Real life has served as inspiration for movies and television shows ever since the dawn of the cinematic art form. Depicted with varying degrees of accuracy, these stories are usually chosen for their absurd yet realistic situations. Whether it’s an important moment in history or an ordinary event, the true stories behind great productions are retold in a dramatized light that exposes its most relevant aspects for narrative purposes.
There are endless ways to transform a piece of history or a real-life situation into a serial narrative. The best TV shows based on true stories tend to be dramas, although some lean towards other genres as well. For example, Mindhunter and Narcos are both crime dramas, but the first is mainly a psychological thriller while the latter is a criminal fiction drama. In contrast, Orange is the New Black is also a drama inspired by a true story about crime, but it’s told through a comedy lens. Either way, these stories make for some of the most engaging narratives on television.
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10 Mindhunter Explores Criminal Science History
Mindhunter
- Release Date
- October 13, 2017
- Cast
- Jonathan Groff , Holt McCallany , Anna Torv , Hannah Gross
- Seasons
- 2
Mindhunter is a two-season Netflix television show that ended somewhat abruptly despite being one of the most interesting police dramas in the last few years released on the streaming platform. It’s based on the 1995 true-crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. The executive producers include actress Charlize Theron and acclaimed director David Fincher, the latter being the director of several episodes and the unofficial showrunner as well. Mindhunter Season 3 was canceled because of its high cost for Netflix, a decision made because Fincher didn’t want to compromise his vision.
The show’s narrative starts in 1977, in the early days of criminal profiling in the FBI. Agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench and psychologist Wendy Carr (played by Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany and Anna Torv, respectively) run the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit within the Training Division at the FBI Academy in Quantico. Together, they begin a research project that includes interviews with convicted serial killers to understand their psychology in a period of time when the concept of serial killers is still fresh. With recurring appearances of real-life killers like Ed Kemper and Jerry Brudos, the show manages to explore a difficult subject without romanticizing the criminals.
9 Narcos Tells the Story of Pablo Escobar, the Medellín Cartel and the Cali Cartel
Narcos
- Release Date
- August 28, 2015
- Cast
- Pedro Pascal , Wagner Moura , Boyd Holbrook , Alberto Ammann
- Seasons
- 3
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Narcos is a three-season-long Netflix series that first aired in 2015 and ended in 2017. The first two seasons focus on Pablo Escobar’s rise as Colombia’s biggest drug lord and the leader of the Medellín Cartel. Narcos Season 3 shifts the focus to the DEA’s pursuit of the Cali Cartel after Escobar falls.
The series stars Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook and Pedro Pascal in amazing performances. Mostly written by Chris Brancato and directed by Brazilian filmmaker José Padilha (who also directed Elite Squad, Brazil’s highest-grossing film ever that features another impressive act by Wagner Moura in the lead role) Narcos has one of the most diverse crews and casts among the biggest Netflix shows in recent years. The drama series is packed with action sequences in Padilha’s style, and it doesn’t shy away from the violence of the true story it’s based on.
8 When They See Us Tells the Story of the Central Park Five
When They See Us
Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they’re falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park. Based on the true story.
- Release Date
- May 31, 2019
- Cast
- Asante Blackk , Caleel Harris , Marquis Rodriguez , Marsha Stephanie Blake , Kylie Bunbury , John Leguizamo , Niecy Nash
- Main Genre
- Crime
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator
- Ava DuVernay
When They See Us is a miniseries on Netflix that tells the story of the Central Park five — five young men who were falsely accused of a crime in New York in 1989. It was created, co-written and directed by Ava Duvernay, the director of the 2014 Martin Luther King Jr. biopic Selma. It received 11 Emmy nominations and Jharrel Jerome took home the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. The series also won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Limited Series.
After a woman is sexually assaulted in Central Park, each of the five innocent boys is convicted of various charges related to the assault. Four of them received the maximum sentence for juveniles, while the only one of age served time in prison. Focusing on the impact of the mistrial on the lives of the five young Black and Latino men and their families, the series depicts the racial prejudice involved in the false accusations and convictions.
7 Unbelievable Exposes Sexism in the Justice System
Unbelievable
- Release Date
- September 13, 2019
- Cast
- Kaitlyn Dever , Toni Collette , Merritt Wever , Blake Ellis
- Main Genre
- Crime
- Seasons
- 1
Unbelievable is a 2019 miniseries on Netflix based on a 2015 Pullitzer-winning article about a mishandled rape case that happened in the 2000s. It tells the real story of Marie Adler, a young woman who was charged with filing a false report after telling the police about the assault she suffered by a mysterious man who broke into her home. She then has to deal with the terrible consequences of this injustice, until two police investigators return to her case three years later while chasing a serial criminal.
With great performances by Toni Collette and Merritt Wever as the police investigators and Kaitlyn Dever as Marie Adler, the eight-episode-long miniseries is a very dark and slow-paced drama. It’s definitely hard to watch for the right reasons, as it blatantly depicts the heartbreaking situation the protagonist is in and how it escalates. It’s also refreshing within the true crime drama subgenre because it keeps the focus on the victim and never tries to make the crime itself entertaining.
6 Band of Brothers Depicts the Soldiers of World War II
Band of Brothers
- Release Date
- September 6, 2001
- Cast
- Rick Gomez , Kirk Acevedo , Elon Bailey , Dale Dye
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator
- Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg
- Network
- HBO Max
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Band of Brothers is a 2001 HBO miniseries with ten episodes based on historian Stephen E. Ambrose’s 1992 non-fiction book of the same name. Created and executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, it’s a highly accurate depiction of World War II through the American soldier’s point of view. The most expensive TV miniseries made by any network at the time according to a 2001 article published by The New York Times, HBO’s investment likely paid off as Band of Brothers was critically acclaimed and won the Emmy and Golden Globes.
The series dramatizes the story of the “Easy” Company, a military unit in the United States Army that was part of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment’s experimental tactics to jump from airplanes into hostile territory. The characters portrayed by the phenomenal ensemble cast that features Kirk Acevedo, Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis and other great actors are based on the real members of Easy Company. The miniseries accompanies the characters from their training to the war’s end.
5 Boardwalk Empire Is Set in the Prohibition Era
Boardwalk Empire
An Atlantic City politician plays both sides of the law by conspiring with gangsters during the Prohibition era.
- Release Date
- September 19, 2010
- Cast
- Steve Buscemi , Shea Whigham , Kelly Macdonald , Michael Pitt , Aleksa Palladino , Stephen Graham
- Seasons
- 5
- Creator
- Terence Winter
Boardwalk Empire is an HBO crime drama with five seasons that premiered in 2010 and ended in 2014. It stars Steve Buscemi as Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, a fictionalized version of the real-life gangster Enoch L. Johnson. It was created by Terence Winter, who previously was a writer and executive producer for the acclaimed HBO series The Sopranos.
Set in New Jersey during the Prohibition era of the 1920s, it’s inspired by Nelson Johnson’s New York Times bestselling non-fiction book Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City. According to a Variety article published in 2010, the pilot episode directed by Martin Scorsese cost HBO $18 million. Collecting impressive accolades like the Golden Globes and SAG Awards throughout its long run, Boardwalk Empire is definitely one of the best HBO productions to date alongside the network’s most beloved titles like Game of Thrones and Succession.
4 The True Story Behind Inventing Anna Is Stranger than Fiction
Inventing Anna
A young journalist dives deep into the life of a mysterious woman who charmed New York’s elite and claimed to be a German heiress. Through her investigation, the journalist uncovers a web of lies, leading to a high-profile trial that captivates the nation and exposes the lengths to which some will go for wealth and status.
- Release Date
- February 11, 2022
- Creator(s)
- Shonda Rhimes
- Cast
- Anders Holm , laverne cox , Julia Garner , Anna Deavere Smith , Terry Kinney , Arian Moayed , Anna Chlumsky , Jeff Perry , Katie Lowes , Alexis Floyd
- Seasons
- 1
- Story By
- shonda rhimes
- Writers
- Shonda Rhimes
- Network
- Netflix
- Directors
- David Frankel
- Showrunner
- Shonda Rhimes
Inventing Anna is a 2022 Netflix miniseries created by television powerhouse Shonda Rhimes, known for How to Get Away with Murder, Grey’s Anatomy, Bridgerton and other amazing TV titles. It’s based on the true story of Anna Sorokin, who pretended to be a German heiress to access the upper-class art scene and exclusive spots in New York City between 2013 and 2017. Anna defrauded banks, hotels and individuals who believed her for approximately $275,000.
Julia Garner is fantastic in the lead role, with her performance arguably being the biggest reason for anyone to watch the show. There were a few controversies surrounding the making of this series, from the defamation lawsuit filed by the real-life Rachel Williams to the misguided idolization of the criminal by part of the audience that followed the romanticized depiction of her crimes. At the same time, it’s a very well-written plot based on a stranger-than-fiction fact that makes the viewers question the legitimacy of all upper-class individuals.
3 Alias Grace Retells an 18th-Century Murder Mystery
Alias Grace is a 2017 Canadian miniseries of six episodes that dramatizes the true murder mystery from 1846 involving Grace Marks, an Irish maid who immigrated to Canada as a child. It was written by the great Sarah Polley, the Canadian actress and filmmaker known for starring in 2009’s Mr. Nobody and directing 2022’s Women Talking. It’s based on a 1996 historical fiction novel by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, who’s known for also writing The Handmaid’s Tale and being closely involved with the screen adaptations of her work.
The series stars Sarah Gadon as Grace Marks and also features Anna Paquin, Zachary Levi and filmmaker David Cronenberg in secondary roles. It does a difficult but necessary job of not solving the over-a-century-long mystery of whether Grace Marks did or did not murder her employer Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery. Touching upon heavy themes like women’s rights, immigration, physical abuse and the state of psychiatry in the 19th century, Alias Grace is definitely worth re-watching to try and re-examine all sides to the mystery that involves several complex characters and situations.
2 Orange Is the New Black Is Based on a Memoir but Adds Drama
Orange is The New Black (2013)
Convicted of a decade old crime of transporting drug money to an ex-girlfriend, normally law-abiding Piper Chapman is sentenced to a year and a half behind bars to face the reality of how life-changing prison can really be.
- Release Date
- July 11, 2013
- Cast
- Taylor Schilling , Laura Prepon , Kate Mulgrew , Natasha Lyonne , Taryn Manning , Jason Biggs , Uzo Aduba , Danielle Brooks
- Seasons
- 7
- Number of Episodes
- 91
Films & TV Series That Borrow From True Crime Stories
With increasing popularity of true crime media, let’s look at some of the most prolific shows and movies incorporating real life crimes in fiction.
Orange Is the New Black is a Netflix comedy-drama series that debuted in 2013 and ran for 7 seasons until its end in 2019. It was created by Jenji Kohan, best known for being the creator and showrunner of the Showtime series Weeds. Its premise and a portion of its characters are based on Piper Kerman’s 2010 memoir Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison, but the series notably takes a lot of literary license to add drama to the plot.
Taylor Schilling plays Piper Chapman, a 33-year-old woman sentenced to 15 months in prison for transporting drug money for her ex-girlfriend. Laura Prepon plays Alex Vause, the ex-girlfriend who’s an international drug smuggler and later joins Piper in prison — a situation that never occurred in real life. Alongside an amazing ensemble cast that features Uzo Aduba, Danielle Brooks, Natasha Lyonne and Taryn Manning, they lead the funniest TV show based on a true story.
1 The Crown Dramatizes the Lives of the British Royal Family
The Crown
Follows the political rivalries and romances of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and the events that shaped Britain for the second half of the 20th century.
- Release Date
- November 4, 2016
- Cast
- Claire Foy , Olivia Colman , Imelda Staunton , Matt Smith , Tobias Menzies , Jonathan Pryce , Vanessa Kirby , Helena Bonham Carter , Lesley Manville , Victoria Hamilton , Marion Bailey , Marcia Warren
- Main Genre
- Biography
- Seasons
- 6 Seasons
- Cinematographer
- Stuart Howell, Adriano Goldman
- Creator
- Peter Morgan
- Distributor
- Netflix
- Main Characters
- Peter Townsend, Prince Philip, Anthony Eden, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Queen Mary, Prince Charles, Princess Margaret
- Producer
- Andy Stebbing, Martin Harrison, Michael Casey, Andrew Eaton, Oona O’Beirn, Faye Ward
- Production Company
- Sony Pictures Television, Left Bank Pictures
- Writers
- Peter Morgan
The Crown is a Netflix historical drama that ran from 2016 to 2023, with its six seasons spanning over six decades of the lives of the British royal family. It was created and mostly written by Peter Morgan, a screenwriter and playwright who often writes about historical figures and is known for his 2005 play Frost/Nixon. Focusing primarily on Queen Elizabeth II and her relationship with power, the plot starts before her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947 and ends with the 2005 wedding of her son Prince Charles to Camilla.
Although the quality of each season of The Crown can be argued, the first two seasons were massive hits and are must-watch television. With a necessary rotation of actors to fit the characters’ age in each time period, The Crown stands out for its meticulous casting and art direction in terms of the actors’ resemblance to each other and to their real-life counterpart through their looks and their mannerisms. Among the actors that made a mark on the show are Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II in Seasons 5 and 6, Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in Season 4 and Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher in Season 4.
