Five terrifying Netflix documentaries to watch if you loved ‘Maternal Instinct’
No other Netflix documentary has got people captivated right now as much as Maternal Instinct. Ever since it dropped, viewers have been doing a deep Reddit dive to know more about the case, and fair enough, because it’s one of those well-structured documentaries that keeps you guessing from start to finish.
The doc tells the story of Taylor Parker, a Texas woman who spent months convincing friends, family and her boyfriend that she was expecting a baby. The problem? She wasn’t pregnant at all. And then she went on committing a crime so disturbing that many viewers have described it as one of the most difficult watches currently available on the platform.
The documentary traces Parker’s web of lies and the devastating events that culminated in the murder of 21-year-old Reagan Simmons-Hancock, a pregnant woman Parker had befriended. As investigators began piecing together what had happened, the case revealed a level of deception that seemed almost impossible to comprehend.
So if Maternal Instinct kept you glued to the screen, the following documentaries deliver similarly shocking stories involving manipulation and crimes that sound more outrageous than fiction.
Five terrifying Netflix documentaries to watch if you loved Maternal Instinct
American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
If Maternal Instinct had you hooked because of the dark secrets hiding behind a perfect family life, then American Murder: The Family Next Door should be your next watch. The documentary tells the story of the 2018 Watts family murders using real text messages, social media posts, police bodycam footage and home videos. The approach feels so real that at one point, it feels like you are watching it happen in real time. It starts with the disappearance of Shanann Watts and her two daughters and then turns into a disgustingly horrible case.
Again, everything seems quite ordinary before the real horror begins. Everyone involved is left struggling to understand how something so horrific could happen behind closed doors. And there is no drama whatsoever; the facts speak for themselves.
Lover, Stalker, Killer (2024)
While American Murder focuses on tragedy within a family, Lover, Stalker, Killer goes into the scary world of modern dating. The documentary follows Dave Kroupa, a Nebraska mechanic who decides to get back into the dating scene after a breakup. At first, it looks like he’s become a part of a messy love triangle, but soon turns into obsessive messages and harassment. It feels strange enough as it is, but that’s only scratcit hing the surface of what’s really going on.
As investigators look into the disappearance of Cari Farver, the story takes turn after turn. Years of deception and manipulation begin coming to light. Honestly, if somebody pitched this as a TV drama, you’d probably say it was too far-fetched. But that’s its MVP. By the end, you’ll be left wondering how one person managed to keep such an unbelievable lie going for so long.
What Jennifer Did (2024)
Few true-crime documentaries on Netflix are as frustrating and fascinating as What Jennifer Did. This doc revisits the case of Jennifer Pan, a Canadian woman who initially appeared to be the traumatised survivor of a violent home invasion. Her emotional account of the attack seemed convincing at first, and many people felt sympathy for her situation. But as detectives began their investigation, they observed a lot of inconsistencies, thus raising questions about what had really happened that night.
Eventually, you’ll discover Jennifer has spent years living a double life. She was hiding failed grades and fake achievements, even a secret relationship from her parents. What Jennifer Did comes with a huge web of lies, and every new revelation feels more shocking than the last.
The Tinder Swindler (2022)
If you are fascinated by stories about deception, The Tinder Swindler is an easy recommendation. Remember when it was first released? This show was all over the place. It’s still referred to in many contexts. The documentary follows Simon Leviev, a man who convinced women across Europe that he was the wealthy heir to a diamond empire. Through private jet trips and luxury hotels with many, many crafted stories, he built a genuine image of having it all. For a while, plenty of people believed every word of it.
The reality, of course, was very different. As more victims started comparing experiences, a clear pattern emerged that exposed an international fraud operating right out in the open. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Looking back, some of the warning signs seem obvious, yet the scheme continued for years. Before you know, you’ll be swinging between true-crime investigation and psychological study of trust and persuasion.
Worst Roommate Ever (2022-)
Out of everything on this list, Worst Roommate Ever might be the one that feels closest to home. Rather than focusing on a single case, this Netflix series follows several true stories involving roommates whose behaviour turned into fraud and manipulation. In some cases, violence and even murder. Every episode takes you to what seems like a perfectly normal living arrangement. Someone needs a place to stay, and somebody’s looking to split the rent.
Most people have shared a house or flat with someone they barely knew at some point, which makes these stories feel realistic. You get to witness shocking revelations in each episode and also how dangerous some situations become. The series does a great job of showing how trust can be exploited by people hiding their true intentions. There are loads of incidents that show how trust can be exploited. So if Maternal Instinct left you squirming in your seat, this will probably do the exact same thing.