The 17 Best True Crime TV Shows (That Aren’t About Murder)
True crime doesn’t have to mean murder – these series spotlight scams, cults, and cons with all the intrigue and just a little less darkness.
A few television genres are often labelled as ‘guilty pleasures’. Reality TV and soap operas for their vapid and over-the-top gaudiness, then, on the grimmer end of the viewing spectrum, there’s true crime. It’s a controversial and divisive realm – sometimes lauded for bringing attention to failings within society and the justice system, and other times considered exploitative and unethical. Whether you identify as a member of the true crime fandom or avoid it at all costs, most people can agree that the stories explored are fascinating, albeit deeply unsettling.
However, with all the bleakness in the world, leaning too far into the dark can take its toll. So if you’re in the mood for real-life tales of deception and intrigue without a body count, this list is for you. Most of these shows can’t be considered in any way light viewing, but they might be a little easier on the nervous system.
1. Allen v. Farrow
Where Can I Watch It? Binge
Woody Allen’s name was once synonymous with indie cinema royalty, hailed as the master of tragicomedy. Now, it’s impossible not to think of the allegations made against him by his ex-partner Mia Farrow and adopted daughter Dylan, as well as his controversial relationship with Farrow’s adopted daughter from her previous marriage – Soon-Yi Previn. This four-part documentary series investigates the disturbing and complex case, and the prevalence of systemic failure in celebrity culture.
2. Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing
Where can I watch it? Netflix
What happens when your childhood becomes content? Bad Influence explores the booming – and troubling – industry of kidfluencers, where parents turn their children into social media stars. The series unpacks the lack of regulation and emotional toll on kids who grow up performing for the internet. It’s a cautionary tale about fame and the blurred boundaries of the digital age.
3. Bad Sport
Where Can I Watch It? Netflix
Where there’s huge salaries and even bigger egos, there’s usually scandal. In this series of six standalone documentaries, stories that shocked the world at the time but have since been mostly forgotten are explored in detail and from the perspectives of those who were there. From basketball point-shaving to match-fixing, drug smuggling, and ref-bribing, Bad Sport offers a glimpse into the seedy underbelly of competitive sport.
4. Bad Vegan
Where can I watch it? Netflix
After marrying an illusive man who claimed he could make her dog immortal, vegan restaurateur Sarma Melngailis finds her life veering off the rails. A tale of fame, fraud, and fugitives, this captivating docuseries recounts the insane tale of how Sarma illegally funnelled money out of her restaurant – so her new lover could pay it to a semi-divine entity offering eternal life.
5. The Billionaire, the Butler and the Boyfriend
Where can I watch it? On Netflix
Infamously dubbed ‘The Bettencourt Affair’ in France, this three-part series explores how a mother-daughter feud spiralled into a national scandal that involved high-ranking officials within the French government. At the centre of this titillating tale is Liliane Bettencourt, heiress of the L'Oreal empire and once the world’s richest woman. Enter Francoise Marie Banier, a ‘close friend’ who Bettencourt’s daughter suspected was manipulating her elderly mother, a criminal complaint, and leaked recordings of French prime minister Nicolas Sarkozy, and you’ve got a scandalous docuseries on your hands.
6. Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult
Where can I watch it? Netflix
When a popular TikTok dancer and influencer severs ties with her family after joining a church-affiliated management company, the dark truth behind accusations of abuse against its leader emerge. Over three captivating episodes Dancing for the Devil explores how this vindictive pastor exploits impressionable budding stars with his religious power and influence.
7. Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke
Where can I watch it? Apple TV+
This 2025 docuseries explores the dramatic decline of Ruby Franke, a once-popular family vlogger known for her YouTube channel "8 Passengers." The series delves into the severe child abuse allegations that surfaced in 2023, leading to Franke's arrest alongside her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt. Featuring interviews with Franke's estranged husband, Kevin, and their eldest children, Shari and Chad, the docuseries provides an intimate look into the family's dynamics and the disturbing events that unfolded behind their online persona.
8. Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe
Where can I watch it? Prime Video
A captivating name, and an even more captivating story uncovered by investigative reporter and journalist Alice Hines. Asking the question “How far would you go to find your twin flame?”, this 3-part docuseries delves into the wild world of Twin Flames Universe – a cult-like internet community searching for love that is still online today. Founders Jeff and Shaleia Divine have made a fortune off devoted members who play with fire to claim their ‘Twin Flame’, crossing boundaries and even binaries to find their happy ending.
9. LuLaRich
Where can I watch it? Prime Video
This four-part docuseries delves into the pyramid scheme of LuLaRoe, the clothing company that began as a multi-level marketing team scam in which people sold leggings to one another while signing up new retailers to be beneath them in the pyramid. The most frightening part? It mostly played out on Facebook. The investigative docuseries features former retailers and LuLaRoe staff members who've desperately tried to regain their lives back.
10. Madoff: Monster of Wall Street
Where can I watch it? Netflix
This 2023 true crime docuseries follows the rise and fall of financier Bernie Madoff, who orchestrated one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in Wall Street history. The scheme orchestrated by Madoff was exposed amid the 2008 financial crisis, where countless victims' lives were turned upside down trying to recoup their losses. The series follows investigators who look into the impossible numbers Madoff was producing, and how the agency continued to shrug off multiple red flags.
11. McMillions
Where can I watch it? Binge
Remember that McDonald's Monopoly promotion? How good was it knowing that not only did a large fries mean that you got to eat fries, but you also upped your chances of winning a million dollars in prizes? Turns out you never had a chance. McMillions tells the story of a former police officer who then worked as the director of security for Simon Marketing during the 1990s, and how he came to discover that none of the prize money from the game was going into the customer's pockets.
12. Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV
Where can I watch it? Binge and Max
This viral docuseries sent shockwaves through millennial nostalgia by exposing the toxic culture behind some of the most beloved Nickelodeon shows of the '90s and 2000s. Quiet on Set explores claims of exploitation, and unsafe work environments, centering on the behaviour of producer Dan Schneider. It’s a devastating but vital watch that challenges what it means to grow up in the spotlight – and who’s really held accountable when childhood stardom goes wrong.
13. Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult
Where Can I Watch It? Stan
This four-part documentary series chronicles the extraordinary and harrowing journey of India Oxenberg who was seduced into the modern-day sex-slave cult NXIVM, where she spent seven years. The show examines the abuse brought on to her by its leader, Keith Raniere, as well as her role within the organisation. Other ex-members provide their insights as well as cult experts, therapists, deprogrammers, lawyers, prosecutors and journalists.
14. Spy High
Where can I watch it? Prime Video
Imagine being a teenager and realising your school-issued laptop is spying on you. That’s the chilling reality at the centre of Spy High, a four-part docuseries investigating a suburban Pennsylvania district’s mass surveillance scandal. What begins as an effort to curb misconduct quickly veers into violations of privacy and civil liberties, raising serious questions about technology, trust, and power in American education.
15. The Con
Where Can I Watch It? Disney+
Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, this docuseries unpacks a variety of outrageous scams and the unfortunate people who fell for them. From identity fraud and misleading romance to the high-profile college admission scandal and (of course) Fyre Festival, this series reveals how the victims were fooled and shows the cost of their trust. It features interviews with the key people caught up in the cons, including victims and, in some cases, the perpetrators themselves.
16. The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist
Where can I watch it? On Netflix
You may have seen the Sofia Coppola film based on this case, but this true crime docuseries about the infamous bling ring crew answers all the questions you want to know about the wild case. It chronicles the real-life happenings of the California-based group of teenagers who were fascinated with early 2000s high-profile celebrities. Their obsession led them to break into and steal from many of these celebrities, including Paris Hilton and Orlando Bloom, and inevitably resulted in them getting caught. In this series, you hear from two of the group members, Nick Norgo and Alexis Haines.
17. Trainwreck: Woodstock '99
Where can I watch it? Netflix
If you close your eyes and think of Woodstock, most people have the same thought – rolling green hills with laidback, shoe-less folk frolicking across it while Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young plays in the distance – but the 1999 rendition of the music festival painted a much different picture. Trainwreck: Woodstock '99 goes behind the scenes of one of the most infamous events in music history, showing how the revival of a music festival built on love and peace, broke out in complete anarchy.
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