Top 250 Tv Shows Like John Wayne Gacy: Defending A Monster

Based on the best-selling true-crime book by Sam Amirante and Danny Broderick.

A list of the best tv shows similar to John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster. If you liked John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster then you may also like: Law & Order, American Crime Story, Dark Angel, MINDHUNTER, Snapped and many more great tv shows featured on this list.

"Sam, could you do me a favor?" A seemingly simple request sparks the story that has now become part of America’s true crime hall of fame - the journey of a young lawyer, fresh from the Public Defender’s Office, whose first client in private practice turns out to be the most evil serial killer in our nation's history.

Law & Order

In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.

American Crime Story

An anthology series centered around some of history's most famous criminal investigations.

Dark Angel

The story of Victorian serial killer Mary Ann Cotton, a poisoner whose methods leave no visible scars, allowing her tally of victims to mount, unsuspected by a Victorian society unable to conceive of a woman capable of such terrible crimes. Traveling around the North East, she insinuates herself into unsuspecting families, marrying and creating new families of her own - before killing them, taking their money and moving on.

MINDHUNTER

An agent in the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit develops profiling techniques as he pursues notorious serial killers and rapists.

Snapped

The fascinating cases of every day, seemingly average moms, wives and girlfriends accused of murder. Did they really do it? And if so, why?

See No Evil: The Moors Murders

See No Evil: The Moors Murders is a British two-part television serial directed by Christopher Menaul. It was produced by Granada Television and broadcast on ITV during May 2006. It tells the story of the Moors Murders, which were committed during the 1960s by Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, from the view of Hindley's sister Maureen Smith and her husband David.

Conversations With A Serial Killer

A terrifying yet fascinating investigative journey into the lives, crimes and deaths of some of history's most villainous characters.

Five Daughters

The stories of five young women who were tragically murdered in Ipswich in 2006.

Appropriate Adult

The extraordinary story of Gloucester housewife Janet Leach who played a key role in the uncovering of the crimes of Fred and Rosemary West.

Aquarius

In the late 1960s, a Los Angeles police sergeant with a complicated personal life starts tracking a small-time criminal and budding cult leader seeking out vulnerable women to join his “cause.” The name of that man is Charles Manson.

Gangsters: America's Most Evil

A cinematic documentary series that explores the rise and fall of some of the most nefarious and notorious criminals brought to justice by the United States government. From thugs to lethal beauties, outlaws to kingpins, each episode profiles these gangsters and reveals their sinister motives, transgressions and the circumstances that eventually led to their downfall.

Evil Kin

It's amazing the things that you can inherit from your family gene pool: blue eyes, a beautiful smile, a winning personality. But what about your family's less desirable traits? A grandfather's talent for swindling, an aunt's knack for aggravated assault or even a father's flair for murder.... can you actually inherit evil from your family tree? Evil Kin begs this question as well as whether psychopathic behavior is pre-programmed. From siblings who conspire to kill their parents, to three brothers who grow up independently to become a serial killer, a rapist and a mercenary, Evil Kin follows true-crime mysteries surrounding bone-chilling cases that prove blood is always thicker than water.

Killers: Behind the Myth

A look at some of Europe's and America's most horrific serial killers and how bizarrely simple blunders eventually brought them to justice.

See No Evil

Every second of every day, millions of Americans are caught on CCTV. Living in a surveillance society means everyday actions are caught on camera, mostly of honest citizens going about their daily lives. But a few are guilty of unspeakable crimes. Video doesn't discriminate; criminals also end up on film. See no Evil is a groundbreaking series that presents dramatic stories about how real crimes are solved with the aid of surveillance cameras. Police reveal how CCTV footage has unlocked the answer to cases that otherwise might have remained unsolved- leaving dangerous killers at large. The series features real footage and dramatic reconstruction, combined with first-hand testimony from police, witnesses, and families.

Killer Psychopaths

Presented by criminologist Professor David Wilson, this series focuses on the cases of seven notorious, cold-blooded psychopathic killers. Professor Wilson walks in their footsteps, living and breathing their movements and speaking to those closest to them as he tries to get inside their twisted minds.

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles

An intense and fictionalized account of actual events and people surrounding Lizzie’s life after her controversial acquittal of the horrific double murder of her father and stepmother in 1892.

Murder in the Heartland

Murder in the Heartland tells the grotesque true story of Charlie Starkweather, 19, who killed 11 people in Nebraska in 1957-58, and his 14-year-old girlfriend,

Murder She Solved: True Crime

Murder She Solved tells the true stories of female crime investigators who, against all odds, have solved some of the most daunting murder cases in North America. Combining elements of mystery and intrigue, the series' unique visual style and riveting storytelling compels viewers to connect the dots as crime-solvers unravel the clues in their journey to solve the crime.

Evil Lives Here

The true stories of people who lived with a killer. How well do you really know your family? Would you recognize the warning signs? Or would you become entangled in evil?

American Monster

On any street, behind any smile, lurks an American Monster. Never-before-seen-video footage looks straight into the eyes of a killer, hidden in plain sight. Mom next door; dad across the street; the kid who never broke the rules. Anyone can be a monster.

The Killing Season

Follow documentarians Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate one of the most bizarre unsolved serial killer cases of our time – the deaths of ten sex workers discovered on Gilgo Beach, Long Island.

In Plain Sight

Based on the true story of Lanarkshire detective William Muncie’s quest to bring to justice notorious Scottish killer Peter Manuel.

Rillington Place

A three-part drama about serial killer John Christie and the murders at 10 Rillington Place in the 1940s and early 1950s.

Law & Order True Crime

An anthology series that delves into the players, the crime and the media circus, detailing the day-to-day battles of the trial and unveiling the shocking truth of what really went down when the cameras stopped rolling.

Murder by Numbers

Each episode of this true-crime series begins with the grisly discovery of a body and the onset of an intense investigation. When police think they've solved the case, shocking twists sends each investigation into the depths of evil.

The Hunt for the Zodiac Killer

A look at the hunt for California's Zodiac Killer, who murdered at least five people in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s and early '70s.

World's Most Evil Killers

World’s Most Evil Killers delves into the gripping real-life stories of the world’s most terrifying and prolific killers. From Fred and Rose West to Ed Gein – The Clown Killer – and even to The Milwaukee Cannibal. Each episode focuses on one notorious killer and features authentic first-hand accounts of their behavior, from detectives who ran the case, journalists who reported on the stories, relatives, and at times survivors, alongside series experts who provide analysis. These criminologists, crime journalists and psychologists examine how the infamous killers made headlines both nationally and internationally and why they still continue to evoke fear and fascination in the public eye.

Jodi Arias: An American Murder Mystery

Sex, lies and murder – what happened to Travis Alexander? This three-part special examines the most salacious murder case in American history. We explore the investigation and trial that captivated the nation with interviews from central figures.

Unmasking a Killer

Viewers go inside the investigation, the case files and the mind of The Golden State Killer – a man believed to be the most prolific uncaught rapist and serial killer in the nation. With exclusive cooperation from law enforcement and survivors, the docuseries examines the historical and social ramifications of The Golden State Killer’s reign of terror, explore the advances in forensic technology, and highlight the legal changes to our justice system that his crime spree spurred.

I Am the Night

Fauna Hodel, who was given away by her teenage birth mother, begins to investigate the secrets to her past, following a sinister trail that swirls ever closer to an infamous Hollywood gynecologist connected to the legendary Black Dahlia murder.

Manhunt

The true story of London Metropolitan police detective Colin Sutton's manhunt for serial criminals.

Pistorius

A four-part documentary about the South African Paralympic and Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who shot and killed his girlfriend in the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013. The story of a man and a nation both born to great disadvantage, the film follows the challenges, hopes and triumphs of both and the demise of their dreams under the glare of the world media.

A Confession

The story of how Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher deliberately breached police procedure and protocol to catch a killer, a decision that ultimately cost him his career and reputation.

Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

A unique look inside the mind of an infamous serial killer with this cinematic self-portrait crafted from statements made by Ted Bundy, including present-day interviews, archival footage and audio recordings from death row.

Mark of a Killer

All serial killers commit murder to satisfy their grand fantasies, but the murderers featured in this true-crime docuseries take it one step further, committing heinous acts that allow them to extend their fantasies and relive the excitement of their crimes again and again.

21st Century Serial Killers

21st Century Serial Killers forensically researches the lives of the killers who can't stop killing, revealing how the grim opportunities, provided by the 21st century, played a part in a number of murders.

Very Scary People

A chronicle of the twisted lives of some of the most frightening, diabolical characters in recent history. Each two-hour episode traces the heinous, criminal acts of these elusive miscreants and the eventual road to justice.

Jeffrey Dahmer: Killer Cannibal

Jeffrey Dahmer's childhood, combative parents, obsession with dead animals, strange behavior in high school, and first sexual yearnings collide and turn a once-happy boy into a cannibalistic serial killer.

Becoming Evil: Serial Killers

This 7-part season is filled with expert interviews and in-depth portraits of some of America's most infamous killers including John Wayne Gacy, David Berkowitz, Richard Ramirez, James DeAngelo, Aileen Wuornos, Jeffrey Dahmer, Andrew Cunanan, Ted Bundy and many others.

The Serpent

The remarkable story of how murderer Charles Sobhraj was captured. As the chief suspect in unsolved murders of young Western travellers across India, Thailand and Nepal’s ‘Hippie Trail’ in 1975 and 1976, Sobhraj had repeatedly slipped from the grasp of authorities worldwide to become Interpol's most wanted man, with arrest warrants on three different continents.

Relatively Evil

Inspired by the box office smash, GET OUT each episode of this intimate psychological thriller will explore the terrifying, real-life events of an outsider who falls for someone in a seemingly normal family only to find themselves entangled in an evil clan capable of abuse, kidnapping, or something even more sinister.As each story unfolds, this fatal fish-out-of-water series is a reflection of life's own unpredictable path of twists and turns, in a journey that exposes the shady underbelly of the family tree. All the while the newcomer is questioning their own sense of reality and in some cases, morality as small signs of trouble become dark and deadly. Once you join the family, can you ever get out?

Dr. Death

An anthology series following a new medical true crime story each season. Based on the podcast of the same name.

An Unexpected Killer

A wild and unpredictable journey into homicide investigations where the true identity of the killer comes as a shocking surprise. Combining unparalleled access, captivating interviews and stylish reenactments, each investigation starts in a familiar way - examining the crime scene, interviewing potential suspects… but then something unexpected changes everything. A new witness, an overlooked piece of evidence or even an innovation in forensic science sends investigators on a totally unexpected path that ultimately leads to the conviction of the real killer.

The Confession Killer

Henry Lee Lucas rose to infamy when he confessed to hundreds of unsolved murders. This docuseries examines the truth -- and horrifying consequences.

Landscapers

A seemingly ordinary British couple become the focus of an extraordinary investigation when two dead bodies are discovered in the back garden of a house in Nottingham.

Des

The story of one of the most infamous cases in UK criminal history, that of serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Told through the prism of three men, the series explores the personal and professional consequences of coming into contact with a man like Nilsen.

The Pembrokeshire Murders

Detective superintendent reopens two unsolved murder cases from the 1980s. Forensic methods link the crimes to a string of burglaries. Steve's team has to find more evidence before the perpetrator is released from prison.

I'll Be Gone in the Dark

An exploration of the case of the Golden State Killer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s, committing 50 sexual assaults and 10 murders, and true crime author Michelle McNamara's obsessive quest to find justice on behalf of his victims.

Bizarre Murders

Bizarre Murders reveals a true and surprisingly strange crime story. These are not serial murderers evading the FBI, but Fargo-like capers with shocking twists and unusual characters.

Four Lives

The true story of the courageous families of four young gay men who lost their lives to killer Stephen Port. Facing police failings, they fought for justice for their loved ones.

Murder Unboxed

Witness the unboxing of real case evidence while hearing from the actual investigators, prosecutors, and witnesses. Full of twists and turns, each episode will connect the dots of seemingly unrelated evidence to tell the story of what happened.

Signs of a Psychopath

This harrowing half-hour archive series revisits some of the most brutal killers in modern history, reviewing news footage and the words of the killers themselves to see which terrifying traits each killer exhibited. What are the signs...of evil?

The 93 Victims of Samuel Little

Samuel Little may not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking of serial killers, but he is one of the most prolific and elusive of all time. He was convicted of murdering four women but is thought to have killed as many as 93 women over four decades. For the first time ever, viewers will have exclusive access to investigators, stories from families and chillingly detailed descriptions from Samuel Little himself.

Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

This series examines the gruesome and horrific true crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer and the systemic failures that enabled one of America’s most notorious serial killers to continue his murderous spree in plain sight for over a decade.

The Ripper

For five years, from 1975 to 1980, the Yorkshire Ripper murders cast a dark shadow over the lives of women in the North of England. 13 women were dead and the police seemed incapable of catching the killer. No one felt safe – and every man was a suspect.

After the Night

The horrifying true story of Eric Edgar Cooke, one of Australia’s most notorious and deadliest serial killers.

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Beneath the sunlit glamour of 1985 L.A. lurks a relentlessly evil serial killer. In this true-crime story, two detectives won't rest until they catch him.

The Clown and The Candyman

This explosive exposé profiles the sadistic serial killers Dean Corll, aka Candyman, and John Wayne Gacy, aka The Killer Clown, who separately each murdered dozens of young men in Houston and Chicago while going undetected for much of the 1970s.

Confronting a Serial Killer

The timely story of the unprecedented relationship between acclaimed New York Times best-selling author and memoirist Jillian Lauren and the most prolific serial killer in American history, Samuel Little, and her race against time to identify his victims before it's too late. As she slips deeper into his sordid world, Jillian realizes that she may become, psychologically, Little's last victim.

John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise

The chilling story of one of the world’s most notorious serial killers told through the words of Gacy himself, those who were forever changed by his unspeakable deeds and those who believe that the full truth remains concealed to this day.

The Chameleon Killer

Deep in the woods of New Hampshire, police find barrels with the remains of mutilated victims. The hunt for a serial killer stretches to California as detectives unravel a tangled web of abuse and murder.

The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness

The Son of Sam case grew into a lifelong obsession for journalist Maury Terry, who became convinced that the murders were linked to a satanic cult.

Black Bird

As Jimmy Keene begins a 10-year prison sentence, he gets an incredible offer: If he can elicit a confession from suspected killer Larry Hall, Jimmy will be freed. Completing this mission becomes the challenge of a lifetime.

Invisible Monsters: Serial Killers in America

Examine the intersecting paths of five of America’s most notorious killers–Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, The Green River Killer and BTK–who all operated during the same period, across two decades.

I Survived a Serial Killer

The harrowing, heroic stories of one or more survivors of the same serial killers. Told from the survivors’ point of view, the series highlights the strength and perseverance of regular people encountering and overcoming pure evil.

Sherwood

Two murders shatter an already fractured community leading to one of the largest manhunts in British history while threatening to inflame historic divisions sparked during the Miners' Strike three decades before.

Painkiller

The causes and consequences of America's opioid epidemic unfold in this drama following its perpetrators, victims and an investigator seeking the truth.

Dexter: New Blood

10 years after Dexter went missing in the eye of Hurricane Laura, we find him living under an assumed name in the small town of Iron Lake, New York. Dexter may be embracing his new life, but in the wake of unexpected events in this close-knit community, his Dark Passenger beckons.

Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.

After marrying a mysterious man who claimed he could make her dog immortal, a celebrated vegan restaurateur finds her life veering off the rails.

Catching Killers

The investigators behind infamous serial killer cases reveal the harrowing, chilling details of their extraordinary efforts in this true crime series.

Dexter: Early Cuts

Dexter Early Cuts is a web-based series in the form of an animated comic about the character Dexter Morgan and his earliest kills, thus the name "Early Cuts". The series is narrated by Michael C. Hall from the Showtime series and chronicles characters from that series (not the novels).

Ken and Barbie Killers: The Lost Murder Tapes

Three schoolgirl murders. Two killers hiding in plain sight. Six video tapes that horrify the world and lead to one of the most controversial murder trials in modern history: one that left a nation shamed, victims denied justice, and a serial killer roaming free in Canada today. Over the course four parts, THE KEN AND BARBIE KILLERS: THE LOST MURDER TAPES follows the extraordinary twists and turns of the case and trial of glamour couple Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, the "demonic duo of dark kink", who quickly became the most notorious killers in Canadian history.

Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer

In 1970s NYC, the “Torso Killer” preys on women to fulfill his grotesque fantasies while eluding police. A docuseries dive into crime’s darkest places.

The Hillside Strangler

A serial killer stalks Los Angeles in the 1970s, leaving bodies on display throughout the Hollywood Hillside. After a man named Kenneth Bianchi is arrested in 1979 on the suspicion of a double homicide in Bellingham, Washington, it doesn’t take long for Los Angeles investigators to connect the dots back to the serial killer they dubbed “The Hillside Strangler.” But there’s a catch — through a series of explosive recorded interviews with various psychologists and psychiatrists, Bianchi claims that the perpetrator is NOT him; it’s actually his multiple personality, ‘Steve‘ — and that’s not all he has to say on the matter.

Yorkshire Ripper: The Secret Murders

Series examining the police investigation into the crimes of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, known as the Yorkshire Ripper, and the missed opportunities to charge him for his earlier, unacknowledged crimes.

Captive Audience: A Real American Horror Story

1972: 7-year-old Steven Stayner vanishes from Merced, California. For years, his family searches for him, only to find they’ve been looking for the wrong boy. 50 years on, Steven’s children unearth clues to their father’s mysterious past.

Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes

He dined with the powerful. He preyed on the vulnerable. Beneath a smiling exterior was the horrifying darkness of a sadistic serial killer.

Keeper of the Ashes: The Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders

The true story of three young Oklahoma girls, found murdered after their first night at sleep-away camp. The tragedy, as well as the manhunt and trial of their suspected killer, captivated the nation in the summer of 1977. But decades later, uncertainties surrounding the case continue to haunt the Tulsa community, local law enforcement, and the victims' families.

First Blood

“First Blood" examines some of America’s most notorious serial killers through the prism of their first known kills to reveal what drove them to the moment when violent fantasy and curiosity became a devastating reality.

I Just Killed My Dad

Anthony Templet shot his father and never denied it. But why he did it is a complex question with profound implications. Explore Anthony's psyche prior to the events of June 3, 2019 and the journey of his mental and emotional aftermath.

Based on a True Story

The lives of a realtor, a plumber and a former tennis star unexpectedly collide, exposing America’s obsession with true crime, murder and the slow-close toilet seat.

The Box

Det Chris Loudon re-opens the cold case of Pam Maurer, a 16-year-old high school student who was murdered and dumped in Lisle, Illinois in 1976.

Devil In Suburbia

The stories of ordinary folks who confront the evil that was always right in front of them. Through the lens of home archive, we journey with our insiders into shocking crimes to reveal what was missed before tragedy changed everything.

Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes

Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer confesses to his gruesome crimes in unguarded interviews, offering an unsettling view into a disturbed mind.

Dating Death

The story of Rodney Alcala, who was infamous for his TV dating show appearance during his murder spree, and who was linked to 130 deaths.

Santa Claus: The Serial Killer

A shopping mall Santa targeted and terrorised Toronto's gay village - murdering eight men in a seven-year killing spree. Why wasn't he stopped sooner?

Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields

An overgrown field and a stretch of highway connect a series of grisly murders spanning several decades as grieving families search for answers.

How I Caught My Killer

The real-life stories behind unique homicide cases with in-depth interviews, authentic archival material and cinematic recreations all packaged together into a fresh spin in the genre.

Big Little Crimes

Minor incidents - huge impact. The gob-smacking stories of ordinary coppers who stumbled upon key pieces of evidence and helped take down major criminals.

Swarm

A young woman's obsession with a pop star takes a dark turn.

Violent Minds: Killers on Tape

Renowned psychiatrist Dr. Al Carlisle's captivating inmate tapes with some of America’s most heinous killers helped him discover what drives a seemingly normal person to become obsessed with murder, exhibit violent tendencies and psychopathic behaviors.

Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York

In the early 1990s, with homophobia and hate crimes on the rise as the AIDS crisis worsens, a serial killer preys upon gay men in New York City, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims.

Myth of the Zodiac Killer

The identity of the serial killer known as 'The Zodiac' has been confounding investigators for nearly fifty years, but an unlikely and unconventional theorist may have finally shed light to America's most famous cold case by asking a question that no one else has ever dared ask: what if the reason the Zodiac has never been caught... is because he never existed in the first place?

The Long Shadow

Dramatizing one of the most infamously notorious and shocking serial killer cases in the world, the hunt for Peter Sutcliffe, commonly dubbed the Yorkshire Ripper, between October 1975 and January 1981, South Yorkshire police undertook the biggest manhunt in British criminal history. The search for Sutcliffe lasted five years, involved over a thousand officers and changed the way the British police worked forever.

Crime Nation

A captivating true-crime and justice anthology series that thrusts viewers into the gripping world of real-life mysteries, cold cases and heart-stopping investigations.

Model Killers

Models are the epitome of beauty, fame and glamour. They are the lucky few - blessed with faces and bodies worshiped and envied around the world. But what happens when that model high life all little girls dream of turns into a nightmare?

Lethally Blonde

Host Holly Madison reveals the stories of everyday young women who use sex appeal as an avenue to power, which leads them into a risqué world of jealousy and obsession that quickly becomes darker and more dangerous than they can possibly imagine.

People Magazine Investigates: Surviving a Serial Killer

There are precious few individuals who have managed to survive their encounters with serial killers. Anchored by People Magazine's in-depth reporting, these survivors share their terrifying and intensely emotional experiences with unimaginable evil.

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