Nothing More to Tell

True crime is a nonfiction genre of literature, film, television, podcasts, and more that explores actual crimes. Often, true-crime shows (and books, podcasts, etc.) focus on violent crimes, especially murders. Some shows focus on murders or crimes that have already been solved, explaining why and how they occurred, as well as what the wide-ranging repercussions were. Other shows focus on crimes that have not been officially solved by police, exploring the reasons why crimes are left unsolved as well as speculating about potential culprits. At times, true-crime shows resemble documentaries, incorporating interviews with witnesses and other people involved, as well as dramatic reenactments of scenes featuring actors. Other times, the shows are based on real crimes but are entirely made up of reenactments done by actors. These may or may not be entirely factual—some are more informative, whereas others are more for entertainment purposes and take liberties with the plot. Examples of true-crime television shows include Forensic Files, Unsolved Mysteries, and Dateline.

The true-crime genre is widely popular but is also the focus of criticism due to ethical issues that can arise within the genre. One issue is that consumers of true-crime content have different expectations about what “true crime” means, and viewers are sometimes misled by shows that are based on real crimes rather than shows that present completely real crimes.