I LOVE YOU, NOW DIE: THE COMMONWEALTH VS. MICHELLE CARTER (HBO/Hotstar)
I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs. Michelle Carter is a two-part documentary film based on the highly controversial 2014 case of Conrad Roy who was found dead in his car. After finding text messages that encouraged him to end his life, Roy’s girlfriend Michelle Carter was arrested and charged for involuntary manslaughter. The two episodes delve deeper into their complicated relationship and Carter’s twisted psyche, uncovering dark realities in the process. portrayal of friendship and cheesy rom-com staples that will have you in splits, this show is delightful.
EVIL GENIUS (Netflix)
Evil Genius is based on the death of Brian Wells, a pizza delivery man who robs a bank with a live collar bomb around his neck. The docuseries follows everything that happens after the bomb unexpectedly goes off and looks to answer one simple question: was this just another failed bank robbery or was it a planned diabolical setup? Bizarre suspects, solid investigation and a whole lot of unnerving plot twists come with every episode of this limited series.
THE TALWARS – BEHIND CLOSED DOORS (HBO/Hotstar)
Behind Closed Doors is the second instalment of two-part crime documentaries that aired on HBO. It re-examines the double murder case of Aarushi Talwar and her family’s household servant, Hemraj, in Noida, India, which continues to haunt the nation even today. Featuring interviews with Aarushi’s parents, the docuseries explores the mysterious 2008 double murder that even now, more than a decade later, remains unsolved
AMANDA KNOX (Netflix)
She was only 20 when she was convicted of murder in a dreamy Italian town and became famous globally. Amanda Knox, based on its protagonist, deals with the what, why and when of one of the most notorious murder trials of the 21st century. Through interviews with Knox, her boyfriend of a week, the prosecutor and the lead journalist covering the trial, the documentary sheds light on what happens when there is trial by media.
PARADISE LOST: THE CHILD MURDERS AT ROBIN HOOD HILLS (HBO/Hotstar)
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills takes an unnerving and eerie insider look at the notorious murder case and the town that was forever changed by it. In the summer of ’93, the bodies of three eight-year-old boys were found next to a creek in the woods of West Memphis, Arkansas. Three teenagers were arrested and accused for this horrific crime of killing children as a part of a Satanic ritual.
WHO KILLED GARRETT PHILIPPS? (HBO/Hotstar)
The series begins and ends with its titular question ‘Who Killed Garrett Philipps?’ Similar to Behind Closed Doors, the documentary never makes a claim as to who might have, the 12-year-old boy, who was brutally murdered in 2011. The documentary highlights the biases and bizarreness of the Philipps investigation. It also showcases how the case was affected due to the police force’s racial discrimination and refusal to look past prime suspects.
THE STAIRCASE (Netflix)
An accident or a crime? That’s the only question that keeps running through your mind while you indulge yourself in The Staircase. The makers of Netflix’s Making a Murderer focus on a new high-profile case of the mysterious death of novelist Michael Peterson’s wife at their home. Every episode brings with it prime investigative thrills and solid courtroom drama that never lets you stick to your opinion about Peterson’s involvement.
LONG SHOT (Netflix)
Long Shot is a remarkable gem of 40 minutes that examines the story about the fate of a baseball fan, Juan Catalan, who is accused of murdering a 16-year-old. His future now depends on proving that he was among the crowd of 56,000 people at the stadium and funnily enough, how Larry David’s popular sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm might just help prove that.
