Entertainment

10 True Crime Docs Like Tiger King To Watch That Are Just As Wild

From Wild Wild Country to Evil Genius.

by Casey Cipriani and Candace Cordelia Smith
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Joe Exotic takes a moment to feed one of his tigers.
Courtesy of Netflix

Many of us are no longer trapped inside our homes, but we’re still glued to our TV screens and streaming services, catching up with our favorite shows and movies. With the second season of lockdown favorite Tiger King already here, it’s clear that the wacky docuseries about a guy who owned a bunch of tigers is still must-watch TV.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, the seven-part documentary series, follows the story of Joe Exotic, a gay, gun-toting eccentric who owned a makeshift Oklahoma zoo home to more than 200 big cats. His longtime feud with Carole Baskin, the owner of a big cat sanctuary, leads to some unbelievable events, including death threats, internet wars, and a jail sentence for Exotic. The series is a wild ride behind the scenes of Americans who keep wild animals as pets and the larger-than-life personalities that are drawn to their lifestyle.

If you burn through all two seasons of Tiger King in a single day, who can blame you? The in-demand Netflix series remains a topic of numerous headlines and memes since its debut last year. But if you're looking for more wild and slightly wacky true crime documentaries to watch after Tiger King, here are 10 more to stream now.

McMillions

Revenge, drugs, greed, and Ronald McDonald. This six-part HBO series explores the elaborate scheme behind the McDonald's Monopoly contest in the late 1990s and early 2000s and why there were never any legitimate winners. (As it turns out, the winning game pieces were being stolen.) The cast of characters introduced from the very first episode are enthralling to watch. Many hold a particular love for FBI agent Doug Matthews and his eccentricities.

Available on HBO.

Wild Wild Country

If you were totally drawn into the cult-like aspects of many of the places featured in Tiger King, Wild Wild Country will be equally addicting. The Netflix docuseries explores Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh of the Rajneeshpuram community in Wasco County, Oregon, in the 1980s.

Available on Netflix.

Abducted in Plain Sight

In the 1970s, 12-year-old Jan Broberg was kidnapped by her neighbor Robert Berchtold not once, but twice. Her abduction seems a simple case of pedophilia, that is until you factor in the aliens and how Jan was destined to save an alien planet. This Netflix documentary film tells a story that is truly bonkers.

Available on Netflix.

Long Shot

What if the one person who can save you from being wrongly accused of murder is Larry David? Yes the Larry David behind Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. As this Netflix documentary's official synopsis reads, "Juan Catalan was arrested for a murder he didn't commit. To save his life, all he had to do was prove he was one of 56,000 people at a Dodgers Game that night. That's where Larry David comes in...."

Available on Netflix.

Beware the Slenderman

If you're looking for something a little creepy, Beware the Slenderman is practically nightmare-inducing. In 2014, two 12-year-old girls lured their friend into the woods and tried to kill her as an offering to Slenderman, a tall, faceless demon who demands sacrifices. The documentary film explores how a viral internet legend became reality for some kids and the terror that resulted.

Available on HBO.

Sour Grapes

Wine fraud? Is that really a thing? Yes, as it turns out, and this documentary film follows the wine auction boom that led to a man named Rudy Kurniawan making millions auctioning off rare wines. The only catch was that in reality, he was just relabeling normal wine bottles. Grab your favorite bottle and sit back for this wild ride.

Available on Netflix.

Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist

In 2003, a man walked into a bank with a bomb locked around his neck. He demanded money, but died when the bomb detonated. As this four-part docuseries explains, he was just a pawn in a larger bank heist scheme that used victims in a diabolical scavenger hunt type con.

Available on Netflix.

The Confession Tapes

What would make someone confess to a murder that they didn't commit? This four-part docuseries explores a new case in each episode, all of which feature murder suspects that confess to a killing only to backtrack later and say that their confession was false.

Available on Netflix.

The Way Down: God, Greed and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin

A sordid web of religion, weight loss, and money is at the center of this HBO documentary. Gwen Shamblin Lara rose to fame after creating her Weigh Down Workshop Christian diet program. Following her death in May 2021, stories from former devout followers of her program uncover secrets behind the “religious diet cult” and Shamblin’s beliefs. Despite the late author’s dedication to the Weigh Down Workshop and Remnant Fellowship, it was reported in October 2021 she’d left nothing to the Remnant church in her will.

Available on HBO Max.

Murder Among the Mormons

The story of a Salt Lake City Mormon community rocked by a mysterious crime is analyzed in this three-part docuseries. In 1985, three pipe bomb explosions killed two Latter-day Saints members within the Utah capital. But, this is only the beginning of what eventually turns into an even bigger account. Using real footage, Murder Among the Mormons reveals questionable documents about the Church of Latter-day Saints. It turns out there’s still more to explore besides the 1985 explosions that brought controversy to the longstanding church.

Available on Netflix.

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