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.

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.

DEATH BY LIGHTNING on Netflix is a new historical political thriller based on a true story. The limited series features a very strong cast and has just four strong episodes. Read our full Death by Lightning series review here!

DEATH BY LIGHTNING is a new Netflix limited series that I would expect to get many awards. Or, at the very least, quite a few nominations. It’s based on a true story of James Garfield and Charles Guiteau – and how both died.

In fact, their deaths are directly connected in the sense that neither would have died when they did if they had never met. This could be called a period drama, a historical epic, or a political thriller. In fact, it’s all three… and then some.

Continue reading our Death by Lightning series review below. Find it on Netflix from November 6, 2025.

The story of Garfield and Guiteau

Over just four episodes, Death by Lightning tells the epic story of James Garfield. It’s a stranger-than-fiction, but very true, story of how James Garfield became the 20th president of the United States. Without even going directly after it.

However, it’s also the story of Charles Guiteau. A man who would call himself the greatest admirer of Garfield – and even fought to have him elected president. Ultimately, his own pursuit of glory would lead Guiteau to shoot Garfield.

The title of this new Netflix series comes from James Garfield himself. Just two weeks after he became president of the United States of America, he wrote down: “Assassination can no more be guarded against than death by lightning.”

Strong words meant to inspire positivity and dispel fear, but which would ultimately come to define his untimely demise.

Matthew Macfadyen steals the show!

While Michael Shannon is always good, he is overshadowed in this Netflix series. Matthew Macfadyen steals the show in Death by Lightning as Charles Guiteau. A man who is tormented and clearly needed help, but insisted on “soldiering on”.

Obviously, Michael Shannon also delivers a strong, earnest, and stoic portrayal of James Garfield. I don’t know nearly enough about the man who would go on to become president for a far too short time.

However, based on Death by Lightning, he certainly set in motion some very positive changes. He’s exactly the kind of politician the world needs right now.

Matthew Macfadyen‘s portrayal of Charles Guiteau, on the other hand, highlights a lot of what is also (still!) wrong with the world today.

The desperate need to be seen

So many are obsessed with being not just the hero of their own story, but of everyone else’s story as well. When that doesn’t happen, this type of person is ready to go to extremes to achieve notoriety.

It’s the idea that being infamous is better than being anonymous.

That notion that a life only has value when you’re noticed by everyone. Even if you make a difference to no one. In other words, this didn’t come along with the rise of social media. It just made it even worse.

In other key roles, we see Nick Offerman as Vice President Chester Arthur, Bradley Whitford as Garfield’s champion, and Shea Whigham as the political strongman and bully, Roscoe Conkling.

Finally, I have to highlight Betty Gilpin‘s amazing portrayal of Garfield’s beloved and absolutely wife, Crete. She has the most powerful scene when she faces off with Guiteau towards the end of Death by Lightning. Breathtaking!

Watch the Death by Lightning series on Netflix

Creator of Death by Lightning is Mike Makowsky (Bad Education, Beef). It’s based on Candice Millard’s acclaimed book “Destiny of the Republic,” and I just may have to read that as well.

Producers on this Netflix limited series include creator Mike Makowsky, David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (3 Body Problem, Game of Thrones), Bernie Caulfield, and director of the series, Matt Ross (Captain Fantastic, Gaslit).

If you are at all interested in history or political struggles, then Death by Lightning is well worth your time. I watched it all in one sitting and was completely enthralled by this world, which isn’t as foreign as you might think.

Death by Lightning premieres on Netflix on November 6, 2025.

Details

Creator: Mike Makowsky
Director: Matt Ross
Cast: Shea Whigham, Michael Shannon, Matthew MacFadyen, Nick Offerman, Bradley Whitford, Betty Gilpin, Alistair Petrie, Archie Fisher, Barry Shabaka Henley, Ben Miles, Kyle Soller, Laura Marcus, Paula Malcomson, Shaun Parkes, Tuppence Middleton, Vondie Curtis Hall, Željko Ivanek

Plot

Death by Lightning is a limited series that brings to life the epic and stranger-than-fiction true story of James Garfield, reluctant 20th president of the United States, and his greatest admirer Charles Guiteau — the man who would come to kill him.

DOROTHEA is a new thriller about a real serial killer, so we’re in true crime. She isn’t one of the most famous, but you may still have heard of her. Admittedly, I’m torn about the style of this one. It’s rather kitsch with dark humor. Read our full Dorothea movie review here!

DOROTHEA is the latest serial killer thriller about a real-life murderer. In other words, this is a true crime story, but it would probably be key to say “inspired by”. Not that facts aren’t at the heart of the movie, because they are (mostly), but there is a lot of “dramatization”.

And sure, this is always the case, but the kitsch tone of this one will not be for everyone. In fact, I’m not sure it was for me, but I acknowledge the quality of the production, and also that this was the choice of the filmmaker.

Continue reading our Dorothea movie review below. Find it in a limited theatrical release from October 31, 2025, and on VOD from November 4, 2025.

Death House Landlady

Oh yes, Dorothea Puente – the serial killer this thriller is all about – was dubbed the “Death House Landlady” by the newspapers when she was arrested in 1988. While she isn’t the most famous serial killer around, she is definitely one of the more infamous ones.

If her story sounds familiar, you may have watched the Netflix true crime anthology series Worst Roommate Ever. Dorothea was featured in the very first episode of the anthology. Obviously, because her story is one of the more remarkable episodes.

In this new thriller, we get the story as Dorothea herself lies dying in prison and wants her story to be written down. Having the serial killer tell their own story is an interesting choice, but it’s far from the only one.

We first hear about her life of abuse, which isn’t meant to be an excuse, but maybe an explanation. Then again, the abuse we witness is one she fights back against quickly and with fatal consequences for the abuser.

I don’t know that this part is all that fact-based, though. When it comes to the known victims, however, this movie does stick to facts.

A very peculiar style choice

As I’ve already mentioned, I am not crazy about the style choices of Dorothea. Especially having the murderer tell the story herself. I mean, she’s even breaking the fourth wall several times, speaking directly to us. Not to excuse anything, really, just to explain.

It did not sit right with me, but I acknowledge that this may be more about my personal preference than any quality marker. To be fair, the victims also get to speak directly to us viewers. Not much, but still, it’s a way to keep a focus on them as well, which I appreciate.

Still, I just cannot imagine I’d like this style if I knew any of the victims personally. I mean, we see both their murders and her grotesque way of dealing with the bodies of her victims.

I did think Susan Priver (Ed Kemper) did a solid job of portraying Dorothea in the style chosen for this movie. She was the younger (and murderous) landlady, while Pat McNeely (John Dies at the End) portrays the aging Dorothea telling her story from inside prison.

Also, in supporting roles, we see quite a few familiar faces. From Lew Temple (Becoming) and Brinke Stevens (Axeman at Cutter’s Creek) to Ginger Lynn (The Devil’s Rejects) and Brenda James (Slither).

Watch Dorothea on VOD

This is the second true crime serial killer thriller from writer and director Chad Ferrin (Night Caller). He also made the movie Ed Kemper, which I preferred in style to this one. Both come from Epic Pictures’ DREAD label, and the quality of both is solid.

While I like these biographical true-crime horror movies, the styles do vary quite a bit. That’s why I have no idea what to expect from the next movie, which will be about Richard Ramirez. However, I will definitely be giving that one a chance as well.

For me, Dorothea is a small 3 out of 5, but still a 3. Check it out for yourself to see what you think. I would have preferred that they change names and simply say it was inspired by, rather than make this a true crime thriller. But maybe that’s just me.

Dorothea will get a limited theatrical run beginning October 31 and be out on VOD on November 4, 2025.

Details

Director: Chad Ferrin
Writer: Chad Ferrin
Cast: Susan Priver, Lew Temple, Brinke Stevens, Ginger Lynn, Brenda James, Cassandra Gava, Cyril O’Reilly, Ezra Buzzington, Robert Miano, Brandon Kirk, William Salyers

Plot

Serial killer granny Dorothea Puente hides death behind a smile, turning her boarding house into a graveyard. True crime meets pure horror.

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.

THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE on Netflix is an Italian miniseries (org. title: Il mostro) about the infamous real-life serial killer. With just four hour-long episodes, it’s a quick watch, and one that offers several theories. Read our full The Monster of Florence series review here!

THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE is a new Netflix miniseries from Italy (org. title: Il mostro). It’s a true crime series as it focuses on the real serial killer from the famous Italian town. In many ways, this is the Zodiac of Italy as the case hasn’t officially been solved – though even this series ends with a huge hint at who most believe was the killer.

Across the four episodes in this Netflix miniseries, you’ll see several theories play out as the police investigate. This means there will be some repetition, but not too much. We simply see the same event (including two of the murders) from several perspectives. It’s a fascinating way to bring us to the same struggles the police have dealt with.

All four episodes were watched (or rather, binge-watched) for this review. I highly recommend you do the same. This limited series only gets better the further along it gets.

Continue reading our The Monster of Florence series review below. Find all four episodes on Netflix from October 22, 2025.

This is the story of the murders

Instead of focusing on catching the serial killer, The Monster of Florence is the story of the murders. In part, this is the case because the serial killer has never been caught. However, it’s also a way to look at suspects and focus on the victims. Something I always applaud – giving space to the victims, I mean.

The Monster of Florence committed eight double murders (couples were always targeted) over the course of 17 years. The weapon was always the same, a .22 caliber Beretta, as were the circumstances: Young couples sitting in cars. And yes, this will sound familiar to many, as this approach was also used by the serial killer known as the Son of Sam.

For “Il mostro”, the investigation was made extremely difficult for many reasons. One of them being that someone confessed to the first double murder. However, the killings continued and this originally convicted man changed his story constantly.

Focusing on several possible “monsters”

The Monster of Florence miniseries focuses on a few of the possible monsters who have been investigated over the years. We see the murders from their point of view, but “only” in the sense that we’re meant to understand why these men were suspects.

And also, how they could have gotten away with it for so long. A huge problem for the police was that whenever someone was officially made a suspect and arrested, a new murder would happen. Was it a copycat or the real killer making a statement?!

The murders themselves, when shown, are depicted as what they were: Meaningless and blunt violence perpetrated by a coward who hid in the dark and attacked couples. Young people who minded their own business, were focused on each other, and had no way to defend themselves.

The serial killer who inspired Hannibal Lecter

The real-life Monster of Florence is a serial killer who managed to inspire authors in the same way that Ed Gein did. However, this Netflix series doesn’t go into that in the way that Monster did. Still, I wanted to mention this as it is well-known that Thomas Harris built part of Hannibal Lecter on this real-life serial killer.

In terms of real-life serial killers, there has even been speculation that Il Mostro could be connected to the Zodiac. Yes, as in the infamous and never-caught Zodiac serial killer known from numerous movies (most prominently David Fincher’s 2007 movie) and TV shows like Netflix’s own Mindhunter.

Obviously, this connection is not something everyone believes, far from it, but it has still become part of the lore of The Monster of Florence. You can read up on it via the Wikipedia page about “Il mostro” here, which can lead you further down the proverbial rabbit hole, if you’re curious.

Watch The Monster of Florence on Netflix

Stefano Sollima (Adagio) is the director of all four episodes. He also created the Netflix series alongside Leonardo Fasoli (ZeroZeroZero). The series premiered (out of competition) at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, which seems only right.

The Monster of Florence premieres on Netflix on the 10th anniversary of the streaming service being available in Italy.

Personally, I was very pleased that the focus remained on the victims. Not to show us the brutal murders, but show us that these victims were real people with full and happy (for the most part) lives before their identities were reduced to “murder victim”.

As stated by the creator and director of this Netflix series: “Perhaps not to resolve, not to understand, but to remember. A way to stand beside those who remained there, forever in the night, and say: You have not been forgotten”.

This approach alone is enough reason for me to recommend it, but it is also a very intense and fascinating look at one of the most infamous and brutal serial killers.

The Monster of Florence (org. title: Il mostro) is out on Netflix from October 22, 2025.

Details

Creators: Leonardo Fasoli & Stefano Sollima
Director: Stefano Sollima
Cast: Marco Bullitta, Valentino Mannias, Francesca Olia, Liliana Bottone, Giacomo Fadda, Antonio Tintis, Giordano Mannu

Plot

As a serial killer targets couples and strikes terror in Italy, authorities explore a case from 1968 that may be key to finding The Monster of Florence.

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.

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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.

DEVIL IN DISGUISE: JOHN WAYNE GACY on Peacock is a new True Crime series with eight episodes. It’s all about the infamous serial killer, portrayed by Michael Chernus in this Peacock Original. Read our Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy series review here!

DEVIL IN DISGUISE: JOHN WAYNE GACY is a new Peacock Original series about the infamous serial killer. This is a true crime series, but it’s made in a distinctly different way than the Netflix serial killer anthology Monster.

It’s still a very tough watch, but also an important one that highlights how John Wayne Gacy was able to evade justice for as long as he did despite his despicable and heinous actions. The series has eight episodes – as there are plenty of crimes to cover, it works well.

Continue reading our Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy review below. Find all eight episodes on Peacock now.

A very direct and honest approach

With Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, we get eight episodes that focus on the infamous serial killer, while also leaving room for his victims, and (fortunately) his ultimate downfall.

Michael Chernus is both amazing and absolutely terrifying (the two are obviously connected) as John Wayne Gacy. One second, he’s the charming man that everyone would talk nicely about, but he can never keep it up for long.

The true, and extremely dark and violent, nature of this brutal criminal wants to come out. And it does. Over and over again.

Michael Chernus (Birthrite, Severance, Dead Ringers) creates a portrait that doesn’t seek to excuse or explain, but simply show who this man was and what he did. I can certainly appreciate this more direct and honest approach.

This is almost the direct opposite of the movie Gacy: The Serial Killer Next Door, which I cannot recommend, except as a study of how not to make a movie.

Impressive casting all around

While Michael Chernus plays the all-important role as the title character and real-life serial killer, this Peacock Original series also features an impressive supporting cast. It’s full of familiar faces as well as a few newer ones.

In key roles, we get Gabriel Luna (The Last of Us, The Astronaut), Marin Ireland (Birth/Rebirth, Eileen), Chris Sullivan (Presence), Michael Angarano (Oppenheimer), James Badge Dale (The Empty Man), Greg Bryk (Saw V), and Ted Dykstra (Hell Motel).

Also in the series are Cricket Brown (The Unholy), Thom Nyhuus (Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities), Augustus Prew (Dear David), Hamish Allan-Headley (The Madness), Michael Esper (The Outsider), Jake Horowitz (Agnes), and Kristine Nielsen (Son).

The opposite of Monster

If you’re not a fan of Monster, then maybe this will be more to your liking. However, if you like the Monster anthology, then I still think you’ll enjoy this one as well.

While I do like Ryan Murphy’s take on storytelling with Monster, for what it offers, I also like that Devil in Disguise opts for a more direct and linear style. It feels almost impossible not to compare the two series when their releases are this close to one another.

While Monster: The Ed Gein Story was focused on the impact of the serial killer’s crimes on horror movies and pop culture later, Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy is about the actual person, the crimes he committed, and the victims who suffered from those actions.

And by victims, I mean both the ones that died by his hands and those who lost their loved ones when John Wayne Gacy took yet another life.

Watch Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy on Peacock now!

Patrick Macmanus is the creator of the new Peacock Original series. He previously created the true crime series The Girl from Plainville (2022) and Dr. Death (2021), so creating shows based on – or inspired by – true stories is very familiar to this writer.

He also serves as showrunner on Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy, just as he did on the two previous productions he created. Finally, he also directed an episode of this latest Peacock series.

Other episodes are directed by Maggie Kiley (Keep Breathing), Larysa Kondracki (The Whistleblower), Bille Woodruff (Yellowjackets), and Ashley Michel Hoban.

You can find the new true crime series on Peacock, where all eight episodes are out now. I found this Peacock Original to be a direct and dark portrait of the infamous serial killer, while also leaving room to focus on the victims, which is always important.

Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy is on Peacock from October 16, 2025.

Details

Creator: Patrick Macmanus
Cast: Michael Chernus, Gabriel Luna, Marin Ireland, Greg Bryk, James Badge Dale, Michael Angarano, Chris Sullivan, Cricket Brown, Thom Nyhuus, Nina Kiri, Augustus Prew, Hamish Allan-Headley, Michael Esper, Jake Horowitz, Ted Dykstra, Chloe Avakian, Ryker Baloun, Kristine Nielsen, Jim Annan, Christian Bako, Desmond Sivan

Plot

Chicago-area contractor John Wayne Gacy leads a double-life as a serial killer, while detectives piece together clues that lead to a shocking discovery.