It’s been a while since I’ve done a ‘what to watch’ Netflix post and so as the cold, dark evenings are rolling in, it’s the perfect occasion. I have to admit, I don’t watch as much television as I used to back when I was doing these types of posts but it’s definitely something I want to change as I love a good Netflix binge. With that being said, let’s take a look at ten shows to watch on Netflix this month. I have to mention that there are quite a few real crime/thriller ones in here. If you don’t already know, I’m obsessed with real crime.
1. My Next Guest – With David Letterman
Delving into the world of celebs is something I’ve always been fascinated by. Sit-down interviews that are more intimate in their questioning, make for a more engaging watch and I think My Next Guest with David Letterman is a great one.
There are lots of people that he’s interviewed so far including; Ryan Renolds, Lizzo, Malala Yosafzai and Tina Fey to name but a few. It’s certainly one that you can watch and have on in the background.
2. Mindhunter
If you love a crime/thriller that’s based on real criminals and Jonathan Groff as the lead actor, then you’ll love Mindhunter. The series follows two Bill Tench and Holden Ford, two FBI agents who attempt to understand and catch serial killers. They end up pioneering the development of modern-day serial-killer profiling nowadays. While they don’t seem to be based on real-life individuals, it more so represents the work that the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit was developing back in the late 1970s.
It’s a gripping series and the actor who plays Ed Kemper, a notorious serial killer, has his persona and looks down to a terrifying T. Sadly though they’ve put season 3 on indefinite hold due to the expensive nature of the series. I can BS because it’s such a great series so I hope they do bring it back at some point.
3. Sins of our Mother
When this all came out back in 2020, it was truly disturbing. The series follows the details of the Mormon mother Lori Vallow Daybell who has been accused along with her fifth husband Chad Daybell of murdering her two children. They’re also suspected to have involvement in the deaths of Lori’s fourth husband, Lori’s brother and Chad’s deceased wife who he was married to at the time of her death.
It’s honestly disgusting and for me, a stark reminder of how religion can be leveraged by those who want to use people’s faiths to manipulate and influence them.
4. Dahmer
At the time of writing this, I’m still working my way through this series. It’s a difficult watch, to say the least, and despite some people expressing their sadness for Dahmer, it’s the complete opposite for me. I know (from my experience and enjoyment of real crime) that Dahmer took so many innocent lives in such a way that is unforgivable.
However, if you like real crime, you’ll want to watch this to learn more about the bigotry of society that created this perfect storm for Dahmer to claim so many victims and go under the radar of the police for so long. It’s shameful really how little the police did over the time he was killing. However, Dahmer was smart, he knew exactly what he was doing in who he targeted.
5. Russian Doll
If you like the weird and wonderful then you’ll love Russian Doll. It has the iconic Natasha Lyonne who is a female crush of mine. Her voice is just so husky and perfect. It follows her character as she dies on her birthday but in fact repeats that same day over and over again. I know it’s a concept that’s been done before in both television and film but honestly, it’s so good.
Season two has come out and it’s on my to-watch list for this month.
6. The Watcher
This is one that when I saw the trailer, I almost squealed with delight. My real crime interest was piqued because it’s a case I’m already very much aware of. Now in terms of the dramatisation of this one, I don’t know whether it’s a little bit OTT in comparison to what actually happened. However, I’m interested to see what parts were real and what weren’t. Of course, television and film over ham it sometimes to make it more entertaining.
The story follows a family who moves into a house that has ‘a watcher‘. Basically, someone who looks over the house and it starts by them receiving letters. It’s a creepy concept and is made even more creepy by the fact that it’s based on a real story.
7. Hocus Pocus 2
I’m saving this to watch towards the end of the month as it’s a typical Halloween movie that deserves to be watched on Halloween ideally. Of course, for many die-hard fans of Hocus Pocus, recreating the film and making it better than the original is near enough impossible.
I’m not someone who really is that fussed about a sequel matching the same level of iconic-ness that the original moves do. I’m excited to dive back into the world of the Sanderson sisters.
8. I Am Killer
Yep, another killer documentary. I know, I realise I’m obsessed but I can’t help it. Did you know my dream goal in life is to write a crime/thriller novel? I’m going to do it but I need a lot more time available in order to do it. So let’s see this as research for my future novel.
I Am Killer is an interesting one as it looks at individual killers, interviewing them from their prisons and understanding what it is that put them there in the first place. It’s the first interview you see but the victim’s families and the killer’s families are subsequently interviewed. The purpose of these episodes I feel is to question the watcher whether or not they side with the killer or the victim’s family. There are a few occasions where I’ve either been on the fence, been totally against the killer or felt they’d been wronged. It’s definitely a good watch to see which way you’d sway!
9. Heartstopper
This series warmed my heart and I’m so excited that they’ve started filming a second series. It’s a classic love story that follows two boys at high school, one openly out, confident gay and one that’s in the closet. It’s a really heart-tugging series and I have to say, I had a big smile on my face throughout and I was cheering them both on through the screen as I made my way through the episodes. Make sure you watch this one if you haven’t already. You won’t be disappointed, especially when you reach the scene with Nick and his mum – Don’t worry I won’t spoil it!
It’s got an age rating of 14, which is due to some of the language used. However, I feel like this could be advertised to anyone who is in Year 7 and above. I feel like most kids were exposed to swear words on their first day of high school. It’s also important that more love stories are told beyond just a heterosexual relationship.
10. The Alienist
This IS EPIC. I mean, the cast alone is fantastic. It’s got Daniel Bruh, Dakota Fanning and Luke Evans, a criminal psychologist, police department secretary and newspaper illustrator who conduct investigations into the murders of boy prostitutes. Bruh plays Dr Laszlo Kreizler who is known as an alienist – a person who studies mental pathologies and deviant behaviours.
Those who have ultimately ‘alienated’ themselves from society. It’s such a good watch and I’ve binge-watched both seasons already. Hopefully, they’ve got a third season underway – please don’t cancel it!
What are you watching this month that’s worth recommending? Let me know in the comments below.
