UPDATE 1.7.2016:
Looking for a listing of some of the latest best crime shows on Netflix?
Checkout my latest post from January 2016 here.
UPDATE 3.12.2015:
As of October 2014, apparently all Investigation Discovery shows (aka, all the ones listed below that have titles which are crossed out) are no longer available on Netflix Instant Streaming.
HOWEVER! There are still a few good crime shows you can find on Netflix streaming. I’ve done the work & found them for you. See the top of the list below. If title is crossed out, they are no longer available.
Admittedly, I love crime shows & series about murder. It’s not exactly a healthy interest to have but I have to admit, I’m something of an expert at this point. As my friend recently put it, I am a fan of “murder porn.” I think the reason for this is both the challenge of solving a puzzle. Also I’m fascinated by the brain.
Recently with the changing of the year, they removed a lot of movies from Netflix Instant. But have no fear! There’s still plenty of stuff to watch that doesn’t suck.
That said, this is my list of the best crime shows on Netflix available to stream instantly right now.
Forensics: On Trial
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: This is more of a documentary than a show, but it’s amazing. It really brings to attention how overlooked people become after death, as far as the medical field is concerned. I don’t think most people think about this stuff- I found it very interesting.
https://youtu.be/w6xFrwPs5Mc
Forensics Files
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Forensic Files is one of my all time favorite crime shows; sure to please if you’re looking to watch a few good ‘who-done-its.’
Mind of a Rampage Killer
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: This fascinating documentary explores the mindsets of some of the most prolific mass murderers from the past 50 years. They take a deep psychological look at some of the most disturbed minds of our times.
https://youtu.be/5UXkQxyGUJE
Crimes of the Century
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Documenting some of the most shocking crimes in recent years, this is a great documentary from CNN.
The First 48
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: This series takes you inside the first forty-eight hours of a murder investigation. Eye opening, realistic, and proving just how exaggerated popular CSI shows make it look far easier than it is.
The Jeffrey Dahmer Files
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: An inside look at Jeffrey Dahmer’s secret life as a murderous cannibal, this documentary provides interviews with friends & neighbors who knew him best, while all the while having no idea of his evil crimes.
Catching Killers
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: This is an awesome crime show, featuring two entire seasons of episodes to stream on Netflix instant. Awesome!
https://youtu.be/k_O9kPxuqM4
The Killer Speaks
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Gotta be honest- this isn’t my favorite crime show by any means as I feel it kind of focuses too much on the murderers versus the victims.. in a glorifying sort of way. Still, it’s a good show.
https://youtu.be/7e7igZoAz1s
Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Joe Kenda is my new hero. Of all these shows, I feel like the narration in this one is great, albeit a bit cheesy at times. Also many of these ones are very bizarre crimes and almost all of them seem to have a really interestingly executed plot twist.
Deadly Women
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Deadly Women is a show which is all a series of stories of women who kill, as the name suggests. Awesome! There are three stories in each episode and honestly, it’s a very dark show. The crimes range from women over the past two hundred years or so who kill people in various ways. There’s a theme to every episode.
Wicked Attraction
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: In Wicked Attraction, all of these crimes are committed by couples or pairs of people. Of all the shows on the list, I think of this one as one of the most dark and violent.
Solved: Extreme Forensics & Solved
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Love this show. Both of these shows really delve in to the forensics side of things very deeply. Pretty fascinating if you’re in to that sort of thing.
http://youtu.be/cNR19_5NUVE
Cold Blood
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: This is another great crime show, plain and simple.
Sins & Secrets
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Sins & Secrets is a show where each episode is based around one crime and they focus a lot on the city where the crime takes place. I like the narrator’s voice a lot and it’s interesting how the culture of the cities play in to the crime.
http://youtu.be/yew8ztqf4bs
Blood, Lies & Alibis
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Another great crime show, this one is pretty straight to the point.
Hardcover Mysteries
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Hardcover Mysteries is a show which focuses on authors of crime novels which are based on real cases. I like the writers aspect of this show and think it adds a new dimension to it.
Nightmare Next Door
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: I like this show. It focuses on the hidden nature of people and the crimes they commit.
Who The (Bleep) Did I Marry?
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: Love me some Who The Bleep. Usually these are good ones to watch if you don’t feel like watching something too dark- these are dark, but usually the victim doesn’t die or end up murdered- so, there’s that.
Stolen Voices, Buried Secrets
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: These are very sad stories, and I like the show overall but also I’m a bit put off by the narration because it’s narrated in a way as though it’s being told by the actual victims. I think that’s a little crass and not necessarily okay. Still, worth watching.
Stalked: Someone’s Watching
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: I had no idea of the insanity of our legal system in regards to stalking until I watched this show. Some of these stories are really sad, because it seems like they could’ve been prevented easily if the first altercations had been addressed correctly. This show is good, but man it might freak out out a bit if you live alone. Just sayin’.
Disappeared
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: There are so many, many episodes of this show- it’s so alarming how many people simply go missing every single year. I don’t like watching this one as much because I hate not knowing the endings.
Madness In The White City
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: H.H. Holmes is, in my opinion, one of the most prolific serial killers of the 19th Century and also, very little known from what I have seen. His murderous spree took place during the World’s Fair before the turn of the century in Chicago, and this documentary really hits the nail on the head. Absolutely crazy.
Behind Mansion Walls
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: This show is okay, but not my favorite at all. It focuses on crimes that happen to wealthy people, and would be quite a bit better if it weren’t for the awful narration. Still, it’s sure to meet your crime show needs regardless.
16 Comments. Leave new
Thanks Jess. I just got into Netflix again after many years(last time was Sopranos on dvd in 2006) and love the internet streaming to smart tv thing. I was watching Cold Blood and I knew there were other great real life crime shows and your list provides them. Guess I should thank google to for finding you. Now all I need is you snuggled up next to me on the couch watching them.
Thanks Chris! Glad to hear this list has been of some use to a few people out there. 🙂 Thanks for commenting! & happy watching.
This is a great list, I love crime shows like this, but they’re a guilty pleasure as I think people would find it weird if you said that out loud. A friend caught me watching snapped one day and she looked at me like I had 2 heads, anyway, there are so many good shows that I catch one in a while on tv, I had started making a list so I can watch them online or on Netflix and this is it, all the good shows in one simple list, you even suggested new ones I hadn’t heard of!
Thank you for a great list x
Thanks JH! Yep you hit the nail on the head; I know how that feels. Snapped is a great show, hope they add it to Netflix someday soon. Glad this list could be of some help to you! Thanks for commenting 🙂 Cheers
Joe Kenda is the man! Homicide Hunter is the best! Check out other seasons if you can.
He SO is- i whole-heartedly agree, Ed! Have only seen a few of the other seasons so far, but am hoping to see more soon 🙂
Thanks for this, I’m a bit of a junkie, the extreme forensics and solved are 2 of my favs. Sadly I have seen all the episodes in you choices, minus a couple I just couldn’t take the narration (stolen voices and mansions). If you find more please post, I keep searching. oh and I loved Police Women of Dallas! I also liked Unleashed: K9 of broward county, sadly there were only 2 episodes.
Hi Heidi- no problem & glad it could be of some help! I unfortunately also have watched all of these at this point (blarg- they need to add more soon) and I agree about the narration in stolen voices and mansions… the stolen voices one seems a bit too morbidly cheesy and kinda just wrong. Anyway, thanks for the tips on other shows and as I come across more, I’ll definitely keep posting! Cheers 🙂
Hi Jessica,
Thank you for putting such a great list together. I didn’t realize that the “Homicide Hunter” was on NetFlix. But, I haven’t been on NetFlix for awhile. I love crime shows. It is interesting to see how crimes occur and they are solved. Watching them helps me cope with own brush with crime and the fact that certain law enforcement agencies refuse to listen to me.
Thank you again,
…now I know how I will spend my night and be able to get my mind off other “junk.”
Keep up the good work –
Lisa
Thanks Lisa! Great to hear that you enjoyed the list, and thank you for the kind words! Much appreciated. Cheers 🙂
None of this is available on Netflix!!!!!
As you can see, this list was originally posted in January of 2014, so apparently it’s now out of date as it appears the Discovery channel have pulled all their shows from Netflix.
Thank you for this wonderful list. It is the most detailed, complete list I have seen. I took notes and plan to watch my shows accordingly. Great time saver and led me to shows I never would have found on my own.
Thanks for the kind words Cynthia & I’m happy this list has been of use to so many people. Unfortunately it came to my attention today that Discovery & Investigation Discovery have pulled all their shows on this list OFF of Netflix… I am researching and will update the post accordingly. Still, thanks for kind words!
What’s the one about the kid killers like reply young can’t find anywhere