This is a round-up of the current top 10 best true crime documentaries to watch on discovery+.
The ten shows below include new crime shows or new seasons in ongoing series. Plus I’ve included the best discovery plus documentaries of 2023, free to watch series and a few British true crime docs.
For more top content for true crime fans – including the best books, TV shows and podcasts, see my posts listed below.
Best True Crime TV Shows on Discovery+ (2023)
How to watch discovery+ online
You can stream all of these top true crime documentaries with discovery+ online via their app (by phone, tablet, smart TV, or TV device such as a Fire stick etc) or with a web browser. Four of this top 10 list are free to watch, as detailed below. The other crime shows can be watched with a discovery+ subscription. Discovery plus shows are also available to watch with a subscription via Amazon Prime Video, links included below. (This blog is reader-supported, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more.)
1. Deadliest Families
Latest Series (1) Released: March 2024 | Free to watch on discovery+.
About Deadliest Families series 1: The devastating murder stories where the victim and killer are family. What events led up to the crimes and why did the killers turn on their own? [Source: Amazon]
S1 E1 – Alexa Catches a Killer: In October 2022, 36-year-old Angie White is found dead at her home in Wales. Alexa recordings from the night of her murder help catch her killer.
*Stream Deadliest Families season 1 British true crime documentary online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon.
2. American Monster
Latest Series (11) Released: November 2023 | IMDb rating: 7.5/10.
About American Monster series 11: Monsters can be found lurking behind any innocent smile and on any street corner in America.
Never-before-seen-video footage stares straight into the eyes of these killers who hide in plain sight. [Source: Amazon]
S11 E1 – Spoiled to Death: David Sumney Sr. and his wife Margaret devote their lives to spoiling their only son, David, the baby of the family. However, everything comes at a price, and when his parents divorce, David Jr.’s anger escalates, resulting in the deadliest of sins.
*Stream American Monster true crime documentary online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon and US Amazon.
3. Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV
Latest Series (1) Released: March 2024 | IMDb rating: 8/10.
About Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV series 1: Discover the untold story of the toxic and abusive environment inside ’90s kids’ TV.
Hear harrowing accounts from former child stars and crew who probe the balance of power in the industry and reveal an era that inflicted lasting wounds still felt today. [Source: Amazon]
S1 E1 – Rising Stars, Rising Questions: In the 1990s, showrunner Dan Schneider brought laughter and mentorship to kid’s TV. But behind the scenes, female writers faced a sexist environment.
*Stream Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV true crime documentary online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon and US Amazon.
4. Evil Lives Here
Latest Season (15) Released: February 2024 | IMDb rating: 8/10.
About Evil Lives Here series 15: People recount their horrifying true stories about living side-by-side with sociopathic friends or family who go on to commit heinous crimes. [Source: Amazon]
S15 E1 – The Butcher and the Box: Lori and Brook have one terrible thing in common – Gary Simmons. Gary tortures Lori during their 6-year marriage. Later, he imprisons and rapes Brook. The two women meet for the first time and discover they’re connected in terrifying and surprising ways.
*Stream Evil Lives Here true crime documentary online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon and US Amazon.
5. The Suitcase Murders
Latest Series (1) Released: February 2024 | Free to watch on discovery+.
About The Suitcase Murders series 1: Experts examine the crimes of killers who try to hide their victims in luggage, revealing how their attempts to conceal the body gave them away. [Source: Amazon]
S1 E1 – Vows Of Violence: Experts examine the gruesome crimes of killers who try to hide their victims in luggage, revealing how their attempts to conceal the body gave them away.
*Stream The Suitcase Murders British true crime show online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon.
6. Grave Secrets
Latest Season (2) Released: December 2017 | IMDb rating: 7.4/10.
About Grave Secrets series 2: Some people will go to any lengths to bury a secret, including murder. This haunting, true crime thriller looks at just what happens when a murder investigation exposes secrets that someone wants buried forever. [Source: Amazon]
S2 E1 – The Woman In The Woods: In 1987, seven mummified female bodies are found in the Molalla forest. Detectives struggle to find a lead until another case reveals similar characteristics.
*Stream Grave Secrets true crime documentary online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon and US Amazon.
7. Murder on CCTV
Latest Series (11) Released: July 2023 | IMDb rating: 8.3/10.
About Murder on CCTV season 11: Real-life cases reveal how video evidence has helped to solve baffling murder cases. [Source: Amazon]
S11 E1 – Prison Break: Real-life cases reveal how video evidence has been used to solve a murder, as police reveal how CCTV footage has unlocked the answer to baffling cases.
*Stream Murder on CCTV true crime documentary online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon.
8. Death by Fame
Latest Season (2) Released: February 2024 | IMDb rating: 7/10 | Free to watch on discovery+.
About Death by Fame series 2: Uncovering the sinister side of fame and celebrity as investigators reveal the shocking true stories behind the rise, fall, and murder of some of Hollywood’s most promising stars. [Source: Amazon]
S2 E1 – A Rising Star Shot Down: Tara Correa-McMullen was only 15 when she rose to fame in Hollywood. But a romance with the wrong person takes her out of the spotlight forever.
*Stream Death by Fame true crime documentary online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon and US Amazon.
9. Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death
Latest Series (6) Released: January 2024 | IMDb rating: 7.6/10.
About Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death series 6: Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death reveals how the impact of a crime changes people, and what follows that life-changing event. Anchored by intimate POV interviews, this original series explores how a crime forever alters the lives of those involved. [Source: Amazon]
S6 E1 – The Night He Turned Bad: In 1974, 17-year-old Carla Walker is kidnapped. For 45 years the case goes unsolved, and no one knows that the person responsible is hiding in plain sight.
*Stream Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death true crime documentary online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon and US Amazon.
10. The Playboy Murders
Latest Series (2) Released: January 2024 | IMDb rating: 6.5/10 | Free to watch on discovery+.
About The Playboy Murders series 2: These stories expose the pitfalls of fame for those appearing on the pages of Playboy. Each mystery probes into murders that intersect with Playboy, forcing viewers to question every perception they hold of one of America’s most recognizable publications. [Source: Amazon]
S2 E1 – Double Trouble: Playboy twins Sandy and Mandy Bentley soar to fame in the 1990s. Until an affair with a Vegas “High Roller” leads to a brutal double murder in the Hollywood hills.
*Stream The Playboy Murders true crime documentary online with discovery+ on Prime Video: UK Amazon and US Amazon.
More True Crime TV, Books & Podcasts
- 10 Best Crime Dramas, Mysteries and Thrillers on Apple TV+
- The Rise and Fall of Ruby Franke – New True Crime Podcast
- The Confession – New Amazon Prime True Crime Doc
- Top New Book for Golden Age Mystery Fans: The Science of Murder
- Small Town Murder New Episode 292
- New True Crime Podcast UK – Crime Analyst
- The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe – ITV’s New True Crime Drama
You might also like to check out my latest 2024 Mystery and Detective News and Reviews.
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