Are you ready for the 15 best serial killer documentaries on Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Netflix? They will surely make you question the human race.
Now, the definition of a serial killer isn’t unanimous. While it is often considered that a serial killer has to commit three or more murders in order to be identified as such, the FBI’s definition for a serial killer includes those who have committed two or more murders. In some cases, the bottom line is four, or even five murders! The one thing that fits in all of the serial killer definitions is that those murders have to be committed by one person, in a longer period of time, and that there should be a “break” between the murders. Serial killings shouldn’t be mistaken for killing sprees or mass murders. Killing sprees are defined as murders that took place over a short period of time in various locations while mass murders could be described as killings taking place over a short period of time in one location. The killings in the circumstances of war are viewed separately and considered as war crimes.
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The reasons for why people become serial killers are still the subject of arguments. Some believe that those reasons have roots in biology and that a serial killer is born that way. Others argue that it has to do with social and emotional problems and that serial killers are moved by certain events and experiences in their lives. For obvious reasons, the latter theory has more backers. Many of the serial killers throughout history were victims of child abuse in their early years or experienced other unfortunate events that left serious imprints on their psychological state. Contrary to popular belief, most serial killers are highly intelligent people. Before we move on to the topic, you also may want to check these 11 Best Serial Killer Documentaries on Netflix.
The battle between the three video streaming platforms has intensified on the documentary front, as each looks to add poignant, harrowing, and enlightening documentaries to their libraries. Hulu, which started as a joint venture between Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA), and Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (NASDAQ:FOX), is used by about 12 million people as of late-2016. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)‘s Prime Video is now included in its Prime Membership in hundreds of countries (more than 200 all told), though its library of documentaries outside of the U.S is not overly large. Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) remains the clear leader in content, especially for those living outside the U.S, and has 93.6 million subscribers worldwide as of December 31, 2016.
To compile our list of the 15 best serial killer documentaries on Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Netflix, we took recommendations from various sources like Reddit, The Hook Mag, and Serial Killer Shop. Then we checked the availability of the titles on these streaming services. Those that were available on one or more were ranked according to their IMDb rating, thus forming our list. Check them out, beginning on the next page.
