Top 5 true crime series on HBO Max that definitely deserve a spot on your watchlist

A lot of the streaming platforms today have a strong true-crime documentary library, but perhaps, HBO Max has some of the most strongest catalogue.

The HBO Max logo (Source: X/@hbomax)

"True crime" is one of the most trending genres right now, because it lets us take a look into real crime cases (not fiction) and real people, while also showing us how just how systems that are rotten to the core and human biases can shift and change the outcomes after the crimes have taken place.

Today, true crime is a lot more about the context, the people behind these cases, and the ripple effects that have been caused by these deranged crimes.

And if you’re wondering what to start with, here are 5 HBO Max true crime series that are uncomfortable but also impossible to turn off once you begin.

Top 5 true crime series on HBO Max that definitely deserve a spot on your watchlist

1) Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York

Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York barely even focuses on the killer. When most of the true-crime documentaries do focus on the abuser and the perpetrator, Last Call tends to look at the lives that the victims were living, because in this case, that is of the utmost importance.

In doing so, HBO Max takes a look at the lives of 4 queer men, all of whom had been targeted and killed in the early 90s.

Now, it is also very important to understand that these killings took place in a time when homophobia and the AIDS crisis shaped public perception (in a negative way), which meant that these cases were not treated with urgency at all.

Due to this, the killer, i.e., Richard Rogers, was not arrested for years due to the prejudice that stemmed from a person being queer in the early 90s.

In the HBO Max documentary, we hear the accounts that come directly from the families and friends of the victims, and due to their testament, we see how these men were reduced to prejudiced and cruel headlines back when they were the victims of this crime.

2) I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter

I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter on HBO Max is about a case where a teenage girl, i.e., Michelle Carter, was charged after her boyfriend Conrad Roy killed himself by suicide.

The reason for Michelle being charged? There were text messages that suggested on how the teen encouraged her boyfriend to take up such a rigid step, where he would be ending his life.

This is a 2-parter docu-series. Part 1 of the series that looks at the prosecution side of things, and part 2 that looks at the defense side of things.

With this structure, we're able to see both the sides of the story in a clear light.

The case is also pretty relevant with the times we live in today, because this is a case about mental health, online DMs being exchanged, and how blurred responsibility can get in this digital world that we're living in today.

3) McMillion$

McMillion$ sounds a bit too ridiculous at first. However, do not be fooled by how silly the title and the story feels. This HBO true crime docu-series is about a scam about a McDonald's Monopoly game...? But it sure is one of the most wildest fraud stories you'll ever come across.

The series breaks down how a former cop, Jerome Jacobson, managed to rig the McDonald’s Monopoly promotion for years, and here, we’re talking about millions of dollars and fake winners all across the country. And somehow, it he wasn't caught.

In the HBO series, the FBI agents, the fake winners, and everyone else involved has a story, and honestly it all is a bit too unbelievable, despite of everything being as true as day.

4) The Yogurt Shop Murders

The Yogurt Shop Murders on HBO Max is a true crime docu-series about the 1991 murders where four teenage girls were killed in a yogurt shop in Austin.

The docu-series also highlights the fact that how even decades later, the case still did not have a clear resolution about what actually happened on the day that the girls were murdered.

This series looks at the aftermath just as much as the crime that was committed, and we do get a detailed account from the families of the victims and the investigators about what happened and what didn’t happen.

There is also the factor of uncertainty, where you’re dealing with a story that never really got closure (that it deserved) for a long time.

5) Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage, and Reckoning

Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage, and Reckoning on HBO Max is a true crime docu-series that starts with a 911 call being made. The reason for the call being: A man "claimed" a black attacker (which wasn't the case after all) had fired on him and on his pregnant wife.

This claim, eventually leads to a huge manhunt for the "black attacker."

What came after was media coverage, police looking at a specific narrative, and the city’s racial tensions getting worse by the minute.

The true crime series also zooms out (from just the crime) and looks at the damage that has been caused by discrimination, racism, assumptions and plain bias.

The most interesting part is how it tracks the investigation itself, as you see how soon things can spiral out of hand, and how long the impact can last.

If you’re scrolling through HBO Max and are interested in watching some mind-boggling true crime docu-series, you can definitely start with these 5 in the above mentioned list.

Each one of these true-crime series brings about something very different, whether it be the social/racial context, legal complexity, or just a story that sounds fake but isn’t.