Kriti Mehrotra
‘Waco‘ is a six-episode American television miniseries that is developed by John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle. The series is a dramatic exploration of the 1993 standoff between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and David Koresh’s religious faction, the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas.
Told from the perspectives of the people who were there, ‘Waco’ tells the story of one of the most misunderstood events in American history. When the ATF raided David Koresh’s Branch Davidian compound, just outside of Waco, Texas, it triggered a drawn-out gun battle that lasted 51 days and killed four ATF agents, six civilians, and wounds dozens more people. The conflict only ended when the FBI intervened and led an assault that caused a fire to break out and engulf the compound, killing 76 Branch Davidians, including Koresh himself. The series offers us a perspective from both sides and functions in a very grey area.
Here is a list of shows like ‘Waco’ that you cannot miss. Most of these shows are available on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, or Apple TV+.
6. The Looming Tower (2018)
‘The Looming Tower‘ is a 2018 ten-episode miniseries based on Lawrence Wright’s book of the same name. The drama series revolves around the rising threat of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, in the late 1990s and showcases how the rivalry between the FBI and CIA may have inadvertently set the path for the 9/11 terror attack. It follows members of the counterterrorism divisions of the FBI and CIA as they travel the world in an attempt to gain information and work towards the common goal of preventing any impending attacks on America.
5. Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle (2019)
‘Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle‘ is a series that tells the story of leader Jim Jones’ and his transformation from a preacher and civil rights advocate into a revolutionary speaker, who championed the biggest mass murder-suicide in the U.S. history, killing more than 900 Americans. Based on the book by investigative journalist Jeff Guinn, this eight-part series features footage from previously unaired FBI and CIA recordings, photographs, personal letters, and classified documents. It even includes interviews with survivors and Jones’ family members.
4. Wild Wild Country (2018)
Available on Netflix, ‘Wild Wild Country‘ is a documentary series about the controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho) and his one-time personal assistant Ma Anand Sheela. They build a utopian city in the Oregon desert, which causes a massive conflict with local ranchers that ultimately leads to the first bioterror attack in the U.S and a case of illegal wiretapping. The series portrays the crucial time in American history that tested the country’s tolerance for the division of church and state.
3. The Path (2016-2018)
With three seasons, ‘The Path‘ is a drama web series that follows the lives of the members of a fictional new-age spiritualist movement known as Meyerism. Eddie Lane – played by Aaron Paul – has a revelation about Meyerism’s founder, right as he is expected to rise the spiritual ladder, which causes him to have a crisis of faith. With the movement spreading all over the world, Eddie questions whether he can grow Meyerism without becoming a cult leader. The acting and intriguing storyline demands the attention of the viewers from the very beginning.
2. Manhunt: Unabomber (2017-)
Created by Andrew Sodroski, Jim Clemente, and Tony Gittelson, ‘Manhunt: Unabomber‘ tells a fictionalized account of the FBI’s hunt for the domestic terrorist and anarchist known as Unabomber in the 1990s. Agent Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald, a new criminal profiler with the agency, has to face a lot of obstacles and also fight against the bureaucracy of the task force he is a part of to successfully tract the infamous criminal. His new approaches and ideas, which were dismissed by his task force, play a crucial role in his success. If you haven’t seen this series yet, head on over to Netflix to start watching it right now.
1. American Crime Story (2016-)
Of course, ‘American Crime Story‘ had to be included in this list. The anthology true-crime series developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski is one of the most popular and well-loved series of current times. It follows separate and unrelated real crimes in each season. While the first season, subtitled The People v. O. J. Simpson gave us the account of the murder trial of O. J. Simpson, the second season, subtitled The Assassination of Gianni Versace, explored the murder of designer Gianni Versace by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. The third season of the series, premiering on September 27, 2020, is subtitled Impeachment, and will follow the narrative of the impeachment of President Bill Clinton for charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.
Read More: Shows Like American Crime Story
