‘I binged it all – Sheridan Smith was superb’: Your favourite true-crime dramas

True crime is as popular as ever (Credits: ITV/Hera Pictures)

True crime has exploded in popularity in recent years, especially on television.

From documentaries about dark deeds and shocking dramatisations showcasing the worst of human behaviour, there’s no shortage of sinister stories for a TV enthusiast to sink their teeth into.

In fact, just this week we saw The Hack launch on ITV. This fascinating but horrifying new drama follows David Tennant as Nick Davies, a journalist who uncovers evidence of phone hacking at the News of the World.

Despite only airing the other day, the show’s already earned a lot of admirers online, with some even comparing it to Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

So that got us thinking. What’s the best true-crime drama you’ve ever seen?

Well, to answer that tough question, we asked Metro readers to share their favourite true crime shows, and here’s what they recommend…

I Fought the Law

I Fought The Law has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes (Credits: ITV/Hera Pictures)

Lee Jones suggested I Fought the Law starring Sheridan Smith.

This four-part ITV drama told the true story of Ann Ming (Smith) and her husband, Charlie, as they fought to overturn a centuries-old law and get justice for their daughter Julie Hogg after she was murdered.

‘I fought the law, recent drama on TV about a mother trying to get justice for her daughter’s murder,’ Lee wrote on our Facebook.

‘The fact that it is based on a true story, and the leading actress was superb at playing the role of the mother of the daughter. I binge-watched this show.’

Lee wasn’t alone in his praise; Nyssa Lowney and Ian Huxstep-Evans also recommended it, and if you take a trip to Rotten Tomatoes, it’s easy to see why.

The show has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising Sheridan’s incredible performance and writer Jamie Crichton’s emotional script.

Metro’s own Milo Pope was similarly impressed by the series. He gave I Fought The Law four stars in his review, calling the series ‘a life-affirming and inspirational experience that highlights a major societal issue’.

Mr Bates vs The Post Office

Mr Bates vs The Post Office changed lives in the real world (Credits: ITV/Shutterstock)

We’ve already mentioned the award-winning Mr Bates vs The Post Office, but several of our readers, including Libby Gedde, called it the best true crime show they’ve seen.

The four-part series was written by Gwyneth Hughes and stars Toby Jones alongside an all-star cast.

This shocking series followed the titular Mr Bates as he and the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance fought to expose a miscarriage of justice that saw thousands of postmasters falsely accused of fraud.

Ian Huxstep-Evans told us he liked it because of how well it was acted and written, and he’s not alone in that respect.

Critics raved about it upon its release in early 2024, and it earned an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Yet beyond the incredible critical reception, the series helped shine a light on an important miscarriage of justice and is credited with forcing the UK government to address the scandal.

Four Lives

Four Lives has been praised for the sensitivity with which it told its story (Picture: BBC/ITV Studios/Ben Blackall/Matt Burlem)

Another show that was popular with our readers was Four Lives, which was created by Neil McKay and starred both Stephen Merchant and Sheridan Smith.

This three-part BBC drama first aired in 2021 and told the true story of the families of four young gay men who were murdered by serial killer Stephen Port.

Judith Treaddell told us she recommended the series because the actors ‘did a brilliant job.’

More than that, she was impressed by how the series respected Port’s victims and avoided sensationalism.

Judith wasn’t the only one to appreciate the sensitivity with which Neil treated the source material.

Ed Cumming of The Independent praised the sensitivity with which Four Lives approached the subject matter, praising it for avoiding turning the crime into ‘melodrama’.

Under the Bridge

Under the Bridge hooked our readers (Picture: Hulu. All Rights Reserved)

Dharmeshta Mistry, meanwhile, nominated the Canadian series Under the Bridge, telling us she was ‘hooked’.

Boasting 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, this 8-part series is based on the
true story ofReena Virk’s murder.

Reena was just 14 years old when her body was discovered under a bridge in her home town. The series follows the investigation into her death and the horrifying reveal of who committed the crime.

Described by critics as ‘harrowing and heartbreaking’, the series has been praised for its acting and the sensitivity with which it approaches its morbid inspiration.

Little Boy Blue

Stephen Gramna was called ‘outstanding’ in Little Boy Blue (Picture: ITV/REX)

Finally, several readers, including Wendy Benson, nominated Little Boy Blue.

Starring Stephen Graham as Detective Superintendent Dave Kelly, as he investigates the shocking murder of 11-year-old Rhy Jones, this ITV drama was extremely well reviewed when it was released in 2017.

The Radio Times praised its ‘searing performances’ while The Guardian labelled it ‘gut-wrenching’.

It was Gina Moore on Google, however, who perhaps had the most enthusiastic praise.

‘This is a very intense yet heartfelt drama about a family’s anguish of losing their young son to murder,’ she wrote. ‘I cried, and my boyfriend even cried. The lead detective, [Stephen Graham], played an outstanding role. Four episodes are all you need for a touching, edge-of-your-seat show.’

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