Best True Crime Series 2022

The year was filthy with true-crime adaptations, and Apple TV+ drama Black Bird stood out above the rest of the based-on-a-true-story TV tales — Tomatometer-wise, that is. The series stars Taron Egerton as Jimmy Keene, a prisoner with a chance at redemption, and freshly-minted Golden Globe winner Paul Walter Hauser as suspected serial killer Larry Hall. While The Staircase and The Dropout have gotten a lot of awards attention this year, Black Bird scored best with critics in the category.

The order reflects Tomatometer scores (as of December 31, 2022) after adjustment from our ranking formula, which compensates for variation in the number of reviews when comparing movies or TV shows.

Black Bird: Limited Series (2022)
98%

#1

Adjusted Score: 104973%

Critics Consensus: Dennis Lehane's penchant for authentic grit is on full display in Blackbird, an absorbing prison drama distinguished by its moral complexity and elevated by an outstanding ensemble.

Starring: Taron Egerton, Ray Liotta, Greg Kinnear, Sepideh Moafi

Directed By: Dennis Lehane, Taron Egerton, Michaël R. Roskam, Bradley Thomas

We Own This City: Limited Series (2022)
93%

#2

Adjusted Score: 97513%

Critics Consensus: A spiritual successor to The Wire with an even more pessimistic outlook on law enforcement, We Own This City deftly explores compromised individuals to paint an overall picture of systemic corruption.

Starring: Jon Bernthal, Wunmi Mosaku, Jamie Hector, McKinley Belcher III

Directed By: Reinaldo Marcus Green, Nina Kostroff-Noble, Ed Burns, Kary Antholis

The Staircase: Limited Series (2022)
92%

#3

Adjusted Score: 98087%

Critics Consensus: The Staircase doesn't hold many surprises for those already intimate with the original documentary, but this dramatization brings a fresh perspective and texture to the mystery -- along with a terrific performance by Colin Firth.

Starring: Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Michael Stuhlbarg, Juliette Binoche

Directed By: Antonio Campos, Maggie Cohn

The Dropout: Limited Series (2022)
90%

#4

Adjusted Score: 98547%

Critics Consensus: The Dropout succeeds more as a docudrama than a dark comedy, but Amanda Seyfried's disquieting portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes brings fresh blood to this retelling of recent history.

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Naveen Andrews, William H. Macy, Laurie Metcalf

Directed By: Elizabeth Meriwether, Elizabeth Hannah, Liz Heldens, Katherine Pope

A Friend of the Family: Limited Series (2022)
92%

#5

Adjusted Score: 93462%

Critics Consensus: Unspooling like a slow-motion nightmare, A Friend of the Family benefits immeasurably from Eliza Hittman's deft direction and Jake Lacy's unflinching portrayal of insidious evil.

Starring: Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, Lio Tipton

Directed By: Nick Antosca, Alex Hedlund, Eliza Hittman, Eliza Hittman

The Girl From Plainville: Limited Series (2022)
91%

#6

Adjusted Score: 94429%

Critics Consensus: Grounded by a disturbingly powerful performance by Elle Fanning, The Girl from Plainville dramatizes a sordid true story with tasteful restraint.

Starring: Elle Fanning, Chloë Sevigny, Colton Ryan, Cara Buono

Directed By: Elizabeth Hannah, Patrick Macmanus, Elle Fanning, Dakota Fanning

Under the Banner of Heaven: Limited Series (2022)
87%

#7

Adjusted Score: 91118%

Critics Consensus: While Under the Banner of Heaven gets bogged down by an overabundance of backstory, its procedural through-line is enriched by a thoughtful introspection on personal faith.

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Denise Gough

Directed By: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Anna Culp, Jason Bateman

Pam & Tommy: Limited Series (2022)
78%

#8

Adjusted Score: 88123%

Critics Consensus: Pam & Tommy sometimes undercuts its own critique of cultural voyeurism with lurid stylization, but Lily James' performance gives this sleazy opus an undeniable heart.

Starring: Lily James, Sebastian Stan, Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman

Directed By: Craig Gillespie, Robert D. Siegel, D.V. DeVincentis, Craig Gillespie

Welcome to Chippendales: Limited Series (2022)
71%

#9

Adjusted Score: 74724%

Critics Consensus: Blessed with a twisty true story that needs little embellishment to intrigue, Welcome to Chippendales details the battle over a beefcake empire with stylistic verve.

Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Murray Bartlett, Annaleigh Ashford, Dan Stevens

Directed By: Matt Shakman, Matt Shakman, Kumail Nanjiani, Robert D. Siegel

Candy: Limited Series (2022)
72%

#10

Adjusted Score: 75626%

Critics Consensus: Candy's sour aftertaste is counterbalanced by uniformly terrific performances, but it only takes a couple licks before this true crime drama loses its flavor.

Starring: Jessica Biel, Timothy Simons, Melanie Lynskey, Pablo Schreiber

Directed By: Robin Veith, Nick Antosca, Alex Hedlund, Jessica Biel