In this article, we shall discuss the 20 best serial killer documentaries on Netflix and other streaming services. To skip our detailed analysis of the global entertainment streaming industry in 2024, go directly and see 5 Best Serial Killer Documentaries on Netflix and Other Streaming Services.
As of 2023, the global streaming market was valued at more than $500 billion and is expected to rise to $1.9 trillion by 2030, at a mammoth CAGR of 19.3%. The number of video streaming service users has been rising exponentially in recent years, with more than 38% of all television usage being dedicated to streaming in 2023. According to a report by Forbes, there are currently more than 1.8 billion subscriptions to video streaming services which also offer some of the best serial killer documentaries, with 26% of this figure admitting to binge-watching at least once a week. Some of the biggest players in the global video streaming industry are Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS). To read more on the global streaming industry, check out our coverage of 15 Biggest Streaming and TV Companies in the US.
The Future of the Video Streaming Industry: Key Trends
The global video streaming industry is projected to be impacted by certain trends in 2024, with the rising importance of attention metrics topping the charts. Companies are racing to curate better experiences for their consumers so that constant advertisements can be rewarded with genuine consumer attention. To improve profitability in 2024, advertisers would be well-advised to embrace the attention economy and build better mechanisms to understand which type of attention is best suited for their brand/KPI. In this vein, more companies will adopt attention metrics to augment legacy standards like reach, frequency, impressions, and page views. However, advertisers maintain that the utility of attention metrics is not definite and companies like Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) are expected to make significant efforts in 2024 to solidify them in order to direct more attention to some of the best serial killer documentaries on Netflix and other streaming services.
Moreover, in 2024, industry experts are predicting cross-platform measurement to become increasingly intelligent and actionable. With streaming options becoming a mainstay in digital media overall, the market has gotten increasingly fragmented. As subscription growth decelerates and overall churn increases, platforms are realizing the need to establish effective ad-supported options which don't turn audiences off from the product. In order to achieve this, companies must optimize partnerships and demonstrate intent to integrate technological capabilities to reduce the pressure on publishers across the industry. According to an analysis by McKinsey, the streaming landscape will be incredibly different for the consumer by 2030. As technology shrinks the world and coalesces it into a global marketplace for content, by 2030, content will transcend current borders in a way where content from anywhere will be available to consumers all around the world. Consumers will likely be able to select the language in which they want to consume some of the best serial killer documentaries on Netflix and other streaming services, opening up the market and improving potential for profitability for streaming players.
According to a report by The New York Times, the economics of content creation largely tip in the favor of multi-part docuseries and other types of documentary features, especially some of the best serial killer documentaries on Netflix and other streaming services. Documentaries tend to have lower production costs, owing to smaller crews, fewer elaborate sets, and the extensive reliance on existing footage and interviews. Production cost is largely reserved for travel, equipment, and post-production editing. Furthermore, since documentaries tend to tap into incredibly niche markets, it is able to attract a loyal consumer base. Lower production costs and the increased potential for targeted appeal causes overall return-on-investment (ROI) to skyrocket exponentially. In this vein, streaming giants like Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) have diverted significant investments in the production of documentaries and docuseries. According to an analysis by the New York Film Academy, the selection of Netflix documentaries and docuseries have increased exponentially over the last couple of years, with more than 90 documentaries on the streaming platform as of April 2023.
The Disney Dilemma: An Overview
In its Q3 2024 earnings report, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) reported a massive decline in ad revenue weighing on its top line, despite earnings topping expectations due to profit at ESPN+ and the continued growth of its theme parks. Due to this, the company has made public its plan to "aggressively manage" its cost base, slashing total expenditure by an additional $2 billion in efforts to achieve a target of $7.5 billion in total cost cuts. Although the company's streaming business narrowed its losses year-over-year, total losses for 2023 have amounted to more than $400 million. In total, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has lost more than $10 million on its streaming service venture since it was launched in 2019. The platform bled more than 11.7 million subscribers globally in Q3 2023.
According to a report by The New York Times, the depreciation was exacerbated due to a low-priced version of Disney+ in the Indian market. In 2022, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) lost a bid to renew the lucrative rights of the Indian Premier League cricket matches, causing the platform to lose millions of subscribers. To make streaming a more profitable venture, the company's CEO Robert Iger has shifted focus away from a brisk subscriber growth model, in a bid to cut down on expensive marketing campaigns. Instead, the company is aiming to attain a higher value to its existing consumer base. In December 2022, the monthly price for access to an ad-free configuration of Disney+ rose to $11 from $8. The company doubled down on this strategy in October 2023 by increasing the price of Disney-run Hulu, with began charging $18 for ad-free access, up from $15. According to the CEO, the company intend to divert more subscription to the advertiser-supported tier to maximize revenue and rake in profits. This strategy, coupled with management's commitment to follow in the footsteps of Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) and crack down on password sharing caused The Walt Disney Company's (NYSE:DIS) share price to appreciate by more than 2% in late November.
However, since the company still relies on old-line channels like ESPN and ABC for more than 33% of its operating profits, these traditional channels raked in a quarterly operating income of roughly $1.9 billion in Q3 2023, down 23 percent year-over year. This is due to the fact that traditional TV outlets are being decimated by cord cutting, sports programming costs, and rampant advertiser pullback. You can read more on the current atmosphere of cord cutting and its impact on streaming companies in our coverage of 10 Best Live Streaming Services for Cord Cutters in 2023. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) attributed lower ad sales on its traditional TV segment to a decline in viewership and lower payments from ESPN subscribers, in addition to skyrocketing sports programming costs. To navigate around this predicament, the company's CEO has made it clear that he is looking for “strategic partners that could either help us with distribution or content".
Best Serial Killer Documentaries on Netflix and Other Streaming Services
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Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 20 best serial killer documentaries on Netflix and other streaming services, we decided to undertake a consensus-based approach using a diverse variety of credible sources (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). We picked documentaries which appeared at least twice in these sources, assigning them an average ranking based on the numbers at which they appeared on the lists. Low averages mean that the documentary appeared at high ranks overall during our research. For instance, if a film ranked number 1 in one list and number 2 on the other, the average ranking it obtained would be 1.5. Alternatively, if a film ranked number 20 on one list and number 30 on another, the average ranking would be 25. We then arranged all the entries based on their average rankings, from highest to lowest.
You can also see our rankings of some of the best movies of all time in our list 50 Best Movies of All Time.
20 Best Serial Killer Documentaries on Netflix and Other Streaming Services
20. World’s Most Evil Killers (Peacock)
Average Ranking: 31
The documentary, World’s Most Evil Killers, examines some of the most disturbing murders committed by various serial killers. It includes lawyers, forensic scientists, and writers, who come together to analyze each murder.
19. Tales of the Grim Sleeper (HBO Max)
Average Ranking: 29.5
Tales of the Grim Sleeper revolves around the story of a serial killer Lonnie David Franklin Jr., who committed at least 10 murders between 1984 to 2007. He is called the grim sleeper because of his 14-year long break from crimes. He was sentenced to death.
18. Monique Olivier: Accessory to Evil (Netflix)
Average Ranking: 29
One of the best crime documentaries on Netflix, Monique Olivier: Accessory to Evil is centered around a serial killer’s wife. Initially she was thought to be innocent; however, it was later revealed that she was used as an accessory by her husband in his crimes. The film is one of the best serial killer documentaries on Netflix.
17. John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise (Peacock)
Average Ranking: 26
Executed in 1994, John Wayne Gacy was convicted of committing approximately 33 murders. The documentary, Devil in Disguise, includes audio recordings of Gacy himself, as he uncovers graphic details of his crimes.
16. The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (Tubi)
Average Ranking: 25.5
In 1991, the serial killer and sex offender, Jeffrey Dahmer, was arrested in Milwaukee. The Jeffrey Dahmer Files was released in 2012 and includes interviews of the lead detective, medical examiner, and Dahmer’s neighbor.
15. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO Max)
Average Ranking: 25
Based on a book, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark covers the story of the crime author, Michelle McNamara who made innumerable efforts to find the Golden State Killer, who committed 50 sexual assaults and 10 murders.
14. H.H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer (Tubi)
Average Ranking: 23
The documentary, H.H. Holmes: America’s First Serial Killer, explores the story of H.H. Holmes, who was convicted for only one murder, even though he confessed to committing 27. The hotel where he committed the offenses was named the “Murder Castle” by the media at the time. Due to its immaculate direction and production quality, the film is one of the best serial killer documentaries on streaming services.
13. Cropsey (Tubi)
Average Ranking: 21.5
Released in 2009, Cropsey reveals the story of Andre Rand, who was a convicted child kidnapper based in Staten Island. The documentary combines the legendary tale of Staten Island with the crimes of Rand.
12. The Confession Killer (Netflix)
Average Ranking: 20.5
The Confession Killer unravels the story of Henry Lee Lucas, who confessed to murdering hundreds of people, even though the evidence suggested otherwise. To make his confession stronger, he sketched portraits of victims and narrated graphic details of each murder. The documentary has attracted many viewers, leading it to become one of the best serial killer documentaries on Netflix.
11. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (Plex)
Average Ranking: 17.5
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer is a follow up of a movie, centered around a sex worker who killed seven of its male clients. The series puts forward the idea that Aileen’s execution may not be right as she does not have a sound mind.
10. Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi (Netflix)
Average Ranking: 17
Chandrakant Jha, known as the Butcher of Delhi, was prosecuted and arrested for killing three underprivileged people and placing their bodies in front of a jail. He was accused of killing 7 people, but he claimed to have killed 44.
9. The Women and the Murderer (Netflix)
Average Ranking: 15
The series, The Women and the Murderer, uncovers the story of Georges, who raped and murdered several women in France. The documentary includes interviews from a female investigator and the families of the victims, making it one of the best serial killer documentaries on Netflix.
8. Catching Killers (Netflix)
Average Ranking: 14.5
Released in 2021, Catching Killers is one of the best crime documentaries streamed on Netflix. It comprises some of the most famous serial killer cases, including its facts and the murderer’s prosecution.
7. Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes (Netflix)
Average Ranking: 14
Former police officer Dennis Nilsen murdered approximately 15 men and boys. Nilsen was arrested in 1983, when plumbers found human remains in the drains. Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes includes Nilsen’s audio recordings narrating the details of the offenses.
6. Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (Netflix)
Average Ranking: 12
Theodore Robert Bundy, popularly known as Ted Bundy, was an American serial killer involved in criminal offenses like murdering, raping, and kidnapping numerous young women. This series includes Bundy’s interviews, while he was on death row. The film is number 6 on our list of the best serial killer documentaries on Netflix and other streaming services.
