True crime has become a phenomenon these days, mostly because people are really fascinated by them. It doesn’t matter if it’s a murder mystery, political or personal scandal, or a gruesome act, people are listening to them while they are happening and if they are twisted enough they make their way on television to entertain millions. Now, the whole world is obsessed with a true crimes either through podcasts, documentaries, or shows. So, today we have made a list of the 10 most underrated true crime dramas.
The Staircase
Synopsis: Based on a true story, THE STAIRCASE explores the life of Michael Peterson, his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson.
Landscapers
Synopsis: Inspired by real events, Landscapers tells a unique love story involving Chris and Susan Edwards (Thewlis and Colman), a seemingly ordinary British couple who become the focus of an extraordinary investigation when two dead bodies are discovered in the back garden of a house in Nottingham. Will Sharpe directs the exploration of love and fantasy, which is created and written by screenwriter Ed Sinclair. Additional cast includes Kate O’ Flynn, Dipo Ola, Samuel Anderson, David Hayman, Felicity Montagu and Daniel Rigby.
The Dropout
Synopsis: Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. Hulu’s limited series “The Dropout,” the story of Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried) and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye? The Dropout stars Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes and Naveen Andrews as Sunny Balwani. The limited series also includes guest stars Utkarsh Ambudkar, Kate Burton, Michel Gill, LisaGay Hamilton, William H. Macy, Elizabeth Marvel, Laurie Metcalf, Dylan Minnette, Alan Ruck, Sam Waterston, Michaela Watkins and more.
Des
Synopsis: DES is a drama based around the arrest and trial of serial killer Dennis Nilsen, portrayed by David Tennant.Nilsen preyed on young men in London until 9th February 1983, when Detective Chief Inspector Peter Jay was called to investigate. Daniel Mays plays Jay, with BAFTA Award winner Jason Watkins as writer Brian Masters, whose book ’Killing for Company’ was constructed around interviews with Nilsen after his arrest. Des is written by Luke Neal (episodes 1 & 2) and Kelly Jones (episode 3), directed by Lewis Arnold and produced by David Meanti. Willow Grylls, Kim Varvell, Charlie Pattinson, Elaine Pyke, Luke Neal, Lewis Arnold and David Tennant are Executive Producers. The cast also includes Ron Cook, Faye McKeever, Chanel Cresswell, Barry Ward, Tony Way, Bronagh Waugh, Laurie Kynaston, Ross Anderson, Ben Bailey Smith, Jay Simpson, Silas Carson, Stuart McQuarrie, Jamie Parker, Lex Shrapnel, Gerard Horan, Joel Morris, Jonathan Coy, Amy Booth-Steel, Ken Bones, Andrew Woodall and Amaka Okafor.
Gaslit
Synopsis: Gaslit is a modern take on Watergate that focuses on the untold stories and forgotten characters of the scandal – from Nixon’s bumbling and opportunistic subordinates to the deranged zealots aiding and abetting their crimes to the tragic whistleblowers who would eventually bring the whole rotten enterprise crashing down. The story will center on Martha Mitchell, played by Julia Roberts. A big personality with an even bigger mouth. Martha is a celebrity Arkansan socialite and wife to Nixon’s loyal Attorney General, John Mitchell, played by Sean Penn. Despite her party affiliation, she’s the first person to publicly sound the alarm on Nixon’s involvement in Watergate, causing both the Presidency and her personal life to unravel. As Attorney General, John Mitchell is Nixon’s most trusted advisor and best friend. Temperamental, foul-mouthed and ruthless – yet hopelessly in love with his famously outspoken wife – he’ll be forced to choose between Martha and the President.
Escape At Dannemora
Synopsis: This limited series is based on the stranger-than-fiction account of a prison break in upstate New York in the summer of 2015 that spawned a massive manhunt for two convicted murderers. The prisoners were aided in their escape by a married female prison employee with whom they both became sexually entangled. It stars Oscar® winners Benicio del Toro and Patricia Arquette, and Golden Globe® nominee Paul Dano. Emmy® winner Ben Stiller executive produces and directs all episodes.
The Investigation
Synopsis: Based on the real-life investigation into the 2017 murder of young Swedish journalist Kim Wall, which made headlines around the world as “the submarine case”, this limited drama series follows the team of investigators and divers who worked tirelessly for six months in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles to gather evidence and bring justice for Wall’s family. Søren Malling (A Hijacking) leads the cast as Jens Møller, the Head of Homicide for the Copenhagen Police, alongside Pilou Asbæk (Game of Thrones) as the prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen. Pernilla August (Star Wars) and Rolf Lassgård (The Hunters) star as Kim Wall’s parents, Ingrid and Joachim Wall. The Investigation is written, directed and executive produced by Oscar-Nominated Tobias Lindholm and produced by Fremantle’s Scandinavian production company, Miso Film. The series was made in close cooperation with the real-life Jens Møller and Kim Wall’s parents, Ingrid and Joachim Wall.
Candy
Synopsis: Candy Montgomery is a 1980 housewife and mother who did everything right—good husband, two kids, nice house, even the careful planning and execution of transgressions—but when the pressure of conformity builds within her, her actions scream for just a bit of freedom. With deadly results. The series stars Jessica Biel, Timothy Simons, Melanie Lynskey, Pablo Schreiber, and Raúl Esparza.
Dr. Death
Synopsis: Dr. Death is based on the terrifying true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a rising star in the Dallas medical community. Young, charismatic and ostensibly brilliant, Dr. Duntsch was building a flourishing neurosurgery practice when everything suddenly changed. Patients entered his operating room for complex but routine spinal surgeries and left permanently maimed or dead. As victims piled up, two fellow surgeons and a young Assistant District Attorney set out to stop him. Dr. Death explores the twisted mind of a sociopath and the gross negligence of the system designed to protect the most defenseless among us.
Also Read: Best Shows Like ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ To Watch If You Loved the Series
Under The Banner of Heaven
Synopsis: FX’s Under the Banner of Heaven, the original limited series inspired by the true crime bestseller by Jon Krakauer, follows the events that led to the 1984 murder of Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her baby daughter in a suburb in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah. As Detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) investigates events which transpired within the Lafferty family, he uncovers buried truths about the origins of the LDS religion and the violent consequences of unyielding faith. What Pyre, a devout Mormon, unearths leads him to question his own faith.
