The 10 best things on Netflix based on extraordinary true stories

Netflix has been booming lately with content based on real-life events. Nestled amongst the fantasy films and comedic sitcoms are a whole host of offerings based on narratives that have really happened. From an original series that retells a sinister stalking story to a chilling nurse-turned-serial killer adapted into a true crime drama, there are plenty of shows, films and documentaries ready and waiting to be binged. (And Googled throughout, of course.) So, if you're in the mood for a good old dose of truth, we dare you to add these 10 titles to your watchlist… (Picture: Chesnot/Getty Images)

1. What Jennifer Did

What Jennifer Did is one of Netflix's latest true crime documentaries to drop on the platform. It tells the story of Jennifer Pan, who was convicted of a 'kill-for-hire conspiracy' against her parents. After calling 911, Jennifer told police that burglars had entered her family home, tied her to the banister, and led her parents down to the basement to shoot them. Tragically her mother died, but her father survived - albeit after suffering severe injuries and enduring a medically-induced coma. But when he came round, he was able to recount his version of events to the police, which led to Jennifer's conviction (Picture: Netflix)

2. Narcos

Narcos is a crime drama series based on the story of Colombian drug lord and Medellín Cartel leader, Pablo Escobar. Set and filmed in Colombia, the show begins in the late 1970s, when Escobar first began manufacturing cocaine. Over the course of the three series, viewers see Escobar, who earned himself the nickname 'King of Cocaine,' build his empire, while also documenting his interactions with drug lords, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and rival gangs who try to take him down. The final season takes place after Escobar's death, and follows the DEA as they work to dismantle the Medellín Cartel rival, the infamous Cali Cartel (Picture: Dynamo/Gaumont International Tv/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)

3. The Crown

Between 2016 and 2023, Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton portrayed Queen Elizabeth II from the day she took to the throne through to her death in 2022. The historical drama series retells multiple major events that took place throughout the late monarch's reign, including Princess Margaret being unable to marry Peter Townsend, the resignation of Winston Churchill, the death of Princess Diana, and the early relationship of Prince William and Kate Middleton. While some storylines were exaggerated for dramatic effect, the historical events were retold with accuracy (Picture: Netflix/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

4. Unorthodox

This 2020 miniseries is based on Deborah Feldman's 2012 autobiography, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots. The protagonist, Esty Shapiro, is a 19-year-old Jewish woman living in an unhappy arranged marriage. She lives in the Satmar sect of the ultra-Orthodox community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City, before running away to Berlin to find her estranged mother - and to find herself. But after her husband, Yanky, finds out that she's pregnant, he travels to the German capital with his cousin, by order of their rabbi, to try and bring her 'home' (Picture: Netflix/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

5. Baby Reindeer

The show that everyone is talking about right now is actually based on a true story. Donny Dunn (played by Richard Gadd and based on his real-life experience) is a struggling comedian who works in a bar to support his dream. One day, a woman called Martha walks in and, feeling sorry for her, he offers her a cup of tea on the house. From that moment, she becomes obsessed with Donny, and begins sending him hundreds of emails a day. Eventually, Donny reports Martha's stalking to the police, as his mental health starts declining from the trauma (Picture: Netflix)

6. The Good Nurse

Jessica Chastain is Amy Loughren, a nurse who is shocked to learn that her colleague and fellow nurse, Charlie Cullen (played by Eddie Redmayne), is found to be responsible for the murder of multiple patients. As she uncovers more of the truth, Amy is sickened to find out that Charlie's murder spree goes deeper than anyone could have imagined (Picture: JoJo Whilden/Netflix via AP)

7. Scoop

Everyone was also talking about Scoop when it dropped on Netflix last month. The biographical drama film retells the story of Prince Andrew's infamous 2019 Newsnight interview, where host Emily Maitlis grilled him on his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. The film also focuses on guest producer Sam McAlister (Billie Piper), and how she secured the 'scoop' of the decade (Picture: Netflix/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

8. NYAD

NYAD is based on the true story of swimmer Diana Nyad and her multiple attempts to swim the Straits of Florida. In 2010, at the age of 64, Nyad finally achieves her lifelong dream, and manages to swim the 110-mile stretch from Cuba to Florida. With the help of her best friend and former partner, Bonnie Stoll, who she employs as her trainer, Nyad refuses to use a shark cage while swimming and instead opts to swim with a Shark Shield, a shark-repellant electronic device (Picture: Netflix)

9. Rustin

Colman Domingo plays Bayard Rustin, the gay civil rights activist, who in 1963 organised the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The event is now considered to be one of the high points of the US civil rights movement. The March, which was attended by over 200,000 people, was also where Martin Luther King gave his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech. It's produced by Barack and Michelle Obama's production company Higher Ground (Picture: Netflix/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

10. Shirley

Netflix's Shirley retells the groundbreaking, albeit unsuccessful, 1972 presidential run of Shirley Chisholm, who was the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. The biographical drama film captures Shirley's boundary-breaking, trailblazing and historic campaign, and as per IMDb, is based on 'exclusive and extensive conversations with family, friends and those who knew her best' (Picture: Netflix/Everett/REX/Shutterstock) This article was originally published in May 2024