MISSING: DEAD OR ALIVE Season 2 on Netflix offers two new exciting missing person cases, where we follow the investigation. It’s intense and scary in its raw realism, but also proves just how important the work of these investigators is. Read our full Missing: Dead or Alive? S2 review here!

MISSING: DEAD OR ALIVE Season 2 is now on Netflix with four new episodes. These four episodes cover two missing person cases, and if you’ve watched season 1, then you know the drill. We come in right at the beginning of a person being reported as missing and follow the police officers on the case.

DO CHECK OUT…

Our review of Missing: Dead or Alive? Season 1 right here >

Fair warning, and tiny spoiler, season 2 opens with a case that is resolved within hours. Just a little “taste” to help us see that a quick reaction and tactical approach can yield quick (and happy) results. Then we move on to the first of the two cases in this second season, and it gets more complicated.

Continue reading our S2 review of Missing: Dead or Alive below – and find it on Netflix now.

The season 2 cases on Missing: Dead or Alive

With this second season of the true crime Netflix docu-series, we get two cases. Okay, three, if you count the brief opening case, which just helps set the stage.

The first full case is about a young man who vanishes right after Thanksgiving. His phone, valet, and medication are all still in his apartment, which means the detectives are off to a tough start. Next, they’ll learn of the various issues and struggles of his neighbors, who all highlight what a wonderful young man he was. This case takes up the first two episodes.

Next is a case about a young woman who seemingly disappears in the dead of night. Once again, the investigators in the missing persons unit must find puzzles in many different places to try to piece together the full picture. Both cases take place in Columbia, South Carolina.

You’d want this team on your case

As complex and tricky as these investigations are, the people working on them are relentless. They clearly work on these missing persons cases because they have an unbelievable drive to help their loved ones. And the victim themselves, of course.

For the record, the title is very literal, as you can never be certain whether the missing person will be found dead or alive. If at all?!

This is true crime, so we follow the investigation wherever it leads. This means following leads that turn out to be dead ends, those that lead to a happy reunion, or handing over the case to homicide.

Just like in season 1, we’re with the officers from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department Missing Persons Unit in Columbia, South Carolina. From what I’ve seen in these two seasons, you’d want this team on your case. In this age of strange shootings, ICE, and corrupt cops, a Netflix series like Missing: Dead or Alive is great PR for the police in the US.

Watch Missing: Dead or Alive Season 2 on Netflix now

The four episodes in season 2 of Missing: Dead or Alive are directed by Alex Irvine-Cox and are absolutely worth watching. This isn’t true crime in the documentary feature sense, where you can look back and piece together the pieces to make a pretty picture. Instead, it’s happening in real-time, and so the “Dead or Alive?” element of the title is very relevant.

A happy ending to these cases is never a given!

According to the US Department of Justice’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), people go missing in America every single day. In fact, the number is higher than 1,500 people. A number that no doubt doesn’t include anyone unfortunate to get into contact with ICE, and that’s a whole other challenge.

With kidnappings as well as missing persons cases of any other variety, the old saying is still key: The longer a person is missing, the less likely they are to be found alive. Check out these new cases in season 2 to know the outcome this time around.

Missing: Dead or Alive Season 2 is out on Netflix from November 24, 2025.

Plot

A young woman disappears in the dead of night. A man vanishes without his vital possessions. Police tackle new cases in this chilling true-crime series.

ZODIAC KILLER PROJECT is a new true crime documentary about a documentary that was never made. Yes, this is a documentary about the making of a true crime documentary that never was. Coming out in theaters now. Read our full Zodiac Killer Project documentary review here!

ZODIAC KILLER PROJECT is a documentary about making a true crime documentary. It was supposed to be a true crime documentary feature about the Zodiac killer. However, this was to be based on a specific book, and just as the documentary filmmaker is getting ready to start shooting, the rights to the book fall through.

Instead, he made a documentary about the true crime documentary he had planned on making. The runtime is 91 minutes, which works well for this project. Overall, this is an intriguing watch, though I have to say that I found the filmmaker a little annoying at times. Then again, this works for the project, in a roundabout way.

Continue reading our review of the Zodiac Killer Project documentary below.

A documentary about true crime documentaries

With Zodiac Killer Project, we’re getting a documentary about the true crime Zodiac documentary that the filmmaker was planning to make. However, it turns into something bigger than just his own true crime production.

In fact, this ends up being equal parts about the specific Zodiac documentary that never was and the familiar formulaic approach to true crime documentary productions.

This means Zodiac Killer Project features a lot of clips from many of the most famous and successful true crime documentaries. Seeing clips from all of them makes it obvious that the typical true crime documentaries all look very similar.

This will forever change how you watch true crime

It’s so strange to recognize the very obvious patterns of true crime documentary filmmaking. From the title sequence that utilizes lots of the same ingredients, to various clips meant to evoke nostalgia or suspicion, and moving on to how interviews are made.

Watching this will forever change how you watch true crime documentaries in the future. In fact, the first true crime documentary I watched after Zodiac Killer Project was The Carman Family Deaths, and I noticed all these formulaic elements.

Also, I realized that this Netflix documentary was probably around the same quality as the Zodiac Killer Project documentary would have been, had it been made.

Watch Zodiac Killer Project in theaters

Zodiac Killer Project was made by Charlie Shackleton, and I have to admit the Zodiac documentary he was describing did not sound good. Maybe because he seemed to have an almost arrogant approach to true crime. I mean, if he wanted to just make a copy-paste average Netflix documentary production, why would anyone want this guy to have the rights to their book?!

Then again, maybe part of the reason is to be found in Charlie Shackleton being annoyed that he didn’t get to make a true crime documentary. If he couldn’t make his own, he could attack those others have made. Also, for the record, you cannot talk about true crime documentaries and suddenly point out elements from season 1 of Monster about Jeffrey Dahmer. That was not a documentary!

Maybe watching this will help you recognize why you enjoy the kind of true crime you do. For me, it certainly did. I realized that I prefer those that utilize body cam and surveillance footage. Mostly because it focuses on facts, not just setting the stage and trying to make its viewers feel something.

DO CHECK OUT…

Our review of The Perfect Neighbor which focuses on facts >

Overall, I would recommend watching Zodiac Killer Project as a study in true crime filmmaking. However, don’t expect to learn more about the Zodiac serial killer or about how to make a good or original true crime documentary. Clearly, this was never the goal of Charlie Shackleton in any case.

Zodiac Killer Project is out in N.Y. theaters on November 21, S.F. theaters on November 28, and expands to limited theaters in December 2025.

Details

Director: Charlie Shackleton

Plot

Against the backdrop of deserted spaces, a filmmaker explores his abandoned Zodiac Killer documentary, delving into the true crime genre’s inner workings at a saturation point.

THE CARMAN FAMILY DEATHS on Netflix is a true crime documentary that deals more in theories than facts. Often by necessity, but maybe that’s a sign that this documentary simply should not have been made. Read our full The Carman Family Deaths documentary review here!

THE CARMAN FAMILY DEATHS is a Netflix documentary in the true crime subgenre. Or rather, this one could also be described as a cold case documentary. I say this because it isn’t based on facts as much as theories. And everyone can pass off their own theory as if that was what actually happened, but nothing is as definitive as it appears.

The runtime is just 90 minutes, which is a good thing. It is also a fascinating watch, but that doesn’t mean it’s particularly good. Watch it if you’re in the mood for a very run-of-the-mill Netflix true crime documentary, but don’t expect too many answers.

Continue reading our review of The Carman Family Deaths documentary below. Find it on Netflix now.

Mother and son lost at sea

While we begin with a case in September 2016, an unsolved murder from 2013 is actually the first case. But I’m getting ahead of the chronology of the Netflix documentary.

With The Carman Family Deaths Netflix documentary, the story begins with the disappearance of 54-year-old Linda Carman in September 2026. She had gone fishing with her 22-year-old son, Nathan, as many times before. However, when Linda failed to contact a friend the next day, both Linda and Nathan were reported missing.

More than a week later, Nathan Carman is found alive in a life raft. His mother, Linda Carman, has never been found. This leads to Nathan being a suspect, which is only made worse by the fact that he has autism and doesn’t respond in ways that the investigators “like”.

And also by the fact that he has already been a suspect in another murder case.

The first murder case in the family

In 2013, Nathan’s grandfather, millionaire real estate developer John Chakalos, was found murdered in his bed. Because Nathan was the last known person to see him alive, he was an immediate suspect. The facts do not quite match up, but the police seem to take a more “open-minded” approach to the time of death, when a later hour matches better with when Nathan has no alibi.

For the record, I have no idea if Nathan Carman killed anyone, but I can certainly see how the police want the evidence to show that he did. Trouble is, there is no such evidence in the case of John Chakalos’s death. Nor does it seem obvious in the presumed death of Linda Carman.

In The Carman Family Deaths, we get interviews with people covering both sides. Basically, we hear from those who believe Nathan killed his grandfather and mom, and those who absolutely do not.

You’ll hear interviews with Nathan’s father and Linda’s ex-husband, Clark Carman, Linda’s life-long friend (who is also named Linda), and one of Linda’s sisters. Also, we hear from investigators from the Coast Guard, local police, and the FBI, along with a prosecutor and a defense lawyer.

The Carman or Chakalos Family?

I have quite a few issues with this Netflix documentary, which has more to do with the marketing than the content. For one, even the title is a little off. It’s named after the family name of the suspect more than the victims. I mean, yes, one of the victims was named Linda Carman, as was her son, Nathan Carman, who was a suspect in both cases.

However, it’s called “The Carman Family Deaths” in plural due to the murder of John Chakalos. The father of Linda and the grandfather of Nathan. So, wouldn’t it have made more sense to use that name, since both victims have had the name Chakalos, and only the suspect was given the name Carman? A name Linda married into – and also divorced from.

Also, selling this true crime documentary as being about “a doomed fishing trip plunged a family into a modern-day ‘Greek tragedy'” would have made more sense if the actual Greek family name had been used.

A pet peeve issue of mine, perhaps, but also one that completely skews the vibe of the documentary from the outset.

Watch The Carman Family Deaths on Netflix now

Yon Motskin (Encounters) is the director of The Carman Family Deaths on Netflix. I doubt this will be a very talked-about true crime production, but it may shine a much-needed spotlight on the struggles of having autism and being interrogated by investigators who can’t get “a read” on you.

Something that shouldn’t be the problem of the person interrogated, but it obviously is.

In terms of building suspense and drama, it follows the classic paint-by-numbers formulaic evolution of modern true crime Netflix productions. Nothing more or less than any of the other average productions. Still, it’s a quick watch that should both intrigue and/or anger most viewers.

No matter who you believe, someone in this will most likely share your take on the crimes covered.

The Carman Family Deaths is out on Netflix from November 19, 2025.

Plot

A young man’s dramatic rescue at sea spirals into accusations he murdered two members of his wealthy New England family in this true crime documentary.

THOUGHTS & PRAYERS on HBO Max is a new HBO Documentary that is as thought-provoking as it is relevant. This is true-crime in the sense that it deals with the prevention of school shootings. Or rather, it deals with preparing for them, due to abandoning all hope of stopping them. Read our Thoughts & Prayers documentary review here!

THOUGHTS & PRAYERS is a new HBO Documentary coming to HBO Max. To me, this kind of documentary dealing with real crime is scarier than any fiction. And it is obviously terrifying to the kids in this documentary as well.

I want to say that it’s about preventing more tragedies, but it isn’t. It’s about the huge industry that is evolving in the aftermath of the many U.S. school shootings. Instead of trying to stop them via gun control, the goal is to prepare. I can’t claim to understand this because it makes no sense.

Continue reading our Thoughts & Prayers documentary review below. Find it on HBO Max from November 18, 2025.

Safety rituals instead of prevention

Thoughts & Prayers is a dark look at how schools and communities are actively engaged in training sessions to prepare for the next mass shooting. Whether that next shooting happens in a daycare center, yet another high school, or somewhere else in the local community.

This is all about preparing and learning safety rituals. Never about prevention.

We see how caregivers are getting lessons in how to block doors with cribs. High school educators are sent out to practice shooting at armed intruders – including in elaborate mock battles and VR simulations. And finally, the kids themselves have to get involved and learn how to fight back against attackers.

Whether by using everyday school objects or hiding behind the latest in bulletproof equipment. Particularly, the latter is part of a huge and growing industry. Kids are being taught to defend themselves and their friends, including first-aid skills, as if they were preparing to go to war. Not simply attending school.

In Thoughts & Prayers, we experience this crazy industry (because that’s what it has turned into) through students, staff members, and administrators from school districts in Utah, Oregon, and New York. All alongside expert personnel in weapons, military, and video simulation training, who are working to train everyone else in preparing for the next disaster.

Though there is no talk of preventing it.

Prevention is possible… if you want it!

Whether talking about seatbelts in cars, masks during an outbreak, or protection from STDs, we know that we are capable of preventing things. If we want to!

And therein lies the main issue: No one dares try to prevent it, because to stop shootings, you need to regulate those who shoot guns better. Working on this issue is a financial ruin for any (or certainly most) politicians, so instead it’s treated like a terrible tragedy that just cannot be helped.

We even hear kids saying that school shootings are treated like a tornado or a hurricane. A natural disaster that could and might happen, and which is entirely out of our human hands.

This is not true!

Prevention is obviously entirely in our hands. Just like any other crime prevention.

Sadly, rather than working with prevention, all hope of stopping school shootings has been abandoned. Instead, it’s about preparing. The rest of the world doesn’t have this same issue, and yet it’s treated like an impossible task.

It isn’t.

Watch Thoughts & Prayers on HBO Max… and take it all in!

The HBO Original Documentary THOUGHTS & PRAYERS was directed by Zackary Canepari and Jessica Dimmock. This is perhaps the most important documentary I’ve watched in a long while. The documentary filmmakers try their hardest to shine a spotlight on the huge issue of school shootings and how they’re dealt with.

Or rather, how they are not dealt with, but prepared for.

It’s been a few days since I watched it, as I needed to let it sink in before writing about this documentary. As a result, certain moments have clearly stuck with me more especially.

During one interview with someone in the “preparation” industry, a man speaks about the lack of “tribes” in modern society and people being narcissistic, as a reason for school shootings. Next, we see two kids saying that it’s obvious to them that adults value gun ownership over the safety of kids.

And there you have it; Yes, it is about narcissistic and selfish adults. Just not in any “tribal” setting, but in the simple individual wanting to have what they want, and then kids will just have to pay the price.

The kids training to prepare for a school shooting can see this. Why can’t their parents?

Thoughts & Prayers debuts on November 18, 2025, on HBO (9:00-10:25 p.m. ET/PT) and streams on HBO Max.

Plot

This documentary captures the impact of the $3 billion active shooter preparedness industry on schools and communities across America.

ELOÁ THE HOSTAGE: LIVE ON TV on Netflix is a new true crime documentary about a grotesque hostage situation with a fatal outcome. Actually, the entire situation leading up to that moment is also wild – as is the aftermath. Read our Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV documentary review here!

ELOÁ THE HOSTAGE: LIVE ON TV is a new Netflix documentary about a kidnapping that took place in October 2008 in Brazil. It turns into a hostage situation lasting more than 100 hours.

It also includes the kidnapper being live on TV doing interviews during negotiations with the police. As a true crime documentary, this isn’t a particularly strong production as it seems to expect a prior familiarity with the crime. That’s never a good starting point.

Continue reading our Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV documentary review below. Find it on Netflix now.

Media frenzy meets police incompetence

The kidnapping of 15-year-old Eloá led to a huge media frenzy. Of course, the fact that she was kidnapped by her 22-year-old ex-boyfriend, Lindemberg Alves, who was friends with Eloá’s brother, only added to the drama og it all.

It all happened in the city of Santo André, São Paulo, and had the nation in a vice grip, with it being broadcast live across multiple television channels. Negotiations with the police were happening simultaneously, but the police did not come out of this well.

With the Eloá the Hostage documentary, we get unreleased excerpts from the diary of teenager Eloá Pimentel. This is one way to allow her to speak, but these words also come from a time in her life when she had no way of knowing how it would evolve.

And ultimately end.

Had she known, I can imagine she would have had some additional commentary that would have been better. Also, while we hear from her family members (parents and two brothers), we never hear from her friend Nayara.

She was the only one present during the final moments of Eloá’s life. She stayed by her side and tried to help, and was then “rewarded” with the police calling her a liar. Something she fought back against.

Grooming and abuse

There are many things that go awry during this true crime case. Mostly, the role of the media and the awful decisions by the police are highlighted.

However, the fact that this all begins when a 20-year-old man takes an interest in a 12-year-old girl years earlier isn’t much of a focus. I feel it should have been.

To me, the fact that it isn’t a big part of this documentary highlights a core problem.

Instead, we hear excerpts from the diary of the victim, who dreams of being engaged to her would-be murderer. A clear sign that she had been groomed into thinking this man was her future, when he would in fact become her end.

At the very least, much of the aftermath ought to have been about this age difference.

Watch Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV on Netflix now

Cris Ghattas is the director of this Netflix documentary, and the runtime of 84 minutes is good. However, it’s definitely best if you know about the case before watching it. Check out details on Wikipedia here.

If you want to really get angry, prepare for the sentencing and how it has changed over the years. Including the update on where the murderer, Lindemberg Alves, is currently being “punished”.

The case may have shaken Brazil when it happened, but they clearly need to be shaken up yet again and demand actual justice for Eloá.

Eloá the Hostage: Live on TV is on Netflix globally on November 12, 2025.

Details

Director: Cris Ghattas
Screenplay: Tainá Muhringer, Ricky Hiraoka

Plot

This gripping documentary explores the case of a teenage girl who was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend in one of Brazil’s most shocking hostage situations.

THE VALLECAS FILES on HBO is a docuseries exploring the famous case that inspired the Netflix horror movie Verónica. With three episodes, it’s not a long documentary series, but it isn’t a great one either. Read our The Vallecas Files series review here!

THE VALLECAS FILES on HBO is a true crime documentary series. Or rather, it’s more of a supernatural or paranormal event than a crime… or is it?! That’s part of what needs to be examined and what this docuseries explores.

The case covered in this HBO Original is the very same one that inspired the Netflix horror movie Verónica. This docuseries has just three episodes. It’s off to a somewhat rocky start, I found, but it does cover the case well overall.

Continue reading our The Vallecas Files series review below. Find it on HBO Max from November 7, 2025.

This is why I don’t mess with Ouija boards

The Vallecas Files documentary series explores the most famous (and infamous) poltergeist case from Spain. A 17-year-old girl died very suddenly and with no apparent cause of death, which sparked an investigation into the cause.

This led to the belief that a paranormal phenomenon was the root of the problem. One that began after a few teenagers played around with an Ouija board.

With this HBO Documentary, it’s now 30 years later, and the family relives the events that made the lives of the Gutiérrez Lázaro family members a nightmare. 

As a horror fan, I follow the rules made famous by horror movies. I am not about to repeat the name Candyman, I wouldn’t say “Let’s split up” or “I’ll be right back” in a sticky situation, and I would never mess around with Ouija boards.

Well, apparently, other people are more adventurous than me. Unsurprisingly, teenagers are even more ready to play with danger. For the record, I didn’t mess around with this stuff as a teenager either.

I’ve always watched horror movies, so I know to be smart about this stuff.

Which horror movie is based on The Vallecas Files case?

The Netflix release from 2018, Veronica, is based on the case from The Vallecas Files. Just like The Enfield Poltergeist was the case featured in The Conjuring 2.

For me and many others, Verónica was a horror movie that hit hard. It was very efficient and became a huge success. So much so that a prequel came out in 2023 with Sister Death.

Obviously, the parts of these true stories that are used in movies can differ quite a lot from the reality of the events. Still, the facts revealed in The Vallecas Files docuseries are very brutal. Different, in some ways, but extremely scary.

Watch The Vallecas Files docuseries on HBO Max

This original documentary series was directed by Noemí Redondo and created by Irene del Cerro and Jorge Pérez Vega. Produced by Buendía Estudios for HBO Max, this is a docuseries that audiences worldwide should want to watch.

Yes, especially due to the success of the Netflix horror movie Veronica. It feels like a shame that Netflix didn’t make its own documentary, but HBO has always been good at documentaries as well.

I have to admit that the true story told in The Vallecas Files was an absolute nightmare. Of course, it was also a case where manipulation played a much bigger role than the kids in the family had a chance of recognizing back then.

This is a three-part documentary that allows the now-adult children of the family to tell the story. A story of what they experienced and how they understand, as adults, what was all very confusing as children.

The Vallecas Files docuseries is on HBO Max on November 7, 2025.

Plot

Three decades after the mysterious death of a 17-year-old girl, her family relives the traumatic events in Spain’s most infamous paranormal case.

AILEEN: QUEEN OF THE SERIAL KILLERS on Netflix is a true crime documentary. It’s about the infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos, and the best I’ve watched so far. Focusing on covering the aspects of the trial instead of the media circus. Read our full Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers review here!

AILEEN: QUEEN OF THE SERIAL KILLERS is a new Netflix true crime documentary about Aileen “Lee” Wuornos. Or rather, there isn’t much new about the content in this documentary, but it has been curated and crafted into a complete portrayal of her.

Now, please don’t get the idea that this is meant to absolve her. It isn’t. Instead, it tries to paint the full picture of who she was and why she acted like she did. From her childhood, to finding love, to the crimes she committed, and finally, becoming famous and infamous.

Continue reading our Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers documentary review below. Find it on Netflix from October 30, 2025.

The best Aileen Wuornos documentary yet

To me, Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers (and yes, I will get back to that title) is the best documentary about the infamous serial killer, Aileen Wuornos, so far. We hear about her childhood from Aileen herself and someone who grew up with her.

Most of the Netflix documentary, however, will focus on her treatment by the justice system and the media. It is so obvious that she was in desperate need of help, and the trial that sealed her fate should never have ended in a conviction.

However, this was the one that set everything into motion, and once the first death sentence was dealt, she wanted it all to end and admitted to the rest – claiming self-defense, sure, but also stating clearly that she just wanted it to be over with.

Michele Gillen is the unsung hero

While I have seen plenty of clips of interviews with Aileen Wuornos in the past, Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers offers something that goes beyond anything I’ve watched before.

Especially thanks to the relentless work of former Dateline correspondent Michele Gillen. Not only did she interview Aileen several times, she also interviewed prosecutor (and professional Bible-thumper) John Tanner.

A man who infamously prayed 50 times with Ted Bundy prior to the execution of that particular serial killer. Something I suspect Aileen would have refused, and which I cannot imagine John Tanner would ever want to do, in any case.

Through remarkable archival footage featuring interviews conducted by Michele Gillen, we will see that John Tanner never cared about justice for Aileen. He just wanted his pound of flesh – and a re-election.

We also see Michele Gillen visit crime scenes, and (often in behind-the-scenes moments) comment on the absurdity of many things. She does not go easy on Aileen when interviewing her, but she does listen. Exactly what Aileen always hoped for.

Queen of the Serial Killers?!

Please do not be discouraged by the somewhat flamboyant title of the documentary. Admittedly, it did make me cringe at first, as I have watched my share of terrible movies about Aileen “Lee” Wuornos.

This Netflix documentary is the exact opposite and tries to encompass all that she was – and, sadly, would become.

The title is simply taken from one of the many headlines about her that was meant to sell newspapers. And, to be fair, it’s one of the “nicer” titles. Many of the other featured the words “lesbian” and “prostitute”, as if that’s all she was.

Of course, the story of her, the first female serial killer in the U.S., did check all the boxes for a media circus. She was gay, a woman, and a sex worker. And, ultimately, convicted as a serial killer and sentenced to death.

Also, Aileen Wuornos herself did not shy away from the media either. When watching this documentary in its entirety, it becomes apparent why: It was the only way to get her version of events out. When she spoke in court at her trial, her truth was largely ignored.

Watch Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers on Netflix now

Director Emily Turner has crafted a breathtaking portrait of not just Aileen Wuornos, but of the so-called justice system in Florida. One we have become acquainted with during many true crime documentaries.

In Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, we get never-before-seen death row interviews with Aileen herself. And yes, she does admit to things that would have landed her in jail for life, even if the death sentence had not happened.

However, it’s also obvious that she ended on this path for a reason. Does this excuse her actions? Of course not. But it does offer an explanation, which has often been the smallest part of describing her.

WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH THIS?

Because it covers the full and complex story of Aileen Wuornos. A life that ended with execution, but deserves a reexamination through a modern lens.

Born in 1956, Aileen Wuornos murdered seven men between 1989 and 1990. At least one of them was self-defense, but she herself ultimately confessed that not all of them were. She was arrested in 1991, and in 2002, she left this world, which was her own wish.

With BBC Studios Documentary Unit and NBC News Studios, director Emily Turner is using a method similar to that of American Murder and The Perfect Neighbor. With archival footage combined to tell a full story, not just soundbites. It hits hard!

Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers is streaming on Netflix from October 30, 2025.

Plot

This documentary revisits Aileen Wuornos’s turbulent life and chilling crimes with never-before-seen death-row interviews and exclusive archival footage.

NIGHTMARES OF NATURE: LOST IN THE JUNGLE on Netflix is Season 2 of the documentary-style horror story for the whole family. It’s still very scary, and Maya Hawke continues as a wonderful narrator of this dark fairytale featuring heroes and monsters. Read our Season 2 review of the series titled Nightmares of Nature: Lost in the Jungle here!

NIGHTMARES OF NATURE: LOST IN THE JUNGLE is on Netflix with a new story for the whole family. Or rather, just as it was the case with season 1 of the horror-styled nature documentary, it does get dark and scary, so do watch it with the younger family members.

Actually, some older (even adult) family members could need some company. If you enjoyed the first season of Nightmares of Nature featuring the story “Cabin in the Woods“, then I cannot imagine you won’t love this one as well.

Continue reading our Nightmares of Nature: Lost in the Jungle review below. Find Season 2 on Netflix from October 28, 2025.

Three new heroes… and lots of monsters

Just like in season one, Cabin in the Woods, Nightmares of Nature season 2 ultimately revolves around something man-made. Sure, it’s called “Lost in the Jungle”, but it’s about a lab built in the middle of the jungle. A place where our heroes will be drawn (or chased) to seek sanctuary.

Speaking of our heroes, for Nightmare of Nature‘s second season, we get three new jungle-based animals as our heroes. First up is a young opossum, who finds himself suddenly on his own. And yes, the circumstances around this are brutal, so try to prepare yourself.

Second is a newborn iguana, just out of his shell, trying to survive along with his siblings. Finally, the third hero is a tiny jumping spider. Just as the mouse from season 1, she is also a mother. Or rather, she is about to become a mother, which results in danger for herself.

However, monsters are all around them. Lots and lots of monsters, who might stop our heroes as they try to survive another day.

Danger is… everywhere!

The danger for all three heroes will come from all sides and sources. Some of the dangers, you might guess. Others come out of the blue. The jungle has a lot of monsters. Though really, they could all be heroes in another story, as every single one of them is just trying to survive themselves.

Sure, horror movies are scary and can be cruel, but nature is relentless and brutal.

Survival is never easy, and each day is a struggle. One we get to experience from a whole new angle on Netflix with Nightmares of Nature. And yes, in many ways, season 2 does feel even darker and scarier, so if season 1 was tough to watch, this could be even tougher.

Watch Nightmares of Nature: Lost in the Jungle on Netflix now

After watching the first season of Nightmares of Nature, I have been anticipating (and dreading, a little bit) what season 2 would offer. It certainly isn’t less scary. However, much of that has to do with the setting; It just feels like the jungle is even more terrifying!

I absolutely loved that a spider was one of the heroes, instead of playing the villain role as we’ve seen in so many horror movies. Hey, I love a good spider horror movie (or shark horror movie, for that matter) as much as the next. But I also recognize the importance of spiders in our world.

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To check out the Sharksploitation documentary on Shudder >

I am hoping for many more seasons of this new horror documentary about the wonders (and horrors) of nature. Maybe in the ocean or somewhere cold?! The possibilities are endless, and I do hope they’ll keep Maya Hawke as the narrator as well. She is brilliant!

Nightmares of Nature: Lost in the Jungle is out on Netflix from October 28, 2025. 

Plot

LOST IN THE JUNGLE is set deep in the creepy Central American rainforest, a place with more creative ways to die than anywhere else on Earth. For our three characters (a young opossum, a newly-hatched iguana and a feisty jumping spider) the nightmare of staying alive in the jungle escalates fast when they discover an abandoned laboratory deep in the jungle. And before they know it, lost in this unnatural labyrinth, with a new monster hiding behind every corner, they are in the struggle of their lives to get out before it is too late…

THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR on Netflix is a new true crime documentary that essentially uses real-life found footage. It paints a terrifying picture of how people can feel so emboldened by privilege that they act in heinous ways. Read our full The Perfect Neighbor documentary review here!

THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR is a new Netflix documentary in the true crime subgenre. This kind of true crime production is perhaps the purest form of documentary. It relies on footage shot as the events unfold, so it truly does document what happens.

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If you like the style of this documentary, make sure you check out American Murder: The Family Next Door, also on Netflix, made in a similar way >

In that sense, this Netflix documentary could be called a found footage production. Everything we see comes from bodycams or interviews at the police station. A few clips from news programmes have been added, but that is it.

Continue reading our The Perfect Neighbor (2025) review below. Find it on Netflix now.

Not the perfect neighbor

With The Perfect Neighbor, it all revolves around one woman, who refers to herself as the perfect neighbor. In reality, she is the exact opposite. She’s the kind of person who has the police on speed dial and calls them over every little nuisance.

We’re talking dozens of 911 calls, and whenever the police show up, she is always the sweet lady who just wants peace. And she always leaves out her own actions.

However, as this Netflix documentary shows via bodycam footage, she does slip up once in a while. Like when she doesn’t realize that the police are knocking on her door (because, for once, she wasn’t the one to call them), and she angrily screams out through the sliding glass door.

In this otherwise close-knit neighborhood, life has turned into a nightmare after the one woman moved in. The police are also aware of the issues, as she calls them whenever children are playing near her house.

No doubt, the kids also have fun annoying her now and then (I certainly would have as a kid), but mostly, she’s just relentless in her harassment of kids having fun. Their mere existence irritates her, which is difficult to deal with, as they all live there.

Observe “The Karen” in full force

Watching Susan Lorincz try to explain why these kids are so terrible is a study of what a classic “Karen” truly is. She is always painting a picture of herself as a sweet and innocent bystander caught up in their harassment of her, when really, it’s the other way around.

As the police interview both her and the other families in the neighborhood, it becomes apparent that her “I want to speak with the manager” attitude is obvious to everyone. The police are not falling for her proverbial white lady tears.

Of course, she is never able to fully squeeze out any tears because she is never truly sad or scared. She just wants the world to be as she desires, and demands that everyone else try to fit in.

Admittedly, I was afraid she would get away with murder (or manslaughter) as it were, but this true crime documentary is, after all, about a true crime, so it is on record as a criminal activity.

Despite depending on (even planning on, I should say) Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law to protect her every action, she is punished for her malignant actions. You can read up on the killing of Ajike Owens here if you’d like more details.

Watch The Perfect Neighbor on Netflix now

The Perfect Neighbor was directed and produced by Geeta Gandbhir and executive produced by television journalist Soledad O’Brien. The victim, Ajike Owens, was the best friend of director Geeta Gandbhir’s sister-in-law. That’s how she became involved.

Many were concerned that Susan Lorincz would use Florida’s stand-your-ground law, so Geeta Gandbhir’s partner, and fellow producer, Nikon Kwantu, went to Florida and began filming early on.

DO NOT MISS OUT ON…

State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith is about an instance when “Stand Your Ground” should be implemented, but suddenly wasn’t applicaple >

The Perfect Neighbor is the Winner of the Sundance Film Festival’s Directing Award, and it deserves this for multiple reasons. While I loved everything about the content of this Netflix documentary, and how it uses bodycam footage, it was a little longer than optimal.

That’s the only reason our rating isn’t higher, as this is a huge recommendation to watch.

Admittedly, I was nervous as I watched this documentary. Mostly because I did not know about the case or how it would turn out. Fortunately, the police did do their job and the evidence painted a very clear picture that did not match the perpetrator’s explanation.

Still, prepare to be on the edge of your seat in the final part of the documentary.

The Perfect Neighbor is out on Netflix from October 17, 2025.

Plot

Police bodycam footage reveals how a long-running neighborhood dispute turned fatal in this documentary about fear, prejudice and Stand Your Ground laws.

MY FATHER, THE BTK KILLER on Netflix is a new true crime documentary about one of the most infamous killers. As revealed by the title, it’s told from his own daughter’s POV. Read our full My Father, The BTK Killer documentary review here!

MY FATHER, THE BTK KILLER is a new Netflix true crime documentary. Once again, the subject is a serial killer. Yet another one who was featured in season 2 of Mindhunter as well. His real name was Dennis Rader, and in this documentary, we hear from his daughter.

Whatever you expect her to say about her father, prepare to hear a lot more than that. She delivers a very honest portrayal of the man we all came to know as a monster. It is also centered very much on her experience, which may not be to everyone’s liking.

The runtime is 1 hour and 33 minutes, so it doesn’t run on for too long.

Continue reading our My Father, The BTK Killer Netflix review below.

The BTK Killer, or just “dad”

My Father, The BTK Killer is all about Dennis Rader, who became infamous as a serial killer. For a long time, the killer was known under the moniker “BTK”, which stands for “Bind, Torture, Kill”.

Now, we get to hear about the person behind this name, as his daughter, Kerri Rawson, tells the world about the man. To her, he was her dad. To the rest of the world, he was a sadistic and brutal criminal.

The kind featured in a Netflix series about the most infamous of serial killers.

While the murders happened between 1974 and 1991, he wasn’t arrested until 2005. In other words, Kerri Rawson lived for decades with no idea that her father was a serial killer.

Dennis Rader, AKA the BTK Killer

In 2005, Dennis Rader was arrested while on his lunch break. The police finally had enough to arrest him for the crimes committed by a serial killer known as The BTK Killer.

Dennis Rader was a white man. An unassuming church congregation president, a former Cub Scout leader, and, it turns out, a serial killer who had committed 10 murders. All of which he, almost gladly or proudly, admitted to.

With this true crime documentary, Kerri Rawson tries to help both herself and their community heal. Needless to say, the murders terrorized Wichita, Kansas. Especially as they went unsolved for decades.

Now, Kerri Rawson finds herself forced to confront the very real possibility of more victims. All while dealing with childhood memories that may hold answers right alongside unspeakable trauma. Again, this documentary is about her — and the murder victims.

How was the BTK Killer caught?

The murders he committed had sadly been reduced to cold cases. There were no more clues as Dennis Rader suddenly stopped sending messages admitting to crimes with the BTK moniker.

However, Dennis Rader apparently missed the attention, and this became his downfall. He resumed messaging the media, which led to his demise.

Something as novel and basic as a floppy disk was traced back to his own church. This was what brought the infamous serial killer down: Hybris… and a lack of knowledge about tracking technology!

The story of how Dennis Rader was finally caught is also the opening episode of the Netflix docuseries Catching Killers season 2.

Watch My Father, The BTK Killer on Netflix now

This is yet another documentary from Skye Borgman. If this name doesn’t ring a bell for you by now, you haven’t been paying attention. She is the documentary filmmaker behind some of the most talked-about true crime documentaries released.

You may have heard about Abducted in Plain Sight (which was later turned into a fictional series), The Truth About Jim, or Dead Asleep? Well, all of them are from Skye Borgman.

So are Girl in the Picture and, most recently, the wild story told in Unknown Number: The High School Catfish. And yes, all are worth watching, so do check them out.

This latest documentary isn’t my favorite from her, but still very interesting and well worth your time. If she keeps this up, we might need to have a dedicated tag or place in our website menu for Skye Borgman.

My Father, The BTK Killer is on Netflix from October 10, 2025.

Plot

Raised by a man leading a monstrous double life, the daughter of the BTK serial killer shares her chilling story in this true crime documentary.