Netflix has recently seen a surge in programs based on current events. Whether you’re searching for a slow-burn period piece, a comedy, or even real crime, there’s something for everyone. Remember that while all of these stories are based on actual occurrences, they are only partially true. So, before you go on another sitcom binge, have a look at these series based on true stories.
Top Netflix shows based on true stories
Narcos
IMDb: 8.8/10
Narcos chronicles the rise and fall of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and his cocaine-dealing organization. Escobar isn’t the only actual name in this, as the series also follows DEA agents Steve Murphy and Javier Pea as they work in Colombia to curb the drug’s spread.
In this raw, gritty original series, Netflix recounts the growth of the cocaine trade in Colombia and the compelling real-life stories of drug kingpins from the late 1980s. The steps done by law enforcement in the war on drugs, including the targeting of prominent and powerful people such as drug lord Pablo Escobar, are also significant features. As efforts to control cocaine, one of the world’s most lucrative commodities, the numerous parties engaged — legal, political, law enforcement, military, and civilian — clash.
Mindhunter
IMDb: 8.6/10
The series Mindhunter is based on the book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, and it features both actual and fictional people – Wendy Carr, played by Anna Torv, is real, while Jonathan Groff’s Holden Ford is not. The show also contains real-life villains, such as Charles Manson, and touches on real-life events (season 2 of Mindhunter focuses on the Atlanta Child Murders). Although the series is technically fictitious, it masterfully navigates the boundary between what is true and what isn’t.
To apprehend a criminal, investigators must frequently penetrate the villain’s head to learn how he thinks. FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench are in charge of this. They examine serial killers’ broken psyches to comprehend and capture them. The crime thriller has a solid pedigree behind the camera, with executive producers including Oscar-nominated director David Fincher and Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron.
Unbelievable
IMDb: 8.4/10
Based on the 2015 article “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” by ProPublica and The Marshall Project, Unbelievable recreates this tragic story, sometimes down to the last detail. The limited series is not for the faint of heart, but it is an absolute must-see.
Two female detectives follow evidence that might disclose the truth when a minor alleges being a victim of rape and then recants her account. It is one of the true stories which is on Netflix.
When they see us
IMDb: 8.9/10
Ava DuVernay’s series on The Central Park Five premiered on Netflix in 2019. It garnered a lot of positive feedback from both fans and reviewers. The documentary follows the lives and families of the men wrongfully charged in the infamous 1989 Central Park jogger case outside of the police station. Linda Fairstein, the case’s original New York prosecutor, is currently suing DuVernay and Netflix over her character’s portrayal in the series, which she says is total fiction.
A jogger was a victim of assault and rape in Central Park in New York in 1989. Five young people were charged with the crime. The Central Park Five maintained their innocence. They spent years contesting their convictions in the hopes of getting justice. From the time the teens were initially questioned about it in the spring of 1989, through their exoneration in 2002. Then finally, the settlement agreed with the city of New York in 2014, this limited series spans a quarter-century.
The Crown
IMDb: 8.6/10
The slow-burning series is full of lingering looks that you just know happened in real life behind Buckingham Palace’s closed doors. The series will follow Queen Elizabeth II throughout her reign. Three distinct actors play the role: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton. It’s an interesting look at how certain events in the royals’ life unfolded and there are royal corgis!
This magnificent Netflix original drama follows Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to the present day. It is based on an award-winning play (“The Audience”) by showrunner Peter Morgan. The series opens with a look at the queen’s early reign. She assumed the throne at the age of 25 following the death of her father, King George VI. Personal intrigues love and political rivalries emerge as the decades’ pass, revealing events that influenced the latter half of the twentieth century.
Glow
IMDb: 8/10
GLOW was a true program from the 1980s, did you know? The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling is a television show that dramatizes the often absurd antics of the women’s professional wrestling circuit in the United States during the 1980s. The Netflix comedy GLOW is nearly entirely made up. We may imagine that a Liberty Belle existed once upon a time (Betty Gilpin).
Ruth Wilder, played by Alison Brie, is an unemployed actress living in Los Angeles in the 1980s. Enter the glitter and spandex-laden world of women’s wrestling, where she must labor with 12 other Hollywood misfits. Wilder discovers an unexpected shot at success. Sam Sylvia is played by Marc Maron, a washed-up “B” movie director who wants to propel the gang of ladies to prominence.
Special
IMDb: 7.6/10
Special is based on Ryan O’Connell’s 2015 memoir, I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves. O’Connell created, wrote, and stars in the show. It should be mentioned, however, that O’Connell is portraying himself. Despite this, many of the circumstances he faces on the program are ones he has faced in real life.
He plays Ryan, a cerebral palsy-affected gay man. He resolves to shed his status as an accident survivor and pursue the life he desires. Ryan works out how to turn his life from gloomy to stylish as he prepares to start hobbling toward adulthood after years of dead-end internships, blogging in his jammies, and mostly conversing through text. Along with Jim Parsons of “The Big Bang Theory,” O’Connell serves as an executive producer on the comedy series.