If you, like the rest of Netflix’s subscribers, are obsessed with the “Making a Murderer” docu-series but wonder what to watch next, continue reading for some spoiler-free suggestions.
Whether you think Steven Avery and his nephew, Brendan Dassey, are innocent or guilty, chances are you got sucked into the drama of “Making a Murderer” nonetheless. While the docu-series has its critics, it’s safe to say that since finishing it a lot of folks are looking for what to watch next. Here are our suggestions for what to watch next. The list features both docu-series and documentaries.
What to Watch After “Making a Murderer”
1. “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” (HBO)
Directed by Andrew Jarecki (“Felicity” and “Capturing the Friedmans”), this six-part documentary series shares the information gleaned from a seven-year investigation into a series of unsolved crimes and their connection to Robert Durst, the wealthy scion of New York’s Durst family. The most interesting aspect of this series is that it was made with his full cooperation, just like “Making a Murderer.”
2. “Central Park Five” (PBS)
If you came away from “Making a Murderer” with concerns about the problems in our justice system, you might want to watch this film. It’s by the award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns and tells the story of the five black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly convicted of raping a white woman in New York City’s Central Park in 1989. The film chronicles the case from the perspective of the five teenagers whose lives were changed forever by a miscarriage of justice.
3. “Kids for Cash”
By the same token, “Kids for Cash” is another film that highlights injustices in the criminal justice system. The film unpacks the notorious scandal of one Pennsylvania judge, who sent more than 3,000 kids to jail, and received millions of dollars in payments from the privately-owned juvenile detention centers where the kids were incarcerated.
4. “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills” (HBO)
This film is the first in a trilogy that chronicles the story of the 1994 conviction of the ‘West Memphis Three’, a trio of teenagers accused of murdering three boys as part of a Satanic ritual in West Memphis, Arkansas. This film, like “Making a Murderer” takes a critical look at the criminal justice system, especially when it comes to the juvenile justice system. The subsequent films in the series are “Paradise Lost 2: Revelations” and “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory.”
5. “The Prince of Pennsylvania” (ESPN)
If the appeal of “Making a Murderer” were the seemingly unstable cast of characters, then you might want to catch this film. It documents the murder of Olympic-wrestler Dave Schultz who was murdered by John DuPont. It also makes a nice companion to “Foxcatcher,” the film inspired by the murder that came out in 2014.
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