Whether you’re into the real stories told with hard-hitting, gritty detail or prefer your mysteries firmly in the realm of fiction, there are many options out there for you armchair detectives. Here are just a few compelling shows to choose from. Be forewarned, some documentary series’ can get gruesome or explicit (most of them warn you before you turn them on). They can also be hard yet somehow addictive to watch so always pace yourself, maybe go outside for a while between episodes.

Documentary series

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (2020) — The limited series follows the findings that true-crime writer Michelle McNamara uncovered in her research on California’s Original Night Stalker/East Area Rapist, who she dubbed the Golden State Killer. Not only does the documentary follow the timeline and details of the 50 sexual assaults and 13 murders committed by the GSK in the 1970s and ’80s, but it follows McNamara’s discoveries and process, leading her, amateur detectives and actual law enforcement to finally find the perpetrator nearly fifty years after his spree began. The documentary is beautifully told, giving the victims their moments to fully tell their stories with each case discussed with deep respect. The series is as much about crimes as it is about the writer who helped crack the case and gives a powerful insight into the toll it took on her over the course of her investigation, eventually leading to her death from an accidental overdose in 2016. Stream it on HBO Max.

Making a Murderer (2015, 2018) — Unlike most of the true-crime docu-series out there, this one is so full of details they split it into two seasons. It follows the 1985 conviction of Steven Avery for the sexual assault and attempted murder of Penny Beerntsen, his subsequent exoneration in 2003 then his arrest and conviction for the murder of Teresa Halbach in 2005, of which he claims he is also innocent. The slow-burning series is an in-depth look at the legal processes and the possible mishandling of the cases by the Manitowoc County, Wisconsin police department. The documentary does tend to lean a little heavily on Avery’s side in regards to his latest conviction, the overarching story that is told is compelling nonetheless. Stream it on Netflix

Wild Wild Country (2018) — It’s almost necessary for all Oregonians to watch the fascinating story of Rajneeshees and the community of Antelope. While there are not as many grisly details as you may find in other true crime documentaries, this one follows the conflict between the followers of the Bagwan, the locals and eventually the state as a whole. It does a pretty good job of not taking specific sides and instead presents both for what they were, giving key players their own time to tell their version of the story. Stream it on Netflix.

Fictional series

The Brokenwood Mysteries (2014-present) — The quirky New Zealand procedural takes place in the small fictional town of Brokenwood where murder is never far. Even though the seasons only last four to six episodes, each of those episodes clocks in at an hour and a half giving ample time to set up the suspects of each case and for the detectives to solve them. The show does a really great job of keeping the viewer guessing, switching up the typical way in which the killers are introduced in similar dramas. Stream all episodes on Acorn.

Lucifer (2016-present) — OK, this one is more of a supernatural show than your typical procedural. It finds the Devil himself, Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), teaming up with the Los Angeles Police Department to solve murders alongside Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) who is immune to his charms and powers of discovering what people truly desire. It’s fun, a little campy and gets immensely better when it was canceled by Fox then picked up by Netflix in Season 4. The second half of Season 5 drops next month and here’s hoping it gets better than the first half was. Stream it on Netflix.

Luther (2010-19) — The Brits really know how to make a compelling crime drama. The psychological thriller series follows Detective Chief Inspector John Luther (Idris Elba) who becomes consumed with his cases, possessed by them even. The series is darkly compelling and follows Luther’s relationship with Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson), a brilliant psychopath and murderer who Luther can’t get the evidence needed to arrest. It is one of the best police dramas from Britain mostly due to Elba’s incredible acting and the compelling characters that surround him. Stream it on HBO Max or Starz.