We call it a Netflix true crime documentary, but, in fact, this compelling four-parter is much more than that. It homes in on the fate of an immensely empathetic, soft-spoken, and likable family man, who loses his teenage son to drug-related violence in New Orleans' notorious Lower 9th Ward in 1999. With corruption rampant in the city's police department, he takes matters into his own hands and investigates his son's murder by himself.
In doing so, main protagonist Dan Schneider notices a rise in opioid prescriptions from one doctor in particular. Fueled by a relentless determination to protect other children from addiction, he quits his job and begins gathering evidence against this doctor and, by extension, the company responsible for the sale of the notorious opioid-based painkiller Oxycodone: Purdue Pharma. In the course of his investigation, Schneider records all his findings, evidence, and intimate thoughts on audio and video. This sense of immediacy and the pretty breathtaking twists of his story make this Netflix production rise above other true crime formats. It uses the power and charisma of one individual to come to grips with a crisis of global proportions.
An ambitious mini-series that succeeds in adapting the classic magic realist novel
8.0
Ethos
A level of attention to aesthetics usually reserved for the most elaborate films, mixed with a complex and relevant story, make this series from Turkey unmatched in its quality
9.9
Black Doves
A tale of espionage, romance, and friendship all tied in a neat bow, just in time for Christmas
8.1
Say Nothing
A powerful take on the Northern Ireland conflict that smartly shows all sides
8.5
Pretend it’s a City
A wildly entertaining series of interviews with a New York legend
9.2
Unorthodox
A well-acted fact-based thriller about untangling the grip of a close-knit community
8.5
Escape at Dannemora
Based on a true prison escape story, this slow-burn suspense thriller features once-in-a-lifetime performances by a star-studded cast
9.3
Wild Wild Country
Almost too outrageous to be true – this captivating true crime docuseries tells the unlikely story of an Indian cult in America
9.8
The Looming Tower
A well-written thriller miniseries about the rivalry between the CIA and the FBI and how they failed to prevent 9/11.
8.1
Unbelievable
Critics lauded the angle and feminist edge of this grim true crime miniseries.