While non-fiction books can go on monotonously about life, a real-life scandal never bores. Television shows or documentaries on such stories never fail to entertain while unveiling the dirty underbelly of our society. Meanwhile, it is a perfect opportunity for impeccable performances. From a serial killer’s spree to an industry tycoon’s malicious web each carries its charisma.
Netflix‘s ‘Dahmer’ based on the eponymous serial killer who murdered and ate his victims over twenty years would send chills down your spine. ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ narrated the life of the legendary broker Jordan Belford who was found guilty of securities fraud and money laundering. Let’s see eight such television shows that are based on real-life scandals.
1. A Very English Scandal
As the name suggests this drama series is based on England’s “trial of the century”. Former Member of Parliament, Jeremy Thrope was accused of attempting to murder Norman Scott. Thorpe was rumored to have a homosexual relationship with Scott and he feared if word got out it would mean the end of his political career. And that is exactly what happened.
Hugh Grant plays Thorpe in the three episodes of the series. Unlike other scandal series, ‘A Very English Trial’ is full of comic zingers. Scott went to court when his dog was shot which was a premeditated attempt on Scott’s life. The newspapers’ headlines read, “It is no worse than shooting a sick dog.” The trial ended Thrope’s political career and he lost his parliament sea in the 1979 general elections
2. Alias Grace
This Netflix limited series is based on Margeret Atwood’s book with the same title. Atwood’s book in turn is also based on a real-life murder case in 1843 Toronto. The series portrays the narration of Grace Marks’ life events on how she ended up with a life sentence in prison. Interestingly, Grace does not remember killing Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery.
Grace constantly pleaded innocent. However, the evidence against her was too convincing. Viewers throughout the series ponder over the innocence of Grace along with Dr. Simon Jordan, who comes to evaluate Grace in vain. However, all the waiting and theories of the viewers are well served. The finale of the series would leave you speechless.
3. The People Vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
The first season of ‘American Crime Story’ revolved around the shocking American murder trial. Simpson was a National Football League player who was accused of the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. Despite very convincing evidence, Simpson was acquitted of both murders.
In case you missed it: Hugh Grant Reveals Why He Agreed To Reprise His Role As Daniel Cleaver In ‘Bridget Jones 4’ After Declining The Third Film Offer
Cuba Gooding Jr. stars as O. J. Simpson alongside David Schwimmer as his attorney, Robert Kardashian. The series runs for ten episodes and won nine Emmy Awards. The actual trial was described as the “most publicized criminal trial” that also created a significant racial rift in America.
4. Dopesick
This American series focuses on the epidemic of opioid addiction. However, unlike ‘Breaking Bad’ this miniseries is roughly based on real-life events. It portrays the trial of Purdue Pharma’s practice of developing, testing, and marketing the drug OxyContin. The overconsumption of pain relief drugs led to an increase in drug abusers.
Michael Keaton stars in the series as Dr. Samuel Finnix. The Hulu series was nominated for nine Primetime Emmy Awards where Keaton won the best lead in television series. The series ended with Purdue Pharma paying $6 billion in damages. The pharmaceutical company does not face criminal lawsuits but is eventually erased from the industry.
5. Gaslit
We are intrigued by a sizzling scandal but a Judas-grade backstabbing story delights more. This 2022 series narrates Martha Mitchell, wife of Richard Nixon’s Attorney General publically criticizing and revealing the former President’s involvement in the Watergate Scandal. The scandal eventually led to Nixon’s resignation from office. The short series runs for eight episodes.
Julia Roberts portrays the whistleblower, Martha Mitchell alongside Sean Penn as her husband and Attorney General, John N. Mitchell. The political thriller was nominated for three Primetime Emmys and one Golden Globe.
6. Inventing Anna
Shondaland’s ‘Inventing Anna’ focuses on a con woman who fooled the Manhattan golden spoons out of millions. Shonda Rimes was inspired by an article in New York titled, ‘How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People’. Anna posed as a German, heir to a massive wealth to infiltrate New York’s high society between 2013 and 2017. The article read, “Maybe she had so much money that she lost track of it.”
Julia Garner played the character of Anna. The series runs for nine episodes and is available on Netflix. ‘Inventing Anna’ was nominated for two Primetime Emmys and one Golden Globe. Anna was arrested in 2017 by the New York Police Department in a sting operation. However, she was deported to Germany and remains under house arrest with no access to social media.
7. Impeachment: American Crime Story
Another one of the juicy scandal seasons by ‘American Crime Story’. The third season focused on the impeachment of the United States President, Bill Clinton. It recounted the story of the Clinton-Lewinsky sex scandal. Bill Clinton began an affair with Monica Lewinsky in 1995, who was a White House intern. Clinton was found guilty of perjury in the Lewinsky case and was impeached in 1998 in the House of Representatives.
Beanie Feldstein portrayed the role of Monica Lewinsky along with Clive Owen as Bill Clinton and Edith Falco as Hillary Clinton. The FX show runs for ten episodes and was nominated for two Emmy Awards.
8. The Dropout
Within the blink of an eye, Elizabeth Holmes became one of the richest self-made billionaires with her biotech company, Theranos. Played by Amanda Seyfried, Elizabeth makes revolutionary changes to blood testing methods. Unfortunately, the promising innovations were a horrid lie. This Hulu series focuses on the erratic rise and fall of Elizabeth’s Theranos company.
The miniseries ran for eight episodes and was nominated for several Emmys. Out of these, Amanda won the Outstanding Actress in Limited Series award. Elizabeth was convicted of frauding her investors and was sentenced to eleven years in prison and slapped with $425 million in damages.
