From Sherri Papini ‘s kidnapping hoax to the two separate documentaries about Scott Peterson ‘s murder conviction, it’s safe to say that most streaming services are investing in true crime in 2024. Netflix and Hulu usually corner the genre by focusing on the most recent — and most surprising — cases. It was Investigation Discovery, however, that made headlines earlier this year with Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV , which pulled back the curtain on Nickelodeon’s past toxic work environment.
Former child stars and crew members were given the opportunity to speak out about their negative experiences at the network. After the docuseries made waves, directors Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz exclusively told Us Weekly what they hoped the public took away from Quiet on Set . “One of the goals of the series is to help spark a broader conversation around these issues.
And I certainly know that there’s a lot more people with a lot more stories out there,” Schwartz shared in March. “And we would love to be able to keep telling those stories if more people want to speak and share.” You have successfully subscribed.
Subscribe to newsletters By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News The duo highlighted how important it was for them to center the docuseries around those affected. “One of the guiding philosophies for the project was that we were taking accounts and stories and experiences of people who previously had been sort of pushed into the shadows,” Robertson added. “That understanding informed all of the choices that we were making as craftspeople — in addition to as journalists.
It meant that when we were picking an interview, we tried to replicate spaces that were off center stage, to the side [or] behind the scenes. We really work to give the floor to those who haven’t had it before.” Other documentaries that captivated audiences include Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult , Betrayal: A Father’s Secret and more.
Keep scrolling for a guide to the most enthralling true crime releases in 2024 so far: Credit: Investigation Discovery; MEGA; The Blanchard Family; HBO The Most Shocking True Crime Docs of 2024: From 'Quiet on Set' to the Dueling Scott Peterson Specials From Sherri Papini 's kidnapping hoax to the two separate documentaries about Scott Peterson 's murder conviction, it’s safe to say that most streaming services are investing in true crime in 2024.Netflix and Hulu usually corner the genre by focusing on the most recent — and most surprising — cases. It was Investigation Discovery, however, that made headlines earlier this year with Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV , which pulled back the curtain on Nickelodeon’s past toxic work environment.
Former child stars and crew members were given the opportunity to speak out about their negative experiences at the network. After the docuseries made waves, directors Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz exclusively told Us Weekly what they hoped the public took away from Quiet on Set . "One of the goals of the series is to help spark a broader conversation around these issues.
And I certainly know that there’s a lot more people with a lot more stories out there,” Schwartz shared in March. “And we would love to be able to keep telling those stories if more people want to speak and share.”The duo highlighted how important it was for them to center the docuseries around those affected.
“One of the guiding philosophies for the project was that we were taking accounts and stories and experiences of people who previously had been sort of pushed into the shadows,” Robertson added. “That understanding informed all of the choices that we were making as craftspeople — in addition to as journalists. It meant that when we were picking an interview, we tried to replicate spaces that were off center stage, to the side [or] behind the scenes.
We really work to give the floor to those who haven’t had it before.”Other documentaries that captivated audiences include Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult , Betrayal: A Father's Secret and more. Keep scrolling for a guide to the most enthralling true crime releases in 2024 so far: Credit: Netflix 'American Nightmare' (Netflix) The three-part series was released in January and covered Denise Huskins ' 2015 disappearance.
Huskins was joined by boyfriend Aaron Quinn as they recalled being accused by the FBI of setting up a staged kidnapping. After another home invasion led to the arrest and conviction of Matthew Muller , Huskins and Quinn were vindicated. The clarification came after Huskins and Quinn were already publicly accused of having to do something with her kidnapping when they didn't.
Credit: Courtesy of the Blanchard Family 'The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard' (Lifetime) Gypsy Rose Blanchard was arrested in 2015 after her mother Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard was found dead at age 48 in her Missouri home with multiple stab wounds. Gypsy, who alleged that her mother abused her, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was granted parole in September 2023 before being released. The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard centered around Gypsy's attempts to prepare for life outside of prison.
After her release in January, cameras continued to document how Gypsy was adjusting to her return into society. Credit: Investigation Discovery/Youtube 'Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV' (Investigation Discovery) In March, Quiet on Set covered producer Dan Schneider ’s tumultuous time at Nickelodeon. Former child stars and crew members recalled their experiences on the sets of Schneider’s various shows, including All That and The Amanda Show.
The four-part doc also allowed former child star Drake Bell to speak out about being the minor involved in a sexual abuse case against dialogue coach Brian Peck . Credit: Michael Buckner/Getty Images 'Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter' (Investigation Discovery) ID followed up Quiet on Set 's success with Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter, which focused on the sexual assault allegations against Nick as well as Aaron's tragic death. The docuseries, which aired in May, used interviews from family members, close friends, industry professionals and the women currently suing Nick for sexual assault to paint a picture about how the brothers’ tumultuous upbringing played a role in their ups and downs.
A note at the end of the special stated that Nick has "denied the allegations and questions his accusers' credibility." The singer also declined to be interviewed for the documentary. Credit: Courtesy of HBO 'The Jinx: Part Two' (HBO) Director Andrew Jarecki originally interviewed real estate heir Robert Durst in 2015 about various murder accusations brought against him.
The Jinx gained traction when Durst was arrested — the day before the finale aired — on first-degree murder charges for the death of Susan Berman . Durst was convicted of the murder in 2021 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. He was charged with the murder of his first wife, Kathleen McCormack , shortly after his sentencing, but died in 2022 before a trial could begin.
Durst, who maintained his innocence, notably had a hot mic moment during the first part of The Jinx where he appeared to claim he was responsible for the murders he was being accused of. He later called his participation in the doc a mistake. The second part of The Jinx , which premiered in April, covered the eight years since Durst's arrest, including his new trial, new interviews and even some of his prison phone calls.
Credit: Netflix 'Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult' (Netflix) The May Netflix special addressed the cult allegations against the talent management company 7M Films . While 7M Films has denied the allegations raised in the documentary, multiple former clients of 7M and members of founder Robert Shinn 's Shekinah Church accused him of abusive behavior and financial exploitation. Despite Shinn not directly addressing the doc, 7M wrote via an Instagram statement that the series is a “slanderous work of fiction, born from a failed extortion attempt.
” Credit: Netflix 'Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies and Scandal' (Netflix) The three-part docuseries was released in May and explored how the Ashley Madison website brought in so many members — and how a targeted hack affected millions of users, ruined marriages and destroyed lives. The docuseries included interviews from former employees, members and high-profile users, such as YouTube vlogger Sam Rader. Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies and Scandal also used footage from when the drama originally made headlines in 2015 to highlight celebrities that were accused of using the dating site, including Josh Duggar .
Credit: The Brown Family 'The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson' (Lifetime) Lifetime's docuseries The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson shared new details of Nicole Brown Simpson' s life before examining her tumultuous relationship with O.J. Simpson .
The four-part docuseries premiered in June and featured interviews with Nicole's family and friends such as Kris Jenner and Faye Resnick . The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson relied heavily on snippets from Nicole's diary, videotape footage from the 1996 civil trial d eposition, audio from Nicole's 911 calls and firsthand accounts from the police to shape their coverage. Credit: Shasta County Sheriff's Office 'Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini' (Hulu) In June, Hulu released a docuseries about Sherri Papini, who made headlines in 2016 after she was allegedly abducted while going for a jog in her California neighborhood.
Papini was arrested in 2022 for orchestrating her abduction, and she pleaded guilty later that year. Sherri's estranged husband, Keith Papini, and several of her family members and loved ones participated in the docuseries. Law enforcement also broke down how they ultimately pieced together the clues that pointed to a kidnapping hoax.
One month after Perfect Wife started streaming, Investigation Discovery announced an upcoming docuseries where Sherri will speak out for the first time about the controversy. The show will debut in 2025. Credit: Hulu 'Betrayal: A Father's Secret' (Hulu) The July release was based on the "Betrayal" true crime podcast about Jason Lytton 's shocking case.
Jason was initially booked in 2021 on 100 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after Ashley Lytton — his wife of several years — discovered child sexual abuse images on his computer. The Utah authorities subsequently came across over 1,000 of these pictures on Jason’s phone after securing a search warrant. He was ultimately indicted on two misdemeanor counts of voyeurism, a third-degree felony of obstructing justice and 10 counts of second-degree felony charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.
He later secured a plea deal and was sentenced to 329 days in Salt Lake County Jail and two years of supervised probation. Ashley and her loved ones questioned the criminal justice system after Jason was spared any prison time. Credit: Netflix 'The Man with 1000 Kids' (Netflix) Released in July, The Man with 1000 Kids told the story of Jonathan Meijer, who is a Dutch YouTuber and sperm donor.
He was accused of fathering more than 500 children and defrauding vulnerable families in the Netherlands and around the world. Meijer has since spoken out about the doc by telling NBC News he he did “not want to cooperate IN ANY WAY with Netflix and it is their responsibility to not use lies and slander.” Credit: CDCR/ MEGA 'Face to Face With Scott Peterson' (Peacock) After being convicted for the murder of his wife, Laci Peterson , Scott Peterson will be speaking out for the first time since he was sentenced to life in prison.
Face to Face With Scott Peterson , which is set for an August release, features footage of Scott from prison in addition to interviews with former Modesto Police Department detectives Al Brocchini and Jon Buehler , Scott’s former defense attorney Lara Yeretsian and more people with knowledge of the case. The three-part doc follows new developments in Scott's case after the Los Angeles Innocence Project announced their attempts to help overturn his murder conviction. Credit: Courtesy of Netflix 'American Murder: Laci Peterson' (Netflix) The same month as Peacock is releasing Face to Face With Scott Peterson , Netflix is highlighting Laci by interviewing her loved ones.
Netflix released a synopsis that teased a “definitive examination” of Laci’s murder, which read, “This three-part documentary series uses news clips, interrogation footage, and courtroom cameras to bring the dramatic disappearance, investigation and trial into focus. Alongside interviews with detectives, reporters, lawyers and jurors recounting their experiences in real time, it also features a conversation with Amber Frey, the woman with whom Scott was living a double life at the time of Laci’s disappearance — and whose willingness to participate with law enforcement led to major breakthroughs in the case.” In order to view the gallery, please allow Manage Cookies For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!.
