History Main / TrueCrime

'''Type 2: Retrospective''': Solved crimes or cold cases from many years ago are profiled. This overlaps with a documentary. For example ''TheFirst48'', ''ForensicDetectives''.

* ''TheFirst48''

* ''ForensicFiles''

* ''InvestigationDiscovery'', a cable channel dedicated almost entirely to true crime programs, including several of the shows listed above as well as their own original series.

* "DeadlyWomen"

* ''Aktenzeichen XY ... ungelöst'' (''File Number XY... unsolved'') is a German show aired on ZDF that mixes both flavours, but also practically started the whole ''TrueCrime'' genre to begin with. [[IncrediblyLamePun Has been on the run]] since 1967, and has a current case resolution rating of app. 40%. Through a mixture of photofits, mugshots, re-anactments, dramatizations, and the presentation of evidence, the anchorman informs the public to call the local poice directories of the respective cases. Occasionally also present cases from a few years back. Regularily awards members of the public and law enforcement with the ''XY-Award'' to honour exemplary cases of courage.

* ''Aktenzeichen XY ... ungelöst'' (''File Number XY... unsolved'') is a German show aired on ZDF that mixes both flavours, but also practically started the whole ''TrueCrime'' genre. [[IncrediblyLamePun Has been on the run]] since 1967, and has a current case resolution rating of app. 40%. Through a mixture of photofits, mugshots, re-anactments, dramatizations, and the presentation of evidence, the anchorman informs the public to call the local poice directories of the respective cases. Occasionally also present cases from a few years back. Regularily awards members of the public and law enforcement with the ''XY-Award'' to honour exemplary cases of courage.

'''Type 1: Calls for Aid''': The show is organized to see if the public can provide any clues or information the police don't already have to find a criminal who perpetrated an unsolved crime. For example ''Aktenzeichen XY ... ungelöst'', ''CrimewatchUK'', and ''AmericasMostWanted''.

* ''AmericasMostWanted''
* ''CrimewatchUK''

* ''Wonderland''

Both types make use of CrimeReconstruction.

[[AC:Calls For Aid]]
The show is organized to see if the public can provide any clues or information the police don't already have to find a criminal who perpetrated an unsolved crime. For example ''Aktenzeichen XY ... ungelöst'', ''CrimewatchUK'', and ''AmericasMostWanted''.

[[AC:Retrospective]]
Solved crimes or cold cases from many years ago are profiled. This overlaps with a documentary. For example ''TheFirst48'', ''ForensicDetectives''.

Examples:

* ''American Justice''

* ''The New Detectives''
* ''Exhibit A''
* ''Cold Case Files''
* ''48 Hours Mystery''
* ''{{Dateline NBC}}''
* ''Forensic Detectives''
* ''Missing Live'' is more or less the same thing but calling for help looking for missing people rather than criminals
* ''Snapped'' is about wives who kill their husbands.
** While a majority of episodes fall that way, there have been cases shown where women kill their boyfriends' wives/[=SOs=], daughters kill their parents and husbands kill their wives. In most cases, the accused play it up as a crime of passion (or that they were framed or set up by the cops who couldn't find a better suspect) even if the evidence clearly points to premeditation.
* ''Investigation Discovery'', a cable channel dedicated almost entirely to true crime programs, including several of the shows listed above as well as their own original series.
* ''City Confidential'' gives a travelogue introduction each week to a different U.S. city, its "in" crowd and its culture each week, and then documents a murder case that was particularly scandalizing to that city. The SoapOpera aspect is emphasized, and the BadassBaritone narration is mildly humorous.
* LANoire uses real crimes from LA in the 40's

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Some shows focus on real crimes rather than fictional ones. This isn't the same as RippedFromTheHeadlines, where the show creates a fictional counterpart to a real crime, complete with new fictional people to be part of it. TrueCrime shows aim to dramatize an event (more-or-less) exactly, with names only changed if the victims or their families request it.

There are at least two distinct types of these shows:

[[AC:Calls For Aid]]
The show is organized to see if the public can provide any clues or information the police don't already have to find a criminal who perpetrated an unsolved crime. For example ''Aktenzeichen XY ... ungelöst'', ''CrimewatchUK'', and ''AmericasMostWanted''.

[[AC:Retrospective]]
Solved crimes or cold cases from many years ago are profiled. This overlaps with a documentary. For example ''TheFirst48'', ''ForensicDetectives''.

Both types make use of CrimeReconstruction.

The term is also used for NonFiction novels of varying quality, covering RealLife crimes. On one side you have novels written to cover the events as clearly and factually as possible, and then there are works thrown together for [[AirportNovel quick and easy public consumption]], often advertising things like "[[CoversAlwaysLie 10 pages of shocking photographs!]]" on the cover.
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Examples:
* ''Aktenzeichen XY ... ungelöst'' (''File Number XY... unsolved'') is a German show aired on ZDF that mixes both flavours, but also practically started the whole ''TrueCrime'' genre. [[IncrediblyLamePun Has been on the run]] since 1967, and has a current case resolution rating of app. 40%. Through a mixture of photofits, mugshots, re-anactments, dramatizations, and the presentation of evidence, the anchorman informs the public to call the local poice directories of the respective cases. Occasionally also present cases from a few years back. Regularily awards members of the public and law enforcement with the ''XY-Award'' to honour exemplary cases of courage.
* ''American Justice''
* ''AmericasMostWanted''
* ''The New Detectives''
* ''Exhibit A''
* ''Cold Case Files''
* ''48 Hours Mystery''
* ''{{Dateline NBC}}''
* ''Forensic Detectives''
* ''Missing Live'' is more or less the same thing but calling for help looking for missing people rather than criminals
* ''Snapped'' is about wives who kill their husbands.
** While a majority of episodes fall that way, there have been cases shown where women kill their boyfriends' wives/[=SOs=], daughters kill their parents and husbands kill their wives. In most cases, the accused play it up as a crime of passion (or that they were framed or set up by the cops who couldn't find a better suspect) even if the evidence clearly points to premeditation.
* ''Investigation Discovery'', a cable channel dedicated almost entirely to true crime programs, including several of the shows listed above as well as their own original series.
* ''City Confidential'' gives a travelogue introduction each week to a different U.S. city, its "in" crowd and its culture each week, and then documents a murder case that was particularly scandalizing to that city. The SoapOpera aspect is emphasized, and the BadassBaritone narration is mildly humorous.
* LANoire uses real crimes from LA in the 40's
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<<|CrimeAndPunishmentTropes|>>
<<|{{Nonfiction}}|>>

Some shows focus on real crimes rather than fictional ones. This isn't the same as RippedFromTheHeadlines, where the show creates a fictional counterpart to a real crime, complete with new fictional people to be part of it. TrueCrime shows aim to dramatize am event (more-or-less) exactly, with names only changed if the victims or their families request it.

The show is organized to see if the public can provide any clues or information the police don't already have to find a criminal who perpetrated an unsolved crime. For example ''Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst'', ''CrimewatchUK'', and ''AmericasMostWanted''.

** While a majority of episodes fall that way, there have been cases shown where women kill their boyfriends' wives/SOs, daughters kill their parents and husbands kill their wives. In most cases, the accused play it up as a crime of passion (or that they were framed or set up by the cops who couldn't find a better suspect) even if the evidence clearly points to premeditation.

* LANoire usesreal crimes from LA in the 40's

* ''City Confidential'' gives a travelogue introduction each week to a different U.S. city, its "in" crowd and its culture each week, and then documents a murder case that was particularly scandalizing to that city.

* ''Snapped''

The show is organized to see if the public can provide any clues or information the police don't already have to find a criminal who perpetrated an unsolved crime. For example ''Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst'', ''CrimewatchUK'', and ''AmericasMostWanted''.