Viewers share 12 must-watch Netflix films and series that are all based on true stories
If you're short on films or TV shows to binge-watch this weekend, look no further.
People have been putting together lists of their must-watch shows on Netflix, so you don't have to trawl through them yourself.
Posting on the Netflix Bangers Facebook group, one viewer shared a list of 12 films and TV series that are all based on true events.
How many of these have you watched?
1. The Trapped 13: How We Survived The Thai Cave
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This documentary tells the story of the 13 Thai youth soccer team members who were trapped in the Tham Luang Cave in 2018.
Miraculously, after days of attempted rescue, the team were saved by divers who fought tooth and nail to get them to safety.
2. American Murder: The Family Next Door
The documentary, which was released in September 2020, focuses on the murder of Shanann Watts, who was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her death. Shannon, along with her two daughters, four-year-old Bella and three-year-old Celeste, were tragically killed on 13 August, 2018 at the hands of husband and father, Chris Watts.
The doc follows the case after Watts initially denied all involvement.
3. When They See Us
When They See Us is based on the the Central Park Five - a group of teens who were wrongly accused of the assault and rape of a woman in New York in 1989.
Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise - all aged between 14 and 16 at the time of the ordeal - served time in prison for the incident until 2002 DNA evidence found serial rapist Matias Reyes guilty.
4. Mindhunter
Next up is Mindhunter, which is based on a true crime book about the FBI’s ‘Elite Serial Crime Unit’ who came up with a psychological profile to help catch serial killers.
The show was written by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker and features Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, and Anna Torv.
5. The Spy
Limited series The Spy tells the story of spy, Eli Cohen, who infiltrated the Syrian government in the 1960s.
It stars Sacha Baron Cohen as Eli, whose mission takes a dangerous turn when he attempts to report on a military installation.
6. Inventing Anna
Inventing Anna is a nine-episode mini-series exploring how fraudster socialite Anna Delvey was able to fool New York City’s social elite into thinking she was one of them.
Starring Julia Garner, the story is based on an article by Jessica Pressler titled ‘How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People’, which was published in New York magazine in 2018.
7. Unbelievable
Unbelievable is inspired by the true events experienced by Marie, a young woman who is accused of lying about a rape.
It's based on Pulitzer Prize-winning article 'An Unbelievable Story Of Rape', which tells the story of how Marie was charged with lying about rape, and the two female detectives who sought to uncover the truth.
In the adaptation, Marie is played by Kaitlyn Dever of Booksmart, while female detectives Edna Hendershot and Stacy Galbraith, are played by Little Miss Sunshine's Toni Collette and Nurse Jackie's Merritt Wever.
8. Alias Grace
The 2017 mini-series is based on Margaret Atwood's award-winning novel.
It's set in 1843 and tells the story of Grace Marks, an Irish immigrant and servant living in Canada, who is accused and convicted murder of her employer and housekeeper.
9. Narcos
Narcos is based Colombia's drug cartel, starring the likes of Wagner Moura and Pedro Pascal.
The first season of the show documents the life of Pablo Escobar from when he first began manufacturing cocaine, to the early nineties.
All three seasons are currently on Netflix, as well as Narcos: Mexico which chronicles the rise of the Guadalajara cartel.
10. The Serpent
Jenna Coleman and Ellie Bamber star in the gritty drama based on the true story of notorious murderer dubbed the 'bikini killer', Charles Sobhraj.
Originally aired on the BBC, The Serpent follows the life of Sobhraj, one of the most elusive criminals of the twentieth century, and his partner in crime (and love) Marie-Andrée Leclerc, played by Coleman.
Sobhraj has been linked to more than 20 killings in South-east Asia between 1972 and 1982.
11. Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story tells the terrifying case of one of America's most prolific serial killers, Jeffrey Dahmer, who murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.
The notorious serial killer and sex offender took the lives of his victims over a period of 15 years throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s.
The 10-part series - produced by American Horror Story's Ryan Murphy - is based on the true events that saw Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Monster, be convicted of 16 murders.
12. Manhunt
The series follows how an FBI criminal profiler helped track down terrorist Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber.
Kaczynski carried out a string of bombing attacks between 1978 and 1995 which saw three people killed and 23 injured.
The series stars Sam Worthington and Paul Bettany.
Topics: Film and TV, Netflix
Lucy Devine