Mariah Koeneke
CONTRIBUTOR
This spooky-ooky season was vastly different than any previous year. So many people are still sheltering in place, quarantining and social distancing. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but at some point, we will run out of things to do.
That’s why I’m here to present the perfect option for your post-spooky season blues! Log on to Netflix, Hulu or whatever streaming service you might use. Go straight to the true crime section and let your imagination run wild with possible suspects to countless murders.
One of my favorite things to do is watch murder shows and try to figure out who the killer is before the show tells you. I highly recommend trying that as it proves to be a good game to play when having a few friends over.
Each streaming service has a dedicated ‘True Crime’ section that is chalk-full of documentaries, docuseries and TV series focused on different aspects of true crime. From the most recently released documentary about Chris Watts, who brutally murdered his pregnant wife Shannan, and his two daughters, on Netflix to the oldest episode of Forensic Files or Cold Case Files, there is something interesting for everyone. Not only are there those options.
There are also movies like Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, which stars Zac Efron who portrays infamous serial killer Ted Bundy and is based on true events.
While it is based on true events, some of it is fabricated and that is very important to keep in mind when browsing the true crime section. Some events that take place in shows and movies are exaggerated, fabricated and dramatized for better content and a wider reach of viewers.
Shows that will be mostly factual are ones like Forensic Files, Unsolved Mysteries and Cold Cases.
However, my top recommendation is Mindhunter on Netflix. With only three seasons, it’s packed with real events that two FBI agents who started the Behavioral Analysis Unit and interviewed real serial killers in prison. Not only that, but they also are actively solving murders and finding new serial killers. Unfortunately, this show has been put on an indefinite hold due to COVID.
Now don’t get me wrong, I understand the details can be unnerving and impossible to imagine, but that’s the point. Diving deep into the minds of psychopathic and sociopathic killers by bingeing true crime documentaries is the best way to not only educate yourself, but also a way to safely spend time indoors during this seemingly never-ending pandemic.
When you’re out at a party once all of this is over – if it ever is – and you spit out some serious true crime facts after bingeing so much of it, I promise you’ll find the best people at that party.
