tv review

Big crimes, small screen; true crime television series and TV documentaries that recreate and reexamine some of the mystifying and grisliest cases in history.

Nordic Noir For Dummies
So what is this Nordic Noir, this Scandinavian mystery? We all get sucked into watching them (don’t we?). Over the past few years, the ubiquitous Nordic Noir television series has flooded our streaming providers, Netflix, Stan, Foxtel, and SBS on Demand. When you have watched a few, you realise that these frosty treats have a similar theme.
By Lisa Ikin6 years ago in Criminal
True Terror: The Curious Disappearance of Jack 'Don' Lewis
The cold case of missing millionaire Jack Donald Lewis who disappeared over 20 years ago has been brought back into the spotlight by popular Netflix documentary Tiger King.
By A. N. Merchant 6 years ago in Criminal
Unsolved Crimes on 'The Haves and the Have Nots'
There have been many unsolved crimes on Tyler Perry's The Haves and the Have Nots that airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Those cases include ten deaths and other crimes that have not been solved. The crimes date back to the very first season, and Perry keeps adding new crimes without bringing closure to the old ones.
By Margaret Minnicks6 years ago in Criminal
Why you should watch Broadchurch
This is a series that has a lot to offer than regular crime shows. It's more than the avaunt guard procedural drama like The Killing or Blue Bloods with small-town secrets like Justified. Crime shows are a dime a dozen on different television networks or sequel series to continue one long idea like Criminal Minds Or CSI.
By Samantha Parrish6 years ago in Criminal
Netflix's Obsession With Crime Documentaries
I'd be lying if I said Netflix doesn't give enough love and affection to crime documentaries in their library of over a thousand shows. I'd also be blind, considering a good portion of the catalogue evolves around the touchy subject. But, evidently, Netflix do seem to have a special bond with crime dramas and murder mysteries. Now, whether that's a good thing or not – you'll have to tell me. Either way, there's no denying Netflix's thirst for criminal mastermind binge-worthy seasons. That's apparently a running theme they've been sticking with since the launch of the streaming service. But, why? It's not like we all have a soft spot for serial killings. Or, maybe we do, I don't know.
By Jord Tury6 years ago in Criminal
Review of 'You' Season 2
Well, it's rare that a mystery or thriller surprises me with almost all of its twists, but the second season of You, now streaming on Netflix, did just that. And with the same wit and style that lit up the first season, maybe even more. All of which adds up to a highly, often immensely, enjoyable second season of this literate and introspective serial killer.
By Paul Levinson6 years ago in Criminal
Review of 'What Makes a Murderer'
What Makes a Murderer is a Channel 4 documentary series exploring an age-old myth: Are murders born killers? The series is co-produced by Dragonfly and UnderworldTV, a TV production company made of ex-criminals and crime experts. At the moment of this writing, it has aired the entire 3 episodes.
By Rex6 years ago in Criminal
'Escape at Dannemora' Review
Escape at Dannemora is a 7 episode real-life prison escape thriller TV series written by Brett Johnson and Michael Tolkin and directed by Ben Stiller (Night at the Museum). Starring Patricia Arquette as Joyce ‘Tilly’ Mitchell who worked as the manager at the prison sewing shop. Benicio del Toro as Richard Matt and Paul Dano as David Sweat who were lifers at the prison as well as workers at the sewing shop and that’s where the drama starts.
By Rex6 years ago in Criminal
‘Pennyworth’: S01.E09. “Alma Coogan”
With only one episode remaining of the current season, the created Batman prequel series Pennyworth edges ever closer to the season finale. The ninth episode, the Rob Bailey-directed “Alma Coogan,” picks up the story shortly after events depicted in the previous installment.
By Shain Thomas6 years ago in Criminal
‘Suits’: S09.E09. “Thunder Away”
Did you catch the serie's penultimate episode? It’s the perfect setup for the series finale. Harvey Specter's (Gabriel Macht) families, both his personal and professional families, are falling apart as Suits nears the end. At the close of the previous episode, Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) had the unenviable task of delivering the sad news to Harvey that his mother, Lily (Brynn Thayer), had died of a heart attack.
By Shain Thomas6 years ago in Criminal
'Pennyworth': S01.E08. "Sandie Shaw"
The latest episode of Bruno Heller’s Batman prequel period drama Pennyworth picks up the story the following morning. In the previous episode, the Clare Kilner directed "Julie Christie," we saw Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon) go after the man that killed Esme Winikus (Emma Corrin), but he finds he’s not the only one that has a vendetta against Captain Curzon (Charlie Woodward). Bet Sykes (Paloma Faith), an individual Alfred thought executed, was there to kill Curzon for what he did to the woman she loved.
By Shain Thomas6 years ago in Criminal
Review of 'The Spy'
Gideon Raff is best known for Homeland, soon to begin its final season on Showtime. In its first few seasons—its best few seasons, by far—Homeland told the story of an American who was brainwashed in Iraq, to hate Americans and identify with terrorists, who returns to the US as a war hero and moves to within a heartbeat of the Presidency. It was all fiction, of course, but...
By Paul Levinson6 years ago in Criminal