Serial Killer Documentaries to Watch With Someone Who Gets It

Serial killer documentaries are the heaviest corner of true crime, and they are best shared with someone who gets why you watch them. Every case involves real victims, so the five below were picked for their focus on investigators, survivors, families and the psychology behind the cases. Save them for a date when you already know each other’s limits, and check a streaming guide, because where to watch changes by country and by month.

If you like the detectives’ view

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (Netflix, January 13, 2021, four episodes, directed by Tiller Russell and James Carroll) centres on the detectives Gil Carrillo and Frank Salerno, who investigated the crimes of Richard Ramirez in Los Angeles. It also shows the fear that gripped the city while he was at large. It suits people who enjoy watching a case come together piece by piece.

If you want a long investigation

The Ripper (Netflix, December 16, 2020, four episodes, directed by Jesse Vile and Ellena Wood) covers the murders of 13 women in West Yorkshire and Manchester between 1975 and 1980, committed by Peter Sutcliffe. It draws on interviews with investigators, journalists, survivors and family members of victims. It looks at the early public indifference to the killings of sex workers and at the criticism of the police investigation. It is a thoughtful pick if you want to talk about how attitudes shape the response to a crime.

If you are curious about the mind

Crazy, Not Insane (HBO, 2020, directed by Alex Gibney, 117 minutes, narrated by Laura Dern) follows the psychiatrist Dorothy Otnow Lewis, who studied the psychology of murderers. It is one film rather than a series, which makes it easier to fit into a single night in.

If you want to question what you are told

The Confession Killer (Netflix, December 6, 2019, five episodes, directed by Robert Kenner and Taki Oldham) is about Henry Lee Lucas, who admitted to more than 200 murders in the U.S. Years later those confessions were found to be false. It prompts a good chat about how we decide whether to believe someone.

If you want the true crime classic

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (Netflix, January 24, 2019, four episodes, directed by Joe Berlinger) draws on more than 100 hours of interviews and archival footage, alongside interviews with friends, survivors and law enforcement. Reviews were mixed, and one critic said it skirts introspection, so it is worth talking about how much attention a killer deserves. It is the one of the five that centres the killer most, so choose it last.

How to watch together, with care

Ask before you press play, and agree that either of you can stop at any time. Watch one episode and talk about it, rather than a whole series in one go. Remember the victims, their families and the people who investigated, and keep the jokes away from them. If a story stays with you at night, switch to something lighter for a while.