There are a lot of true crime documentaries I think fall into the underrated category. I certainly enjoy some of the classics like Paradise Lost, The Staircase, and the forgotten gem from the 1980s, The Thin Blue Line.
Some more modern ones that have fallen under the radar stuck with me just as much, if not more in some cases. It’s these three true crime documentaries that deserve a little more credit and one reason why.
1) Two Shallow Graves is a dark mystery with no clear solution
I’m not even sure what to think after watching Two Shallow Graves. The darkness of the documentary is captivating. The answer to the question as to who killed the McStay Family remains somewhat of a mystery to me. As much as I think Chase Merritt must be guilty, there are too many other coincidences leading me to think maybe he didn’t do it. After all, didn’t Joseph McStay’s brother reference two shallow graves before the bodies were found in a pair of two shallow graves? It’s too eerie of a coincidence to ignore.
2) Casting Jon Benet is comedy in true crime form
If Ricky Gervais had to make a true crime documentary, he’d create Casting Jon Benet. This is equally awkward humor as much as it covers the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey. It’s as funny as any film I’ve seen because of how real the people are and the silliness of their trying to get a role in a Jon Benet Ramsey movie that I’m not sure the directors ever had any intention of doing. Are we sure Christopher Guest didn’t direct this?
3) The Killing Season profiles several huge cases in one series
The Killing Season was a documentary I stumbled on without knowing what I was getting into. At first, I thought it would be another Long Island Serial Killer documentary. Instead, each episode connects to a different case with some similarities. It was actually a brilliant idea to profile multiple cases and dive head first into interviews with potential suspects along the way. I really wish there were more true crime series like this one.
Practically Trouble 
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