan Murphy’s series about serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer sparked a lot of controversy, especially among relatives of Dahmer’s victims. While it’s largely accurate, creators still took some creative liberties with the details. The Milwaukee officers who returned a victim to Dahmer didn’t receive an award. Nor did Dahmer’s grandma help save a victim. But the biggest departure from real events was the character Glenda Cleveland. While she did call the police on Dahmer, she didn’t live next door to him, but rather in an apartment building nearby. Cleveland is an important figure in the case, but she doesn’t seem to have interacted with Dahmer himself, and wasn’t offered a meat sandwich. The show seems to have combined her with Dahmer’s real-life neighbor Pamela Bass.
#5: “The Girl From Plainville”
The Shocking True Story of The Girl from Plainville
The tragic death of Massachusetts teenager Conrad Roy made headlines in 2014 for its unprecedented circumstances. His girlfriend Michelle Carter was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for encouraging him via text to take his own life. Hulu’s “The Girl From Plainville” mostly sticks to the facts of the case, including her obsession with “Glee” and struggles with blurring real life and fantasy. Since Conrad and Michelle mostly communicated in text messages, new scenes were written to show them speaking face-to-face. A few names were changed in the series, like Michelle’s closest friend Susie Pierce, who didn’t exist in real-life. However, the character is likely based on a former softball teammate of Michelle’s with whom she had a similarly intense relationship that ended abruptly.
#4: “Candy”
The Shocking True Story of Candy
In 1980, Candace “Candy” Montgomery murdered church friend Betty Gore with an ax , in the small town of Wylie, Texas - striking 41 times. She claimed self-defense and ultimately was found not guilty. When it comes to a story like this, it can be difficult to accurately represent the truth when very few people know it themselves. In the Hulu series “Candy”, the story is told mostly from her point of view, showing her affair with Betty’s husband, and her version of events. However, writers and producers of the series consulted journalists who wrote about the case extensively, in addition to using court transcripts and doctor notes as references.
#3: “The Dropout”
Top 10 True Crime Documentaries to Watch in 2022
The bizarre saga of Elizabeth Holmes and her defunct company Theranos has been the subject of various media, including ABC’s hit podcast “The Dropout.” Hulu’s series of the same name dramatized all of the absurdity, including Holmes’ alleged voice change and Steve Jobs-inspired wardrobe. However, some characters are fictional stand-ins for real people, like ‘Rakesh Madhava’ as Shaunak Roy, and engineer ‘Brendan Morris’ as Tony Nugent. A few moments are exaggerated for dramatic effect, like when chief design architect Ana Arriola left the company. Rather than an explosive exchange where she and her entire team quit on the spot, Arriola turned in a letter of resignation. Aside from minor details though, “The Dropout” is one of the most factually accurate true crime dramatizations around.
#2: “Black Bird”
The Shocking True Story of Black Bird
The story of Jimmy Keene, a football star turned drug dealer turned FBI informant is one fit for the screen. Based on Keene’s autobiography, AppleTV+’s series “Black Bird” details his undercover mission to get a confession from suspected serial killer Larry Hall. With Keene on board as executive producer, the series rarely deviated from actual events. FBI agent Lauren McCauley, who enlists his help in obtaining a confession, is a composite character based on multiple people. Writer Dennis Lehane gave the dramatized Keene an internal struggle to overcome as the series plays out. However, those creative adjustments never distract from the central story.
#1: “A Friend of the Family”
Top 10 True Crime Series You Need To Binge
True crime fans likely know about Netflix’s 2017 documentary, “Abducted in Plain Sight” because it’s truly stranger than fiction. In 1970s Idaho, 12-year-old Jan Broberg was kidnapped by family friend Robert Berchtold, and two years later, he took her again. Peacock’s “A Friend of the Family” retells the harrowing experience, and Broberg herself was heavily involved with the production. She acted as a consultant as well as a producer, along with her mother, Mary Ann. From the set design to the outfits to the actors’ performances, Jan Broberg’s collaboration with series creators helped make a chillingly realistic series which she believes is “as close as it can be.”
