5 Lesser-Known Detective TV Series Based on Real Crimes, Ranked by IMDb
There are no fictional maniacs or made-up evidence here – only real cases, real victims, and real pain.
Have you already watched Broadchurch and True Detective several times, but are yearning for something fresh and equally dark? If so, this list is for you.
We've compiled a list of five lesser-known detective TV series based on real events, ranging from an Australian crime saga to a South Korean show that reimagines real-life crimes through the lens of sci-fi.
5. 'Laetitia', 2019-2020
IMDb Score: 7.0/10
The 2020 miniseries Laetitia is based on the true story of Laëtitia Perrais, who was murdered nearly ten years earlier in La Bernerie-en-Retz.
The script is based on Ivan Jablonka's book Laëtitia ou la Fin des hommes, in which the author explores not only the crime itself, but also the social context that made it possible.
Avoiding excessive emotionality and romanticization, the series recounts the story of a young woman raised in a dysfunctional family and analyzes institutional failures.
4. 'Des', 2020
IMDb Score: 7.6/10
This three-part miniseries, set in the early 1980s, chronicles the shocking crimes of Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen who brutally murdered at least 12 young men.
Considered one of the most terrifying serial killers in British history, Nilsen followed a specific ritual. He lured his victims to his home, killed them, photographed their bodies, dismembered them and then communicated with the corpses.
3. 'Underbelly', 2008-2013
IMDb Score: 8.0/10
Underbelly is a sprawling crime saga. Each season is based on real events from the history of the Australian criminal underworld, from the Melbourne gangland wars of 1995–2004 to the Sydney Mafia showdowns.
The first season chronicles Carl Williams' rise from small-time player to one of the country's most powerful drug lords.
2. 'Manhunt', 2017-2020
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
The first season of Manhunt centers on FBI agent Jim Fitzgerald's pursuit of Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber.
Rather than focusing on typical detective intrigue, the series provides a meticulous examination of the police system's failure to catch a dangerous criminal.
Kaczynski mailed bombs to his victims and wrote a lengthy manifesto about how technology was ruining people's lives. He remained unaccounted for for nearly twenty years, and only Fitzgerald's innovative data collection methods were able to solve the case.
1. 'Signal', 2016
IMDb Score: 8.5/10
This series is unknown only to those who have never been interested in Korean TV series. The South Korean drama is based on real-life crimes, including the infamous Hwaseong serial murders, but reimagines them through a sci-fi lens.
Through a mysterious walkie-talkie linking 1989 and 2015, profiler Park Hae-young, detective Cha Soo-hyun, and investigator Lee Jae-han connect and collaborate to solve criminal cases.
As they investigate kidnappings and murders, they get closer to solving old crimes and interfere with the course of history, changing the future.
