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true crime
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Stream It Or Skip It: 'Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer' On Hulu, A Docuseries About Dr. Ann Burgess, Whose Methods Changed The Way Serial Killers Were Pursued
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Stream It Or Skip It: 'Sasha Reid And The Midnight Order' On Freeform, A Docuseries About A Group Of Women Who Get In The Minds Of Serial Killers
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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Nelma Kodama: The Queen Of Dirty Money’ On Netflix, A Documentary About A Brazilian “Dollar Dealer” And Her Blinged Out Ankle Monitor
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Chilling 'Unsolved Mysteries' Trailer Teases A Severed Head, A Body On The Beach And More Gruesome Cases In Season 4
I receive a lot of emails. Is that a brag? Hey, bud, you can take it however you want it, but the proof is in the pudding and the pudding is in my inbox. When I’m not busy crafting exceptional ledes, I spend my time screening new shows to review. A little over a year ago I started receiving press emails for BuzzFeed Unsolved, the digital media company’s true crime and mystery series centering on an array of unsolved cases told through the perspectives of two amateur internet sleuths. My interest was piqued; I love true crime and very much enjoy when people use the term “sleuth.” I vowed to give BuzzFeed Unsolved a chance.
I almost instantly forgot about my vow. Life moves pretty fast, Ferris Bueller, etc, you get it. About a month ago I rediscovered the show on YouTube, where it’s currently streaming for free, and became instantly obsessed. I love it. An incredibly entertaining mix of comedy, short-form true-crime, and friendship, BuzzFeed Unsolved is the perfect way to familiarize yourself with a variety of unsolved whodunits you may have missed. From the popular — the assassination of JFK, the disappearance of D.B. Cooper, the Alcatraz prison break — to the more obscure — “The Bizarre Road Trip of a Missing Family,” “The Mysterious Death of The Boy in The Box” — BuzzFeed Unsolved does the impossible: it makes true-crime fun.
BuzzFeed Unsolved’s versatility is a major part of its appeal. Its condensed runtime (episodes range from 4 to 37 minutes in length) and unique mix of admiration for the subject matter and comedic irreverence combine to make the series an ideal true-crime binge. True-crime docs are riveting, sure, but you don’t always have an extra four hours to spend with noted psychopath Ted Bundy. Sometimes you just want a brief, breezy 15-minute refresher on some of the most repugnant scumbags in history.
The show’s innate charisma stems from the organic chemistry between hosts Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej. The ability to tell an abbreviated story that’s equal parts funny, compelling, and informative is no simple task, especially when you consider the grim subject matter, but Bergara and Madej make it look easy. Despite their friendship, Ryan and Shane share many contracting ideologies when it comes to true crime. It’s enjoyable to view these cases through two different prisms; it’s optimist vs. pessimist, believer vs. skeptic, Jack vs. Locke.
The duo’s infectious energy, good-natured banter, and storytelling proficiency fuse together to create a series that’s just a ton of fun to watch. It’s basically Unsolved Mysteries for millennials, which is the highest honor I can bestow upon a show because Unsolved Mysteries will now and forever be the JAM.
BuzzFeed Unsolved is a cinch to stream. All four seasons of this true-crime dynamo are available on YouTube, Hulu, and Prime Video, and the guys also have a spin-off series based on the supernatural. Learn from my mistake. Don’t wait an entire year to stream this immensely entertaining true-crime gem.
