‘Murder on Middle Beach’: Binge these true crime docuseries on HBO
If you love going down the rabbit hole of true crime shows – you’re not alone! Let’s face it – sometimes real life can be stranger than fiction. Case in point, the bizarre Tiger King docuseries that rose to popularity this summer.
Want more Tiger King, or a bizarre true crime show to binge? If you’re one of the many who can’t get enough of true crime, here are some of the best grizzly true crime docuseries HBO has to offer.
Murder on Middle Beach
If you’re a true crime obsessive like us, then you might have already watched this intriguing four-part docuseries. Murder on Middle Beach follows director Madison Hamburg as he tries to solve the case of his mother Barbara Hamburg’s brutal murder.
The docuseries centers around how Hamburg is trying to tackle the after-effects of Barbara’s death on his already fractured family while processing his own grief.
The Vow
The Vow, directed by filmmakers Jehane Noujaim & Karim Amer, is probably one of the most unsettling true crime series out there. The nine-part docuseries follows members of the NXIVM organization, a self-help group whose leader Keith Raniere is a convicted sex trafficker.
The docuseries delves deep into the psychological manipulation that skilled predators use to lure innocents. The series depicts how seemingly intelligent, capable people ended up trapped in the insidious allure of the NVIXM sex cult.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is a six-part docuseries that documents Michelle McNamara’s quest to expose the Golden State Killer. The docuseries follows McNamara as she conducts a sprawling investigation into the man who committed at least fifty sexual assaults and ten murders during the 1970s & 1980s.
The series also highlights McNamara’s own story including her pursuit to find justice for the victims and her mental health struggles.
McMillion$
McMillion$ is a six-part documentary series that chronicles how one man corrupted McDonald’s Monopoly game between 1989-2001. The perpetrator managed to seize $24 million from a contest in which there were “almost no legitimate million-dollar winners”. This intriguing docuseries of greed and deceit involves FBI investigators, ex-cons, mobsters, and – obviously – Ronald McDonald.
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst
This mini-docuseries directed by Andrew Jarecki examines Robert Durst, a multi-millionaire real estate heir who has allegedly committed multiple murders over the course of three decades.
The Jinx is focused around the 1982 disappearance of Kathie Durst, the murder of Susan Berman, and the 2001 death and dismemberment of Morris Black. This docuseries is so gripping that you’ll find yourself bingeing all the episodes in one day.
The Case Against Adnan Syed
The Case Against Adnan Syed is a four-part true-crime docuseries directed by Academy Award-nominee Amy Berg. The series revolves around the murder of Hae Min Lee and was inspired by season 1 of the successful podcast Serial. Like the podcast, the docuseries contains various revelations and allegations that raise even more questions about the handling of Hae Min Lee’s murder case.
I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle Carter
I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle Carter is a two-part documentary on the death of eighteen-year-old Conrad Roy. This docuseries illustrates how our prejudices hold us back from making the right call.
The series critically examines the involuntary manslaughter case against Michelle Carter, Conrad Roy’s long-distance girlfriend who the prosecution held accountable for her boyfriend’s suicide.
Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children
Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered uses their narrative to highlight racial disparities in the criminal justice system. The title refers to the Atlanta murders wherein between July 1979 & May 1981 at least twenty-eight African-American children and young adults were murdered. This five-part docuseries delves deep into the terror and turmoil surrounding the case.
If you’re a fan of the Netflix series Mindhunter, you’ll recognize these murders from season 2’s storyline. Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered would be a great docuseries to check out if you want more information about the Atlanta murders.
