The 30 greatest true crime documentaries on HBO Max

Nan Goldin in 'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed'; Kidnapped children in 'Chowchilla'; Robert Durst in 'The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst' Nan Goldin in 'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed'; Kidnapped children in 'Chowchilla'; Robert Durst in 'The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst'
Nan Goldin in 'All of the Magnificence and the Bloodshed'; Kidnapped kids in 'Chowchilla'; Robert Durst in 'The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst'. Credit score:

Neon; Max; Marc Smerling/HBO

Evil is lurking over on HBO Max. It's there you'll discover true crime investigations, trials, and therapeutic journeys based mostly on tales which have captivated the general public for many years. Documentaries like I'll Be Gone in the Dark, Love Has Gained: The Cult of Mom God, and The Curious Case of Natalia Grace mix revealing testimonies, years price of analysis, and dynamic storytelling to maintain even essentially the most seasoned sleuths on the sting of their seats.

Intrigued? Take a look at one thing from EW's checklist of the 30 greatest true crime documentaries on HBO Max.

01 of 30

Alabama Snake (2020)

Glenn Summerford in 'Alabama Snake'
Glenn Summerford in 'Alabama Snake'. Max

You've heard about Snakes on a Airplane, proper? Strive snakes in a cage… plenty of them. Described by HBO Max as "a chilling Southern gothic story," this disturbing documentary explores an tried homicide through, you guessed it, rattlesnakes. Meet Glenn Summerford, a reptile-handling Pentecostal preacher who was accused of making an attempt to kill his second spouse, Darlene, by forcing her hand right into a cage stuffed with venomous rattlers again in October 1991.

The movie unravels the reality behind that fateful evening whereas immersing viewers within the spiritual rituals that gave rise to this weird occasion. Transfer over Samuel L. Jackson, this real-life serpent saga is sssscarier and elegantly woven with director Theo Love's stylistic aptitude that strikes viewers from the beginning. —James Mercadante

The place to observe Alabama Snake: HBO Max

Director: Theo Love

02 of 30

All of the Magnificence and the Bloodshed (2022)

Nan Goldin in 'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed'
Nan Goldin in 'All of the Magnificence and the Bloodshed'. Neon

A documentary that places photographer Nan Goldin on the opposite aspect of the digital camera, this revealing and intimate movie takes a take a look at an artist who documented her buddies' most intimate moments (and coated powerful topics within the course of, from the HIV/AIDS disaster in New York to her personal home abuse).

However this isn't only a retrospective. All of the Magnificence and the Bloodshed — which EW named the most effective movies of 2022 — spends ample time on Goldin's latest activism, notably her combat in opposition to the opioid epidemic (and particularly, the Sackler household's function in it). —Debby Wolfinsohn

The place to observe All of the Magnificence and the Bloodshed: HBO Max

Director: Laura Poitras

Solid: Nan Goldin

03 of 30

Beware the Slenderman (2016)

Slender Man in 'Beware the Slenderman'
Slender Man in 'Beware the Slenderman'. Everett Assortment

Put together your self for a daunting journey into the notorious Slender Man stabbing that occurred in Waukesha, Wisc., in Might 2014. Premiering on the 2016 SXSW pageant, this true crime documentary highlights the disturbing assault on Payton Leutner by her 12-year-old buddies, Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser, who slashed her 19 instances in a weird try and appease the fictional, eerie web determine often known as Slender Man.

Beware the Slenderman goes past the floor of its title and its emphasis on the risks lurking on-line, with EW's critic describing it as "a narrative not about imaginary monsters, however the way more terrifying topic of real-life psychological well being points." —J.M.

The place to observe Beware the Slenderman: HBO Max

EW grade: B

Director: Irene Taylor Brodsky

04 of 30

A Physique within the Snow: The Trial of Karen Learn (2025)

Karen Read in 'A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read'
Karen Learn in 'A Physique within the Snow: The Trial of Karen Learn'.

Investigation Discovery

On the finish of 2022, the physique of a Boston police officer was discovered mendacity within the snow. The reason the general public was given was that Officer John O’Keefe’s girlfriend, Karen Learn, hit him along with her SUV after an evening out ingesting with buddies. However Learn stated she by no means hit anybody along with her automotive, and proof urged that there could be one other rationalization: that Learn was being framed by corrupt officers inside the drive.

This five-part docuseries covers Learn’s first trial and the occasions main as much as her second trial, which started in April of 2025. (She was in the end acquitted of the homicide expenses two months later.) A Physique within the Snow: The Trial of Karen Learn is a narrative of a city divided, with households, buddies, and neighbors turning on one another, unable to beat their differing opinions over how Officer John O’Keefe died. —Ilana Gordon

The place to observe A Physique within the Snow: The Trial of Karen Learn: HBO Max

Director: Terry Dunn Meurer

05 of 30

Burden of Proof (2023)

Stephen Pandos in 'Burden of Proof'
Stephen Pandos in 'Burden of Proof'. Courtesy of HBO

Whereas Stephen Pandos was away in school within the '80s, he obtained a name from his mother and father casually informing him of his youthful sister Jennifer's disappearance, marked by a cryptic word and a belated police report filed three days later. This unsettling occasion haunted Stephen for many years, driving him to collaborate with filmmakers Cynthia Hill and Christine Delp in a seek for solutions.

Because the investigation progresses on this four-part docuseries, Stephen reveals the turbulent household dynamics that formed his childhood, together with his father Ron — a violent Vietnam Warfare vet grappling with PTSD — and his mom, Margie, who divorced Ron within the '90s. —J.M.

The place to observe Burden of Proof: HBO Max

EW grade: B+

Administrators: Cynthia Hill, Christine Delp

06 of 30

Capturing the Friedmans (2003)

Jesse Friedman (center) and Arnold Friedman (right) in 'Capturing the Friedmans'
Jesse Friedman (middle) and Arnold Friedman (proper) in 'Capturing the Friedmans'. Max

On this Oscar-nominated documentary that additionally earned Sundance's Grand Jury Prize, first-time director Andrew Jarecki examines the kid molestation investigation involving Arnold Friedman and his 18-year-old son, Jesse. The duo, identified for instructing pc lessons to younger boys, confronted allegations of lots of of crimes, together with bodily and sexual abuse.

By home-movie footage and interviews with relations and survivors, Capturing the Friedmans presents a compelling case that challenges the widespread narrative, elevating the speculation this may occasionally have all been the case of "sexual hysteria," as identified by EW's critic, who described it as "gripping, lacerating, transferring, and tragic — a piece of documentary artwork." —J.M.

The place to observe Capturing the Friedmans: HBO Max

EW grade: A

Director: Andrew Jarecki

07 of 30

Chowchilla (2023)

Kidnapped children in 'Chowchilla'
Kidnapped kids in 'Chowchilla'.

Max

Some of the chill-inducing crimes you’ve seemingly by no means heard of is the story of what occurred in Chowchilla, Calif., in 1976. On a day in mid-July, three males kidnapped a bus stuffed with schoolchildren and compelled their captives into an underground bunker the place they had been buried alive. The plan was to carry the youngsters ransom — however a ransom word by no means materialized.

The crime haunted town for nearly 50 years, however when the final perpetrator was launched on parole in 2022, CNN determined it was time for an in-depth documentary. Chowchilla digs into the prison motivations and authorized repercussions, exploring how these affected by the crime fared within the a long time since. —I.G.

The place to observe Chowchilla: HBO Max

Director: Paul Solet

Solid: Taylor Rusch Field, Tate McMillan, Alexander Ray, Mike Derum

08 of 30

Loopy, Not Insane (2020)

Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis in 'Crazy, Not Insane'
Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis in 'Loopy, Not Insane'.

Courtesy of HBO

Why do people homicide? Nobody is aware of for positive, however the documentary Loopy, Not Insane makes an attempt to reply that query by analyzing the work of 1 pioneer inside the discipline. Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis specializes within the research of assassin psychology and has labored with 22 serial killers over the course of her profession.

Directed by Alex Gibney and narrated by Laura Dern, Loopy, Not Insane follows the crux of Lewis’ educational assertions, which state that murderers are made, not born. An erudite peek into the brains of each murderers and those that research them, Loopy, Not Insane takes you behind the true crime and into the minds of true criminals. —I.G.

The place to observe Loopy, Not Insane: HBO Max

Director: Alex Gibney

Solid: Laura Dern

09 of 30

The Crime of the Century (2021)

'The Crime of the Century'
'The Crime of the Century'. Max

On this two-part docuseries, Emmy and Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney exposes the corrupt puppeteers behind the opioid disaster. With a laser-sharp focus, Gibney examines the stunning crimes dedicated by Massive Pharma and the complicit politicians who turned a blind eye to the explosion of drug abuse that adopted, from overproduction to reckless distribution.

This searing investigation not solely reveals how the plight started but additionally explores its fallout. By masterful storytelling and meticulous modifying, The Crime of the Century reveals the greed-driven machinations behind one of the vital terrifying public well being crises in latest reminiscence, making viewers justifiably enraged. —J.M.

The place to observe The Crime of the Century: HBO Max

Director: Alex Gibney

10 of 30

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace (2023–2024)

Natalia Grace in 'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace'
Natalia Grace in 'The Curious Case of Natalia Grace'.

Investigation Discovery/YouTube

When suburban couple Michael and Kristine Barnett adopted Natalia Grace — reckoned to be a 6-year-old with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, a uncommon bone dysfunction — they allegedly discovered themselves trapped in a scenario seen straight out of 2009's Orphan: They believe her to be an grownup with murderous intent.

The primary season of The Curious Case of Natalia Grace unfurls with Michael's hyper-theatrical deposition, portraying Natalia as a nightmarish monster and providing particulars that defend the explanations for them altering her start information to advance her age and relocating her to an Indiana condo whereas the remainder of the household moved to Canada. A uniquely unsettling case certain to evoke outrage, this ID docuseries propels viewers into the thought-provoking borderlands the place reality and fable intersect. —J.M.

The place to observe The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: HBO Max

Administrators: Christian Conway, Jackson Conway

11 of 30

A Lady within the River: The Worth of Forgiveness (2015)

'A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness'
'A Lady within the River: The Worth of Forgiveness'.

HBO/Courtesy Everett Assortment

In Pakistan, greater than 1,000 girls are murdered yearly within the identify of honor. A Lady within the River: The Worth of Forgiveness, tells a 19-year-old girl’s story of surviving an honor killing try perpetrated by her father and uncle. The 2016 Oscar winner for Greatest Documentary Quick, The Lady within the River is the uncommon piece of artwork that truly prompts change.

Throughout her Oscar acceptance speech, director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy introduced that after viewing the movie, the Prime Minister of Pakistan supposed to vary the nation’s legal guidelines surrounding honor killings. Obain-Chinoy summed up her remarks by saying “That’s the energy of movie,” and it’s the explanation why A Lady within the River is without doubt one of the strongest movies round. —I.G.

The place to observe A Lady within the River: HBO Max

Director: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

12 of 30

Going Clear: Scientology and the Jail of Perception (2015)

The Church of Scientology building in Los Angeles, circa 2015, in 'Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief'
The Church of Scientology constructing in Los Angeles, circa 2015, in 'Going Clear: Scientology and the Jail of Perception'.

HBO/Courtesy Everett

Scientology is notoriously litigious, however that didn’t cease documentarian Alex Gibney from going after the church within the 2015 movie Going Clear: Scientology and the Jail of Perception. A critically lauded exploration of the group’s formation, the historical past of creator L. Ron Hubbard, and the church’s recruitment and retention of celebrities, the movie interviews key ex-members who describe among the most abusive and exploitative practices in vivid element.

A documentary that isn’t afraid to explain how Scientology is protected as a spiritual entity, Going Clear clearly benefited from the work the church put into discrediting it, making it one of the vital well-reviewed and awarded documentaries of 2015 — even when it was snubbed by the Oscars. —I.G.

The place to observe Going Clear: Scientology and the Jail of Perception: HBO Max

EW grade: A

Director: Alex Gibney

13 of 30

Nice Photograph, Beautiful Life: Going through a Household's Secrets and techniques (2023)

Amanda Mustard in 'Great Photo, Lovely Life'
Amanda Mustard in 'Nice Photograph, Beautiful Life'.

Max

This documentary requires a set off warning for youngster sexual abuse, however Nice Photograph, Beautiful Life: Going through a Household’s Secrets and techniques does a lot greater than merely expose the pedophilic acts of 1 man — on this case, photojournalist Amanda Mustard’s grandfather. Mustard bravely unpacks her household’s historical past of complicity and silence as she walks the tightrope of searching for to grasp her grandfather’s acts whereas offering accountability and closure for survivors.

A narrative of cover-ups, forgiveness, thwarting generational trauma and breaking generational curses, Nice Photograph, Beautiful Life is a good film, even whether it is exhausting to observe. —I.G.

The place to observe Nice Photograph, Beautiful Life: HBO Max

Administrators: Rachel Beth Anderson, Amanda Mustard

14 of 30

Hillsong: A Megachurch Uncovered (2022)

'Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed'
'Hillsong: A Megachurch Uncovered'.

Breaklight Photos

Australian export Hillsong Church was identified for attracting superstar parishioners, most notably Justin Bieber, Vanessa Hudgens, and Bono. However the church’s VIP attendees, famed pastor Carl Lentz, and nightclub-like environment had been fronts for a poisonous tradition past what anybody may have foreseen. Informed over 4 episodes, Hillsong: A Megachurch Uncovered explores how the group took benefit of volunteer labor and donations to rake in hundreds of thousands, and paperwork practices of sexual abuse inside the establishment.

Ex-members open up in regards to the church’s predatory practices, historical past of partaking in homophobia, chaotic management, and lots of latest scandals, all of which contributed to Hillsong’s final implosion and downfall. These keen on studying extra in regards to the historical past of Hillsong may also need to try the movie’s companion podcast, Hillsong: A Megachurch Shattered. —I.G.

The place to observe Hillsong: A Megachurch Uncovered: HBO Max

Director: Dan Johnstone

Solid: Troy Dillinger, Michael G. Gabel, Marie Finch

15 of 30

I'll Be Gone within the Darkish (2020)

Michelle McNamara and Patton Oswalt in 'I'll Be Gone in the Dark'
Michelle McNamara and Patton Oswalt in 'I'll Be Gone within the Darkish'. Courtesy of HBO

Earlier than the Golden State Killer (beforehand often known as "East Space Rapist" and the "Unique Evening Stalker") was unmasked as Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. with assist from the late crime sleuth Michelle McNamara, she spent years investigating his scores of heinous sexual assaults in California. On this mesmerizing six-part docuseries, we comply with McNamara's dogged analysis as she writes a ebook in regards to the crimes that terrified the Golden State for years.

Produced by McNamara's husband, comedian Patton Oswalt, and with Emmy-nominated actress Amy Ryan studying passages from her work — which EW's critic described as "a posthumous treasure that feels thrillingly alive" — I'll Be Gone within the Darkish takes you from passion-filled reporting to the long-waited arrest of DeAngelo. —J.M.

The place to observe I'll Be Gone within the Darkish: HBO Max

Director: Liz Garbus

Solid: Amy Ryan

The 33 best true crime documentaries on Netflix Gabby Petito in 'American Murder: Gabby Petito'; Steven Avery in 'Making a Murderer'; A tiger and Joe Exotic in 'Tiger King' The 23 best true crime shows on Peacock to keep you guessing Detective on 'The First 48'; Nancy Grace on 'Bloodline Detectives'; Robert Stack on 'Unsolved Mysteries' 16 of 30

The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (2019)

Elizabeth Holmes in 'The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley'
Elizabeth Holmes in 'The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley'. Max

Once you combine gluttony, a starvation for energy, and a twisted try and revolutionize healthcare, you get the unhappy and sordid story of Elizabeth Holmes and her startup, Theranos. On this riveting true crime documentary, viewers will hear all in regards to the wunderkind of Silicon Valley who, at 19, dropped out of Stanford to begin her firm. Holmes normal herself as the subsequent Steve Jobs, till a reporter on the Wall Road Journal blew the lid off Theranos' fraudulent claims of creating a state-of-the-art medical check that required solely a single drop of blood to precisely detect outcomes like glucose ranges and most cancers.

With unique behind the scenes footage of Holmes and her devoted followers, Out for Blood is a wealthy, compelling cautionary story in regards to the harmful recreation of company greed and flawed bravado. —J.M.

The place to observe The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley: HBO Max

Director: Alex Gibney

17 of 30

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015)

Robert Durst in 'The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst'
Robert Durst in 'The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst'. Marc Smerling/HBO

The Jinx — an Emmy and Peabody award-winning docuseries directed by Andrew Jarecki, who collected over 10 years of proof and 25 hours of interviews — focuses on Robert Durst, the New York resort inheritor with a shady previous and a path of disturbing mysteries. Jarecki examines Durst's involvement with the 1982 disappearance of his first spouse, Kathleen McCormack; the 2000 killing of his good friend, Susan Berman; and the 2001 capturing demise of his neighbor, Morris Black. Regardless of avoiding different journalists, Durst reached out to Jarecki after the discharge of All Good Issues (2015), a movie impressed by Durst's life.

As EW's critic writes, "The Jinx possessed the pleasures of so many alternative sorts of thriller/crime tales that it performed like a abstract assertion for a complete class." —J.M.

Watch The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst: HBO Max

EW grade: A–

Director: Andrew Jarecki

18 of 30

Final Name: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (2023)

Protestors in 'Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York'
Protestors in 'Final Name: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York'. Courtesy of HBO

Tailored from Elon Inexperienced's 2021 nonfiction ebook, this four-part docuseries confronts New York Metropolis's grim legacy of anti-LGBTQ+ violence, bringing consideration to the harrowing murders of 4 homosexual and bisexual males through the early '90s. They had been all inexorably tied collectively by one ominous determine: Richard Rogers, the unassuming nurse at New York St. Vincent's Hospital who earned the notorious moniker of the "Final Name Killer." But, Rogers managed to evade arrest for a full decade as a consequence of a interval steeped in homophobic prejudices additional exacerbated by the AIDS disaster.

Final Name casts its compassionate gaze upon the victims, adroitly interweaving injustices with tender tributes to the lives they led, accompanied by interviews with their surviving family members. —J.M.

The place to observe Final Name: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York: HBO Max

EW grade: A–

Director: Anthony Caronna

19 of 30

Love Has Gained: The Cult of Mom God (2023)

Amy Carlson in 'Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God'
Amy Carlson in 'Love Has Gained: The Cult of Mom God'.

Courtesy of HBO

In a style usually accused of pure exploitative voyeurism, Hannah Olson redefines true crime storytelling with a story that's burning with real curiosity. Dubbed "Mom God," Amy Carlson — a self-proclaimed Messiah with a Joan of Arc-like aptitude — cultivated a following of "Earth allies" by means of her digital proclamations and live-streaming seminars, drawing people grappling with private traumas. As her well being deteriorated, Amy's disciples had been led to imagine her demise would herald a celestial exit Heaven's Gate-style (through UFO), paving the best way for society's salvation.

Utilizing firsthand testimonies and archival footage, Love Has Gained: The Cult of Mom God is a viscerally stunning but oftentimes amusing exploration of web evangelism and conspiracies. —J.M.

The place to observe Love Has Gained: The Cult of Mom God: HBO Max

Director: Hannah Olson

20 of 30

Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing (2016)

The Boston Marathon in 'Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing'
The Boston Marathon in 'Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing'.

HBO Documentary Movies/Courtesy Everett

Launched three years after the Boston Marathon Bombing on April 15, 2013, this account focuses on the victims of the terrorist assault and their makes an attempt to bodily, emotionally, and mentally heal from the traumas they sustained that day. Created along side The Boston Globe, Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing does cowl the lead-up and fallout from the assault, however doesn’t delve deeply into the state and federal manhunt for the perpetrators.

In case you’re on the lookout for a complete take a look at the aftermath from a regulation enforcement perspective, try Netflix’s three-part docuseries American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing. But when your curiosity within the assaults is extra centered across the survivors, their resilience, and humanity, Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing is the documentary for you. —I.G.

The place to observe Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing: HBO Max

Administrators: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg

21 of 30

McMillion$ (2020)

'McMillion$'
'McMillion$'. Max

Behold the dominion of golden arches, the place Massive Macs reign supreme, salty fries slide into ubiquitous crimson containers, and McFlurries dance on style buds all yr lengthy. However have you learnt about McDonald's Monopoly recreation heist, the infamous rip-off that performed out within the '90s?

On this six-episode sequence, viewers get to satisfy the mastermind behind all of it: Jerome Jacobson, a former cop turned safety officer who performed McTricks with the corporate's wildly common promotion, swindling $24 million within the course of. Stuffed with eccentric characters that can hold you invested, McMillion$ is a steadily-paced exploration of this supersized fraud case. —J.M.

The place to observe McMillion$: HBO Max

Administrators: James Lee Hernandez, Brian Lazarte

22 of 30

Mommy Lifeless and Dearest (2017)

Gypsy Rose Blanchard of 'Mommy Dead and Dearest'
Gypsy Rose Blanchard of 'Mommy Lifeless and Dearest'. Max

Britney vs. Spears director Erin Lee Carter examines the twisted story of Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard's homicide, dedicated by none apart from her daughter, Gypsy Rose, and the lady's boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn. This 82-minute true crime documentary focuses on the killing and its aftermath whereas additionally peering into the years main as much as Blanchard's demise. You see, Gypsy Rose skilled years of emotional and psychological abuse by the hands of her mom, who lived with Munchausen syndrome by proxy — a dysfunction that led her to manufacture her daughter's persistent situations whereas additionally poisoning her.

That includes firsthand accounts from Gypsy Rose, Dee Dee's father, and different kin, this stunning narrative will go away you questioning the depths of human desperation and the complexities of justice and morality. —J.M.

The place to observe Mommy Lifeless and Dearest: HBO Max

Director: Erin Lee Carter

23 of 30

Homicide in Boston: Roots, Rampage, and Reckoning (2023)

Carol and Charles Stuart on the day of their wedding (Oct. 13, 1985) in 'Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage, and Reckoning'
Carol and Charles Stuart on the day of their marriage ceremony (Oct. 13, 1985) in 'Homicide in Boston: Roots, Rampage, and Reckoning'.

Ira Wyman/Sygma through Getty Photographs

Within the late-'80s, Charles “Chuck” Stuart dialed 911, reporting a violent episode the place he and his pregnant spouse, Carol — a white couple — had been shot and left for lifeless of their automotive on a desolate road in Mission Tasks. When pressed for particulars, Chuck supplied a singular description: "a Black man." Towards the backdrop of longstanding racial tensions in Boston, the Stuart case set off a frenzied manhunt for the alleged assailant, triggering a media spectacle that rattled town.

Directed by Jason Hehir (The Final Dance), this nine-episode docuseries focuses extra on the police search than the homicide itself, shedding gentle on the lasting repercussions of this incident. As famous by EW's critic, Homicide in Boston "provides voice to the individuals who had been unjustly victimized by regulation enforcement and examines the legacy of that painful rush to judgment." —J.M.

The place to observe Homicide in Boston: Roots, Rampage, and Reckoning: HBO Max

EW grade: B

Director: Jason Hehir

24 of 30

The Thriller of D.B. Cooper (2020)

'The Mystery of D.B. Cooper'
'The Thriller of D.B. Cooper'. Max

Who doesn't love a superb conspiracy concept? The confounding case of D.B. Cooper continues to baffle folks right now, simply because it did again in 1971 when a shadowy schemer hijacked a Boeing 747 on its approach from Portland, Ore., to Seattle, Wash., extorted $200,000, and disappeared after parachuting out of the airplane. On this eerie true crime documentary, the relentless quest to unmask the elusive prison is in full swing, with investigators sharing their insights (and one claiming to have recognized the suspect).

The Thriller of D.B. Cooper ventures past the conspiracy, delving into the psychology behind our collective obsession with myth-making and the attract of the unknown, all sprinkled with a pointy humorousness. —J.M.

The place to observe The Thriller of D.B. Cooper: HBO Max

Director: John Dower

25 of 30

Navalny (2022)

Alexei Navalny in 'Nalvany'
Alexei Navalny in 'Nalvany'. Everett Assortment

A documentary so suspenseful it rivals even essentially the most thrilling fictional story, this latest Oscar winner paints a portrait of life beneath Putin and the worth paid by those that defy him. Navalny tells the story of Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition chief whose poisoning by Putin operatives in August 2020 almost killed him.

Shot like a thriller, Navalny will make you sweat whereas shaking your head in disbelief that the onscreen motion is all true. To cite EW's critic, the movie is "a uncooked and pressing doc" and "a painfully well timed reminder of what it really means to talk reality to energy." —D.W.

The place to observe Navalny: HBO Max

Director: Daniel Roher

Solid: Alexei Navalny, Yulia Navalnaya, Maria Pevchikh, Christo Grozev, Leonid Volkov

26 of 30

Surviving Ohio State (2025)

Dan Ritchie in 'Surviving Ohio State'
Dan Ritchie in 'Surviving Ohio State'.

HBO

An investigative sports activities documentary a few college athletic physician and the a long time of abuse he inflicted upon the scholar athletes he was charged with serving to, Surviving Ohio State is the story of the scandal as informed by the survivors. The movie relies on Jon Wertheim's 2020 Sports activities Illustrated article, “Why Aren't Extra Folks Speaking In regards to the Ohio State Intercourse Abuse Scandal?” and George Clooney — who spent a few of his childhood in Ohio — serves as one of many producers. The uncommon movie that particulars sexual abuse by means of the lens of a male survivor, Surviving Ohio State is a considerate exploration of a horrifying story. —I.G.

The place to observe Surviving Ohio State: HBO Max

Director: Eva Orner

27 of 30

There's One thing Unsuitable With Aunt Diane (2011)

Diane Schuler (left) from 'There's Something Wrong With Aunt Diane'
Diane Schuler (left) from 'There's One thing Unsuitable With Aunt Diane'. Max

In 2009, 36 yr outdated Diane Schuler drove her minivan within the mistaken path on the Taconic State Parkway, leading to a catastrophic collision with an SUV that killed herself, her daughter, three nieces, and three folks within the different automobile. Regardless of being perceived as an ideal mom by her family members, revelations about Schuler's toxication ranges on the time of the crash painted her as a villain within the media.

On this true crime documentary, Emmy-winning filmmaker Liz Garbus and her workforce study the timeline main as much as the horrific incident, providing a special rationalization behind considered one of New York's worst motorized vehicle accidents. —J.M.

The place to observe There's One thing Unsuitable With Aunt Diane: HBO Max

Director: Liz Garbus

28 of 30

The Vow (2020–2022)

A look into the rise of the NXIVM cult on 'The Vow'
A glance into the rise of the NXIVM cult on 'The Vow'. Courtesy of HBO

What started as an old-school self-help operation designed to unlock human potential morphed right into a sorority-like intercourse cult that groomed its feminine members into a lifetime of devotion to their chief, Keith Raniere. The Vow chronicles NXIVM's rise within the early 2000s, exposing systematic abuse, monetary exploitation, psychological experiments, and different prison actions. A lot of the docuseries is delivered by means of a wealth of archival recordings captured over time by cinematographer turned whistleblower Mark Vincente, "which supplies the narrative an immediacy that may't be replicated by talking-head recollections," per EW's critic.

Whereas season 1 unveils the cult's origins and delves into the involvement of main key gamers (together with Smallville actress Allison Mack, who, in July 2023, was launched a yr early from her three-year sentencing), season 2 shifts its focus to Raniere's court docket trial. —J.M.

The place to observe The Vow: HBO Max

EW grade: A–

Administrators: Jehane Noujaim, Karim Amer

29 of 30

The Manner Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin (2021)

Gwen Shamblin Lara from 'The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin'
Gwen Shamblin Lara from 'The Manner Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin'. Max

Overlook diets and train, this cult chief preached that God alone held the important thing to shedding kilos. By her five-part docuseries, director Marina Zenovich steps into the twisted world of Gwen Shamblin, the creator of the controversial Remnant Fellowship Church and its "divine" weight reduction program, the Weigh Down Workshop, the place "slenderness is subsequent to Godliness." However as former devotees reveal, behind the holy facade lies the church's darkish actuality of emotional, psychological, and bodily abuse.

As EW's critic says, "The story of Remnant Fellowship and its petite, high-haired chief is past weird and at instances virtually comical, however The Manner Down stays grounded by specializing in the human price of Gwen Shamblin's hubris." —J.M.

Watch The Manner Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin: HBO Max

EW grade: B+

Director: Marina Zenovich

30 of 30

The Yogurt Store Murders (2025)

Eliza Thomas, Amy Ayers, Sarah Harbison, and Jennifer Harbison — the victims of the Yogurt Shop Murders — in 'The Yogurt Shop Murders'
Eliza Thomas, Amy Ayers, Sarah Harbison, and Jennifer Harbison — the victims of the Yogurt Store Murders — in 'The Yogurt Store Murders'.

Courtesy of HBO

It was the crime that modified town of Austin perpetually. In 1991, 4 teenage ladies had been shot and killed in a yogurt store the place two of them labored. After years of court docket proceedings, two males had been convicted of their murders, however in 2009, the court docket overturned the ruling.

The individual(s) who killed Eliza Thomas, Jennifer Harbison, Sarah Harbison, and Amy Ayers was nonetheless at massive greater than 30 years later, when this documentary sequence first aired. The Yogurt Store Murders tells the story of what occurred to the ladies by means of interviews with family members they left behind, and investigators who sought to carry their killers to justice, giving viewers an in depth take a look at the crime, its fallout, and the numerous evolutions the investigation has taken. Of word: There was a breakthrough within the case a month after this got here out, with a suspect being IDed. —I.G.

The place to observe The Yogurt Store Murders: HBO Max

Director: Margaret Brown

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