As a true crime fanatic, I sometimes just want something a little lower-stakes than the usual murder plot documentaries that exist. And wouldn’t you know it? There are heaps of amazing true crime documentaries that leave the grizzly bits at the door.
6
McMillions
Watch McMillions on HBO Max
I’m sure most of you remember McDonald’s long-running Monopoly-themed prize game, and how it suddenly stopped (at least in the USA) back in 2014. Well, McMillions is a six-part docuseries that goes into the major fraud that happened between 1989 and 2001. This doc has it all: Conspiracies, FBI investigations, and a series of fraudulent “winners” who stole more than $20 million over the span of a decade plus.
McMillions is a perfect weekend binge-watch for anyone who wants to engage in some crime viewing, but with relatively low stakes compared to the serial killer docs that have saturated the true crime market. And for six episodes, McMillions is gripping, twisty, and entertaining from start to finish.
5
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Watch Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room on Tubi
I get that there is a massive amount of appeal in serial killer documentaries, and seeing how the mind of someone like that works. But sometimes it’s more fascinating to me to see how a once-powerful corporation completely falls from grace. Enter Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, which details the major collapse and echoing fallout of the Enron Corporation in 2001.
It’s basically McMillions but on a much larger scale, with billions of dollars at the center of this massive conspiracy. The resulting trials saw many high-profile Enron executives face trial and prison time. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is an eye-opening and sobering documentary about the realities of white-collar crime and the ordinary people who suffer because of the machinations of the wealthy.
4
Class Action Park
Watch Class Action Park on HBO Max
Who doesn’t love a good theme park when the summer is at its peak and the weather has just the right amount of heat? Class Action Park might just make you think twice about that. This compact little crime documentary film details Action Park, an amusement park that opened all the way back in 1978 before closing permanently in 2016. During this timeframe, Action Park had six known fatalities due to unsafe conditions.
Class Action Park delves into the illegal activities that occurred over the years, thanks to founder Eugene Mulvihill’s questionable financial schemes, which were used to keep Action Park open. Alarmingly, there was also little effort by state officials to do anything about Action Park’s reputation. So, while deaths are part of this documentary, it’s more centered around gross negligence and the indifference of those in charge. Class Action Park is a harrowing watch, but a journey well worth taking.
3
Tiger King
Watch Tiger King on Netflix
You really can’t make a list of non-murder crime docs and not include Tiger King. This was the docuseries that captured the entire world during the pandemic times, and for good reason. While you might argue that a big part of Tiger King does include a murder-for-hire plot, the real appeal is all the events leading up to it. From animal abuse to a bizarre feud between zookeeper Joe Exotic and animal conservationist Carole Baskin, this docuseries has much more going on than simple murder.
For as entertaining as Tiger King can be, it’s also a devastating look into abused animals at the hands of people who are far more interested in their personal vendettas and achieving fame. The follow-up second season is nowhere near as interesting as the initial one, but if you missed it during the pandemic, Tiger King is still more than worth the watch.
2
Man on Wire
Watch Man on Wire on Tubi
While there is technically a crime at the center of Man on Wire—namely, trespassing—this documentary is far more interested in the death-defying stunt pulled off by Philippe Petit. In 1974, Petit performed an illegal high-wire walk between the Twin Towers in New York City, and it was all captured on film. Man on Wire crafts this feat like a heist film, and the result is extremely entertaining and exhilarating in equal measure.
The film also includes rare footage preceding the walk as well as reenactments by an actor. Sprinkled in are modern-day interviews with everyone involved with the event, including Petit. Man on Wire isn’t exactly a documentary about some well-known criminal conspiracy, but it is a fun, light watch for anyone looking for a less grim outing.
1
Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.
Watch Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. on Netflix
Perhaps the most zany entry on this list, I really don’t want to give away too much information about Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. Centered on Sarma Melngailis, this four-part docuseries includes, much as the name suggests, fraud and a plot to pay off a so-called deity to achieve immortality. No, really, that is the pitch.
It’s all just as wild as it sounds, and absolutely worth the time investment. Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. is perhaps one of the most entertaining, eyebrow-raising crime documentaries I have ever viewed in my life. Life truly is stranger than fiction could ever be.
Hopefully, these non-murder true-crime documentaries will give you a nice reprieve from all the serial killer docs on the market. Of course, if you’re looking for the best free documentaries you can stream right now, we have some suggestions for you there, too.
