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Sydney Morning Herald
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Love true crime? Here are 10 of the latest documentaries to binge
Our love of true crime is not a new phenomenon. Long before podcasts and dramatic re-enactments, newspapers catered to a morbidly fascinated public, taking off in the 1880s when the Jack the Ripper murders coincided with the invention of the rotary press. The middle classes took tours of London's underbelly where the crimes took place, hoping for a vicarious thrill. Now we have documentaries to sate that thirst. Here are 10 of the latest binge-watches allowing us to explore the darker side of humanity from the safety of the sofa. Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story While this doco about Britain's worst serial killers, husband and wife Fred and Rosemary West, features 'recently discovered' police interviews (no mention of how they were 'lost') and interviews with relatives of some of the victims, there's little new information. For viewers not familiar with the horrifying crimes carried out by the Wests against at least 12 women (including, horrifyingly, one of their daughters), the three-part series reveals the whole sordid story, and the footage of Fred West directing police where to dig up the family's Gloucester garden is one of the most chilling true-crime moments on camera. Netflix Loading Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam This bingeable three-parter starts like all docuseries about women being swindled on dating sites, but takes some extraordinary turns. Just when you think the reveal is coming, there's another juicy twist. It follows three women who fall in love with the same handsome man online – who just happens to need money urgently transferred to him. Frequently. Each of them had video calls with him (who went by different names), and despite not having met him in person, trusted him. The series follows their attempts to uncover the truth and leads to some extraordinary revelations – and the truth about the man whose identity these scammers have stolen. This is a seriously gripping one. Disney+ The Mortician For most of the first episode, I was a little underwhelmed by this tale of the Lamb Funeral Home scandal in California, which begins with David Sconce, who reluctantly joined his family's business, and set about trying to undercut his rivals in the crematorium game. Freshly out of prison, he's one of the main interviewees, so I knew there was more to come. And man alive, do things escalate quickly. Sconce starts out bulk-burning bodies to save money, but his desire for profit soon sees him and his associates – many of whom were gang members – committing increasingly heinous crimes. I'm talking war-crime level. This one is not for the squeamish. Max Australian Crime Stories Let's not forget Australia has its own share of grisly crime. Nine's long-running series, now in its fifth season, examines a different crime in-depth each episode, from historic unsolved murders, such as that of Sydney designer Florence Broadhurst in the 1970s and the disappearance of journalist Juanita Nielsen in 1975 to more recent crimes such as the story of barrister Nicola Gobbo, aka Lawyer X. The latest season also has a grim treat for hardcore crime fans – the tale of serial killer Derek Percy, who came to the attention of Victorian cops in the mid-1960s when he began stealing female underwear and mutilating dolls with razor blades. Strap in. 9 Now Surviving Ohio State Loading Australian filmmaker Eva Orner had to be talked into working on this tale of sexual abuse at Ohio State University by producer George Clooney, feeling she wasn't right for the job. But Orner's outsider status didn't hinder her investigation into the horrifying story of what went on at the university at the hands of sports medicine doctor Richard Strauss. The once-respected physician worked in the athletic department for 20 years, from 1978, during which time he abused at least 177 male students. Strauss was known among the students as 'Jellypaws', and the university received complaints about his behaviour as early as 1979, but nothing was addressed until 1996 – and even then, he kept his job. This is another tough watch. Max Scamanda An adaptation of a true-crime podcast (an ever-growing genre), this is the story of America's own Belle Gibson: Christian blogger Amanda Riley, who fabricated a moving tale of battling terminal cancer for financial gain. If you haven't heard the podcast, prepare to be outraged, as the already comfortable (and white) Riley, beloved in her church community, scams not only her fellow congregation members out of money, but also former friends, with her online 'journey' of dealing with Hodgkin's lymphoma for more than a decade. As well as the crime itself, this series examines the idea of societal bias – would Riley have attracted so much sympathy (and cash), had she been from a different race or socioeconomic background? Disney+ Grenfell: Uncovered This one is an extremely difficult watch, examining the horrific 2017 fire that broke out at a London tower block, killing at least 72 people, and uncovering the ways in which the disaster could easily have been prevented. Opening with the first emergency call, it follows a linear narrative of the horrific fire, interspersed with accounts from survivors, bereaved families and emergency workers. Then there are the experts whose commentary on the cladding, which caused the fire to rip through the building, is beyond damning. The corporate greed and malfeasance that led to the completely unavoidable deaths of dozens of people are rage-inducing. Netflix Trainwreck: Poop Cruise I want to say I'm including this as a palate cleanser, but given what happens (the clue is in the title), that's perhaps not the best description. When an engine fire disables the electricity on board a cruise from Texas to Mexico, it plunges the ship into darkness – and stops other things plunging down the toilets. The plan is to tow the ship to port, but after it drifts out to sea, passengers are left without running water and toilets for four days. But the biggest horror, according to passenger accounts, is the red bags supplied for 'pooping' in. And that's before a free bar is opened, the toilets start overflowing and things turn into a fecal-themed Lord of The Flies. Netflix Exposed: Naked Crimes This true-crime series is peak America – at once titillating, voyeuristic and exploitative. Comprising cobbled-together clips of various crimes being committed by naked perpetrators, it also features firsthand accounts from cops, witnesses and the occasional nude criminal themselves. The (mercifully) grainy footage is culled from CCTV, home security cameras and police body-worn cameras, and the crimes range from everything to DUI arrests to petty theft. While some of it is amusing, it's hard not to feel for the birthday-suited crims, many of whom are clearly not in their right minds. Unbelievably, this cheaply produced series is in its third season. Max Lucy Worsley Investigates Loading The historical crimes featured in historian Lucy Worsley's latest series are no less brutal than modern ones, but watching dramatic re-enactments of bloodthirsty murders at such a remove is somehow less stressful. Worsley examines the Jack the Ripper murders, and how the breathless newspaper accounts of the murders became the prototype for all true-crime stories that followed, the motives behind the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, and the case of Queen Mary I, aka 'Bloody Mary', among others. Lovely Lucy and her posh bob ensure this one is more of a cosy true-crime binge, but no less compelling. ABC iview
The Age
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Love true crime? Here are 10 of the latest documentaries to binge
Our love of true crime is not a new phenomenon. Long before podcasts and dramatic re-enactments, newspapers catered to a morbidly fascinated public, taking off in the 1880s when the Jack the Ripper murders coincided with the invention of the rotary press. The middle classes took tours of London's underbelly where the crimes took place, hoping for a vicarious thrill. Now we have documentaries to sate that thirst. Here are 10 of the latest binge-watches allowing us to explore the darker side of humanity from the safety of the sofa. Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story While this doco about Britain's worst serial killers, husband and wife Fred and Rosemary West, features 'recently discovered' police interviews (no mention of how they were 'lost') and interviews with relatives of some of the victims, there's little new information. For viewers not familiar with the horrifying crimes carried out by the Wests against at least 12 women (including, horrifyingly, one of their daughters), the three-part series reveals the whole sordid story, and the footage of Fred West directing police where to dig up the family's Gloucester garden is one of the most chilling true-crime moments on camera. Netflix Loading Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam This bingeable three-parter starts like all docuseries about women being swindled on dating sites, but takes some extraordinary turns. Just when you think the reveal is coming, there's another juicy twist. It follows three women who fall in love with the same handsome man online – who just happens to need money urgently transferred to him. Frequently. Each of them had video calls with him (who went by different names), and despite not having met him in person, trusted him. The series follows their attempts to uncover the truth and leads to some extraordinary revelations – and the truth about the man whose identity these scammers have stolen. This is a seriously gripping one. Disney+ The Mortician For most of the first episode, I was a little underwhelmed by this tale of the Lamb Funeral Home scandal in California, which begins with David Sconce, who reluctantly joined his family's business, and set about trying to undercut his rivals in the crematorium game. Freshly out of prison, he's one of the main interviewees, so I knew there was more to come. And man alive, do things escalate quickly. Sconce starts out bulk-burning bodies to save money, but his desire for profit soon sees him and his associates – many of whom were gang members – committing increasingly heinous crimes. I'm talking war-crime level. This one is not for the squeamish. Max Australian Crime Stories Let's not forget Australia has its own share of grisly crime. Nine's long-running series, now in its fifth season, examines a different crime in-depth each episode, from historic unsolved murders, such as that of Sydney designer Florence Broadhurst in the 1970s and the disappearance of journalist Juanita Nielsen in 1975 to more recent crimes such as the story of barrister Nicola Gobbo, aka Lawyer X. The latest season also has a grim treat for hardcore crime fans – the tale of serial killer Derek Percy, who came to the attention of Victorian cops in the mid-1960s when he began stealing female underwear and mutilating dolls with razor blades. Strap in. 9 Now Surviving Ohio State Loading Australian filmmaker Eva Orner had to be talked into working on this tale of sexual abuse at Ohio State University by producer George Clooney, feeling she wasn't right for the job. But Orner's outsider status didn't hinder her investigation into the horrifying story of what went on at the university at the hands of sports medicine doctor Richard Strauss. The once-respected physician worked in the athletic department for 20 years, from 1978, during which time he abused at least 177 male students. Strauss was known among the students as 'Jellypaws', and the university received complaints about his behaviour as early as 1979, but nothing was addressed until 1996 – and even then, he kept his job. This is another tough watch. Max Scamanda An adaptation of a true-crime podcast (an ever-growing genre), this is the story of America's own Belle Gibson: Christian blogger Amanda Riley, who fabricated a moving tale of battling terminal cancer for financial gain. If you haven't heard the podcast, prepare to be outraged, as the already comfortable (and white) Riley, beloved in her church community, scams not only her fellow congregation members out of money, but also former friends, with her online 'journey' of dealing with Hodgkin's lymphoma for more than a decade. As well as the crime itself, this series examines the idea of societal bias – would Riley have attracted so much sympathy (and cash), had she been from a different race or socioeconomic background? Disney+ Grenfell: Uncovered This one is an extremely difficult watch, examining the horrific 2017 fire that broke out at a London tower block, killing at least 72 people, and uncovering the ways in which the disaster could easily have been prevented. Opening with the first emergency call, it follows a linear narrative of the horrific fire, interspersed with accounts from survivors, bereaved families and emergency workers. Then there are the experts whose commentary on the cladding, which caused the fire to rip through the building, is beyond damning. The corporate greed and malfeasance that led to the completely unavoidable deaths of dozens of people are rage-inducing. Netflix Trainwreck: Poop Cruise I want to say I'm including this as a palate cleanser, but given what happens (the clue is in the title), that's perhaps not the best description. When an engine fire disables the electricity on board a cruise from Texas to Mexico, it plunges the ship into darkness – and stops other things plunging down the toilets. The plan is to tow the ship to port, but after it drifts out to sea, passengers are left without running water and toilets for four days. But the biggest horror, according to passenger accounts, is the red bags supplied for 'pooping' in. And that's before a free bar is opened, the toilets start overflowing and things turn into a fecal-themed Lord of The Flies. Netflix Exposed: Naked Crimes This true-crime series is peak America – at once titillating, voyeuristic and exploitative. Comprising cobbled-together clips of various crimes being committed by naked perpetrators, it also features firsthand accounts from cops, witnesses and the occasional nude criminal themselves. The (mercifully) grainy footage is culled from CCTV, home security cameras and police body-worn cameras, and the crimes range from everything to DUI arrests to petty theft. While some of it is amusing, it's hard not to feel for the birthday-suited crims, many of whom are clearly not in their right minds. Unbelievably, this cheaply produced series is in its third season. Max Lucy Worsley Investigates Loading The historical crimes featured in historian Lucy Worsley's latest series are no less brutal than modern ones, but watching dramatic re-enactments of bloodthirsty murders at such a remove is somehow less stressful. Worsley examines the Jack the Ripper murders, and how the breathless newspaper accounts of the murders became the prototype for all true-crime stories that followed, the motives behind the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, and the case of Queen Mary I, aka 'Bloody Mary', among others. Lovely Lucy and her posh bob ensure this one is more of a cosy true-crime binge, but no less compelling. ABC iview
Wales Online
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Rose West's 'chilling' reaction when told Fred was dead - the 'glint' in her eye said it all
Rose West's 'chilling' reaction when told Fred was dead - the 'glint' in her eye said it all Fred West died by suicide in 1995 while awaiting trial for a string of murders he and wife Rose committed at their house of horrors in Gloucester - and when the news was broken to Rose, her reaction was unnervingly calm (Image: ) Fred West ended his life in prison in 1995 while awaiting trial for numerous heinous murders. However, the revelation of his death to Rose West was met with a chillingly composed reaction, as disclosed by an ex-prison governor to the Sun. Vanessa Frake-Harris, who worked at Holloway Prison in North London during that period, told the Sun about Rose's response to Fred's suicide, suggesting she saw it as an opportunity to pin all the culpability for their shared crimes on him alone. Her words to the publication were: "I told her along with the duty governor that Fred had committed suicide, and there was no emotion. She blinked a couple of times and then said, 'Oh right'. "She didn't even flinch - nothing had altered in her expression. No tears, no nothing - just that glazed stare. The level of control and dissociation was staggering. "I firmly believe she felt that with Fred dying, she would get off all of the charges.", reports the Mirror. Netflix You finale ending explained and what happens to Joe Goldberg READ MORE: "There was almost a glint in her eye as if to say, 'OK, he's dead - he can take the rap for it. I'm happy to plead to the lesser charges'. Article continues below "Fortunately for all the victims and survivors, she was convicted." Rosemary West pictured after she had been imprisoned for life on ten counts of murder. (Image: PA Archive/Press Association Images ) A fresh three-part Netflix docuseries titled "Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story" is now re-examining one of the most shocking cases to ever surface in the UK. The Wests, as a pair, committed atrocious acts including rape, torture, and murder of at least a dozen women, concealing many of their victims' bodies in the cellar and beneath the patio of their home at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester over a span from 1973 to 1987. Vanessa, who monitored Rose for three months before her trial, recounted that the convicted murderer was surprisingly genial and cooperative – though with a chilling undertone. She disclosed: "Rose was very compliant and charming. She did what she was told, when she was told to do it. She was no problem to the staff. "But you always felt there was an underlying sense that she was full of her own importance. And I had no doubt she was guilty. "Like a typical narcissistic psychopath, she is devoid of any kind of emotion - very manipulative, lacking in empathy, no remorse. "She could be very charming to those in her circle - for us, that meant the prison staff - and willing to do whatever it took to appear totally different to the person she actually is." Vanessa stated that Rose, who is now 71 and serving a life sentence at HMP New Hall, tried to present herself as a benign figure, busying herself with knitting and wearing cardigans and large glasses. The ex-governor remarked: "We used to call her 'Auntie Rose' because she was just like the old auntie you'd pop round to see for tea and cakes, and because she had the big glasses and knitted all the time. Shirley Hubbard was a victim of the sick couple (Image: PA Archive/PA Images ) "She had this real sing-song way about her, saying 'Mor-ning' in a chirpy kind of way. She was never any bother. She just wanted to knit. "At the time we didn't allow knitting needles in, but the governor made an exception because West was kept in the segregation unit. "She was separated from the general population, not only for her safety but the safety of others." Article continues below Rose was found guilty of ten murders and given ten life sentences at Winchester Crown Court in 1995. In 1997, then-Home Secretary Jack Straw imposed a whole life tariff – making her only the second woman after Myra Hindley to receive such a sentence. Vanessa, author of The Governor: My Life Inside Britain's Most Notorious Prisons, added: "When she was sentenced in court, there was no emotion, and that's the typical trait of a psychopath. "She is a very complex character. She has many facets and Rose West will do what Rose West wants when Rose West wants to do it."
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Netflix fans gasp 'the Americans aren't ready for this' as streamer drops first trailer for Fred and Rose West documentary - with look inside their 'house of horrors'
Netflix fans have warned 'the Americans aren't ready for this' after the streamer dropped the first trailer for its Fred and Rose West documentary, about the pair's 'house of horrors'. Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story, set for release on the platform on May 14, will delve into the lives of Britain's most notorious and prolific pair of serial killers. The three-part series will detail how the couple tortured, raped and murdered at least twelve young women in Gloucester between 1967 and 1987 - including their daughter Heather, 16, and Rose's stepdaughter Charmaine, eight. Rose, 71, is currently serving a life sentence after being found guilty in 1995 of murdering ten girls and women - but Fred, then 53, hanged himself in his remand cell in January of that year before facing trial for 12 murders. Their home at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester became known as their 'house of horrors' after police found nine bodies there before the couple's arrest in 1994 - and later found three more elsewhere. Netflix fans think American viewers are not ready to hear about the true atrocities of what the platform has dubbed A British Horror Story, taking to the comments section of the trailer on YouTube to warn stateside streamers. The three-part series will detail how the couple tortured, raped and murdered at least twelve young women in Gloucester between 1967 and 1987 - including their daughter Heather, 16, and Rose's stepdaughter Charmaine, eight. Pictured: Rose West The new documentary, one of several on the case over the years, is set to be especially heartbreaking as it will focus on the victims' families. For some, it will be the first time they have spoken out and opened up on camera about their trauma. One YouTube commenter said: 'Oh dear, the Americans aren't ready for this. 'I'm from Britain and Fred and Rose West, what they did is beyond terrifying and worse than any other horror film, like beyond dark. Be warned.' Another agreed: 'Dear God, Americans are going to have so many heart attacks when they see this. 'My mum remembers them getting arrested and Rose is still held in a women's prison near where I live.' Someone else warned: 'This is the kind of horrific story that will stick with you. 'Still so surprised not too many people know about it, especially in America.' Netflix fans think American viewers are not ready to hear about the true atrocities of what the platform has dubbed A British Horror Story, taking to the comments section (pictured) of the trailer on YouTube to warn stateside streamers One user, seemingly not British, said: 'Finally, there really haven't been enough documentaries about it. 'British killers are never talked about here so it'll be chilling as all hell.' Another said: 'I've seen the doc about Rose only. I don't think a crime documentary has scared me so much. 'A lot of people don't seem to know about these two, at least outside the UK. It's terrifying.' The three-part series, directed by Dan Dewsbury, will look into exactly how Gloucestershire police officers unearthed the remains of the couple's victims and collected evidence against them. The first instalment, called Fred, will zoom in on the moment Fred West was taken into custody and questioned about his missing daughter. The second, named Rose, is set to explore the pair's 'dark, twisted relationship' and how police realised Fred did not commit the heinous crimes alone. And the third, called The Trial, will look at the additional evidence that emerged to further implicate Rose in the case. The new documentary, one of several on the case over the years, is set to be especially heartbreaking as it will focus on the victims' families For some, it will be the first time they have spoken out and opened up on camera about their trauma The three-part series, directed by Dan Dewsbury, will look into exactly how Gloucestershire police officers unearthed the remains of the couple's victims and collected evidence against them The first instalment, called 'Fred', will zoom in on the moment Fred West was taken into custody and questioned about his missing daughter The second, named 'Rose', is set to explore the pair's 'dark, twisted relationship' and how police realised Fred did not commit the heinous crimes alone And the third, called 'The Trial', will look at the additional evidence that emerged to further implicate Rose in the case The show will feature previously unseen police video footage and audio recordings - providing a deeper look into the case than ever seen in various other programmes made about it over the years The trailer, released on YouTube last month, offered a sneak peek into the documentary series The show will feature previously unseen police video footage and audio recordings - providing a deeper look into the case than ever seen in various other programmes made about it over the years. The trailer, released on YouTube last month, offered a sneak peek into the documentary series. But many commenters on the site said at the time they were exasperated by the platform making yet another true crime programme. One penned: 'Anybody else tired of this true crime crap?' Another added: 'I have no idea why people enjoy watching sick things like this. Someone please enlighten me how you get joy from watching this?' Someone else simply said: 'I'll pass.' Others felt uncomfortable about the idea the documentary would be profiting off making content about such heinous crimes. Others (pictured) felt uncomfortable about the idea the documentary would be profiting off making content about such heinous crimes Another added: 'Is there only me who feels like this shouldn't be made?' It comes after another heartbreaking Netflix true crime documentary surged to the top of the charts last month - knocking smash hit show Adolescence off the top spot. Stephen Graham's four-part series Adolescence reached an eye-watering 24.3million views in just four days after its release and has received rave reviews since. Adolescence follows the story of a young boy called Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is accused of stabbing his female classmate Katie (Emilia Holliday) to death. But it was overtaken early last month by Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer. The new crime docuseries consists of three episodes and looks at the stories of missing women whose remains were found near Gilgo Beach on Long Island in New York.
