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Dirty John
Netflix just released the latest season of Dirty John, which is just as steamy and scandal-filled as the first. If you don’t know a thing about Betty Broderick and her murderous past, you’ll want to check out the latest chapter in the anthology. Or, if you’ve already binge-watched the whole second season, you’re probably looking for more wild crime to fill your days. Trust us, Netflix has plenty of true-crime series similar to Dirty John that you’ll enjoy just as much.
Dirty John is an anthology series, meaning it follows a completely new story every time a season is released. Based on the podcast of the same name, the first season — which aired originally on Bravo — followed the titular John, who began a family only to have it spiral into a saga of manipulation, lies, and greed. Connie Britton and Eric Bana starred as the two leads, nailing the con lifestyle perfectly. The second season — which originally aired on USA — followed the Betty Broderick story, starring Amanda Peet as Betty, a wife who’s pushed to the absolute brink. All the stories in Dirty John follow the dark drama between couples, juxtaposed by the sunniness of Southern California.
Want more shows just like this drama-filled true crime? You’re in luck. Here are seven shows like Dirty John to watch on Netflix if you loved the scandalous series:
'StartUp'
StartUp follows the rise of “GenCoin,” a familiar-sounding digital currency that’s just as controversial as it sounds. Adam Brody stars as Nick Talman, who initiates the idea and helms the project with two strangers. They become embroiled in the tech sphere, although they don’t fit the usual mold for tech stars. An FBI agent (Martin Freeman) gets involved in the project too, and though he’s incredibly powerful, he’s not always in the game with a clear head.
'The Blacklist'
The Blacklist may be down one lead, but it’s still sure to impress crime fans. The series follows Red (James Spader), an ex-government agent who becomes one of the most wanted fugitives in the world. His name will be cleared, under one condition: he has to work with the FBI to catch a blacklist of terrorists, mobsters, and other dangers to society. He’ll have to work with Liz Keen (Megan Boone), a rookie profiler, who may be harboring some secrets of her own.
'Manifest'
Manifest just landed on Netflix, and it’s already soared to the top slot of the streamer’s most popular films and TV shows. The series is about a wild occurrence with a plane: when a handful of strangers take flight, they experience turbulence that sends them five years into the future. Even though their flight feels like a normal length, when they land, they find out they’ve been deemed missing for the last five years, and that time has passed while they’ve been lingering in the air. It’s less true crime (sorry, this is not based on a true story), but it still has all the thrills of Dirty John.
'Unbelievable'
Unbelievable is based on a true-crime story just like Dirty John. The series is a dramatization of the 2008-2011 Washington and Colorado rape cases, following Marie (Kaitlyn Dever), a victim of sexual assault. Two detectives, played by Toni Collette and Merritt Wever, follow the twisting path that may or may not lead to the truth behind the story. The Netflix series is based on a Pulitzer-winning article retelling the story, “An Unbelievable Story of Rape.”
'House of Cards'
House of Cards was one of Netflix’s first originals, and if you loved the high-stakes drama of Dirty John, you’re sure to enjoy all six seasons of this political thriller as well. The series, which is set in Washington, D.C., follows the Underwoods, a couple with ambitions to get revenge on the American government. After they’re passed over for the Secretary of State position, they hatch an elaborate plan to attain power together — but they’ll have to wholly trust one another if they want to succeed.
'Designated Survivor'
Designated Survivor is another D.C. drama sure to enthrall all Dirty John fans. The series follows an extreme hypothetical situation: what if nearly the entire staff of the US government perished in one fell swoop? Wildly enough, it happens in Designated Survivor. One lowly cabinet member is forced into the Oval Office, and he has to learn the ropes immediately. Not only does he have to figure out how to be president in a matter of hours, the inexperienced politician also has to fix a nearly irreparable country before it erupts into chaos.
'American Crime Story'
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story are two chapters of the American Crime Story anthology, and both are similar to Dirty John. They follow more high-profile cases in dramatized detail, brought to life by Ryan Murphy. Catch up on both seasons of American Crime Story now, because Murphy has another installation of the saga coming soon: this time, it’ll follow the impeachment of Bill Clinton.
