True crime channels are very popular and true-crime is an extremely popular genre, especially with Netflix and other streaming services featuring many good selections (Mindhunter might be my favourite.
It’s the really heinous stuff that happens to regular people, the stuff so unbelievable you feel like it can’t be real.
A lot of shows that fall under this category can take a while to really get off the ground. What if you don’t want to invest a moderate amount of time or energy into characters, plots, backstories? What if you want fast food and not a home-cooked meal? And what if you just want a change of pace from cat videos and video blogs (the so-called “vlogs” that make YouTube what it is)?
4 True Crime Channels Every True Crime Fan Should Watch
That’s what these YouTube channels are there for! Here are four of my favourite true-crime channels available on that website.
Serial Killer Docs
This was the one I started out on, back in 2016. I had long been obsessed with serial killers – their motivations, their psychology, what made them such awful human beings. For anyone with similar dark interests as I have, this channel is perfect.
It’s really a compendium of the best documentaries on not only serial killers, but true crime in general. Most of the videos on this channel are high-quality, seemingly ripped right off the network. I’m genuinely uncertain as to whether or not this violates copyright. Last time I checked, the channel was still active.
They upload pretty often, so the content is as fresh as it can be, for a channel that doesn’t create its own original content. And there’s a lot to choose from. Highly recommended.
Rob Gavagan
Formerly known as Rob Dyke, this well-known YouTuber’s channel is devoted to creepy, weird happenings and strange things. As a result, the subjects of his many videos fall under the true crime umbrella.
But like many, there aren’t just videos on one topic. It’s foolish to typecast and box yourself into one singular role. One factor that goes into making a name for yourself is finding your niche – and he seems to have found his, as the selections that aren’t true-crime are still devoted to creepy things.
To top it all off, he adds charm, a commanding presence, and professional delivery when narrating. He also sometimes brings guest YouTubers to add a different narrator to his videos.
Criminally Listed
Another channel I recommend is Criminally Listed. This one is worth checking out because it combines the digestibility of Gavagan’s videos with the qualities I like in straightforward documentaries.
As such, it does suffer from a narrator that seems to be unaware of a monotonous drone. This does dock a few points in the charismatic narrator department, something that draws people to their favourite YouTubers. One other thing that could be improved is volume levelling. One video might be extremely low, followed by an unbearably loud one.
The channel more than makes up for this by providing intriguing and ghoulish content. I’m more than willing to settle for a few minor setbacks to get interesting, eye-opening content.
Heavy Casefiles
This is a newer one for me, as I’ve only begun checking it out. It follows the format Criminally Listed uses – one announcer detailing various related events in the comforting list format that’s an established cliche at this point.
While I like the narrator’s voice, it’s a bit too calming to bring the spooks with as much urgency as the narrator of the aforementioned three channels. Some might say that’s a plus, though.
It does lull you into more of a hypnotic state than the others, so her hushed tone might be perfect if you have to study or go to bed. But then I’d ask you why you put this a true-crime channel on, rather than just listening to ambient music.
