True crime stories have become more popular than ever, with several documentaries earning smash-hit status over the past few years.
A quick Google search offers a sound explanation for our fascination with watching bad things happen to unsuspecting good people. Experts say it’s because humans are naturally wired to pay close attention to criminal behavior. We have an instinctive need to figure out who, what, when, and where so that we can protect ourselves and our loved ones.
There are also less scientific reasons why people are drawn to true crime. The most obvious is the pure enjoyment that comes with getting wrapped up in a good story. The shows on this list shine a light on some of the most horrific crimes committed by the most unlikely suspects. In each case, the perpetrator was known to their victim, which made it difficult for police to get to the bottom of things. Fortunately, all the bad guys were eventually brought to justice.
Under the Banner of Heaven follows Detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield), a devout Mormon and family man who is tasked with investigating the gruesome 1984 murders of Brenda Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her baby daughter. Her husband Allen (Billy Howle) becomes the primary suspect but eventually tells the police that his siblings might be responsible. The crime gives viewers an inside look at a disturbing, fundamentalist religious sect and reveals how extreme beliefs led to the killings.
Flashbacks to the early days of Mormonism are blended into the story, chronicling the rise of its founder, Joseph Smith, and the development of radical ideologies within the religion. Although she belonged to the same religion, Brenda ditched some of its more questionable aspects in favor of a less stifled approach. As a result, she often clashed with Allen’s family over their controlling ways. As Pyre investigates, he starts to question his own convictions and loyalty to the church.
The Thing About Pam chronicles the events that led to the death of Betty Faria (Katy Mixon) in 2011. Her best friend Pam Hupp (Renée Zellweger) offers to help police with the investigation since she was the last person to see Betsy alive. She quickly places the blame on Betsy’s husband, Russ (Glenn Fleshler), who she says was cruel to his cancer-stricken wife. Although Russ is arrested, his conviction is overturned after Lawyer Joel Schwartz (Josh Duhamel) finds inconsistencies in Pam’s testimony.
The case grabs the attention of Dateline NBC, and the subsequent investigation uncovers Pam’s past and makes her the suspect. Viewers are given an inside look at Pam and the lengths she will go to in order to make money. The breaking point in the case comes when Pam has a total meltdown while being questioned by Schwartz and accidentally reveals her true nature to everyone.
Love and Death tells the story of Candy Montgomery (Elizabeth Olsen), who lives a quiet life as a 1970s housewife. As an active member of the community, Candy is a friend to everyone, including Betty Gore (Lily Rabe), who has a hard time fitting in. When she becomes bored with the same old routine, Candy and fellow church-goer Allan (Jesse Plemons), who is also having marital problems, decide to have an affair. Along with running in the same social circles, Allan also happens to be Betty’s husband.
The pair carries on their adulterous relationship for a long time before Allan tells Candy he wants to break it off to focus on his wife and children. Although she agrees, Candy slowly becomes consumed by jealousy. When Betty is found hacked to death in her own home, Candy eventually becomes the prime suspect. But when the case goes to trial, the judge makes a shocking ruling that leaves the entire community in shock.
A Friend of the Family tells the troubling story of Jan Broberg (Hendrix Yancey and Mckenna Grace), who was kidnapped, brainwashed, and assaulted when she was just 12 years old in 1974. The perpetrator was family friend Robert Berchtold (Jake Lacy), who met the Brobergs through their church. Over time, he gained the trust of Jan’s parents and spent more and more time with their children.
One day, after offering to pick Jan up from horse riding lessons, Berchtold abducted her. With twists and turns, you’ll never suspect where this story goes.
