The BEST Investigation Discovery shows of all time
Every Investigation Discovery show, ranked
We've compiled the average episode rating for every Investigation Discovery show to compile this list of best shows!
#1 - Jodi Arias: An American Murder Mystery
Sex, lies and murder – what happened to Travis Alexander? This three-part special examines the most salacious murder case in American history. We explore the investigation and trial that captivated the nation with interviews from central figures.
View Episode Rankings
#2 - The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead
The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead is a gripping new series bringing audiences inside the work of one man who has truly seen it all in his 25 years on the job – Graham Hetrick. A seasoned coroner in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, this eight part series features an inside look at shocking murder cases and complex forensic investigations: while detectives search for clues among the living, Hetrick uncovers the secrets of the dead.
View Episode Rankings
#3 - Vanity Fair Confidential
Whether we love them or love to hate them, there is something about the rich and powerful that keeps us fascinated. From their rise and fall to their outrageous lies, and even murder, Vanity Fair captures it all and we just can’t turn away. Now, the true stories we have all devoured in Vanity Fair come to television. In each hour-long episode, viewers are treated to a sinful dose of power, wealth, deception and crime.
View Episode Rankings
#4 - True Nightmares
True stories of murder and mayhem morph into urban legends like the boogeyman or the monster under the bed – haunting our childhoods and scaring us throughout our lives. Investigation Discovery’s (ID) upcoming series TRUE NIGHTMARES brings to life the true stories that spawned these hair-raising tales, proving once again that truth will always be scarier than fiction. Performer Todd Robbins, best known for his fascination with eccentric and arcane forms of entertainment, brings his shadowy and sardonic self to deliver six spine-tingling episodes, revealing that sometimes, our fears aren’t mere figments of our imagination after all. Acting as an on-screen narrator, Robbins appears in and out of scenes, using his ominous tone and eerie charisma to masterfully weave together three stories each hour, playfully hinting that there is always more to the story to reveal.
View Episode Rankings
#5 - Murder Among Friends
Most killers act alone. But there’s another type of murder that happens less frequently yet with no less horror. That’s when people decide to kill as a group. Finding the truth becomes its own sort of puzzle when you have a Murder Among Friends.
View Episode Rankings
#6 - Murder Calls
Investigation Discovery's true-crime storytelling is often rooted in its award-winning visuals, but it's audio from actual 911 calls that sets the tone in Murder Calls. Each hour-long episode tracks a criminal investigation in which detectives must decipher the contents and subtext of an emergency call. As the case moves forward, the 911 audio ultimately leads investigators to the truth.
View Episode Rankings
#7 - Body Cam
Body cameras capture the life-or-death decisions made by police officers, from domestic disputes to traffic stops gone dangerously awry.
View Episode Rankings
#8 - Your Worst Nightmare
Nothing is what it seems. For these victims, something or someone evil is lurking in the shadows. YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE presents spine-tingling stories and delivers true-crime thrillers in a cinematic style.
View Episode Rankings
#9 - Evil Lives Here
Each hour-long episode of this chilling psychological drama tells the harrowing, firsthand stories of living with a person who became a killer. Viewers will be put in the shoes of the loved one, who lived through this incredible experience —from first noticing that something is amiss, to interpreting all of the puzzling signs and clues, to eventually coming face-to-face with the horrible truth: that the person they loved, the person they trusted, has a very dark side.
View Episode Rankings
#10 - Dr. G: Medical Examiner
Dr. G: Medical Examiner documents cases handled by deputy chief medical examiner Dr. Jan C. Garavaglia (aka Dr. G) of Florida's District Nine Medical Examiner's Office. Each episode features two or three cases Dr. G has handled in the Orlando area, and also in Bexar County, Texas and Jacksonville, Florida where she was previously employed. Some portions of the show have been dramatized and some names have been changed to protect the dignity of individuals and their families
View Episode Rankings
#11 - Murder by Numbers
Suspenseful. Creepy. Terrifying. Murder by Numbers begins with the grisly discovery of a body and the onset of an investigation. When police think they've solved the case, shocking twists sends each investigation into the depths of evil.
View Episode Rankings
#12 - Forensic Files II
Forensic Files, long considered the gold-standard of crime & justice non-fiction programming, will return with 16 new half-hour episodes beginning Sunday, February 23rd. The updated series will showcase all new mysteries to solve and feature the same style, music, story type and content that fans know and love.
View Episode Rankings
#13 - Real Detective
With narrative driven exclusively by the detectives themselves, each episode ventures deep into the mind of a homicide detective as they describe in vivid detail the one case forever ingrained in their memory.
View Episode Rankings
#14 - Reasonable Doubt
Retired homicide detective Chris Anderson and criminal defense attorney Melissa Lewcowicz help desperate families, convinced a loved one has been wrongfully convicted of murder. Each week Chris and Melissa investigate a new case. And each week they are forced to decide whether there's really been a wrongful conviction or whether the family needs to face the bitter truth that their loved one is guilty as charged . "Reasonable Doubt" is a hard-hitting, balanced and emotional look at the US criminal justice system.
View Episode Rankings
#15 - Murder in the Heartland (2017)
Every episode documents a town and its people through a murder that tore through it. The townspeople not only become our storytellers, but they also hold the clues to the puzzle that has forever changed their lives and how they understand their home.
View Episode Rankings
#16 - Murder Chose Me
Rod Demery's destiny was sealed at the age of 3. That's when his mother was murdered, and Demery would come to realize that he wanted to protect people who couldn't protect themselves. He did so by serving for 14 years as a Shreveport, La., homicide detective, working on more than 250 cases and solving each of the 60-plus investigations on which he was lead detective. In ``Murder Chose Me,'' Demery reflects on his stellar career, guiding viewers through first-person storytelling that weaves his uniquely tragic personal connection to the story of each homicide he solved.
View Episode Rankings
#17 - The Murder Tapes
Incorporating bodycam footage from the initial crime scene, surveillance video, and interrogation room recordings, homicide investigations unfold through dramatic real video footage providing an up-close perspective on homicide investigations.
View Episode Rankings
#18 - Most Evil
Most Evil is an American forensics television program on the Discovery Channel starring forensic psychiatrist Dr. Michael Stone from Columbia University. On the show, Dr. Michael Stone rates murderers on a scale of evil that he developed.
View Episode Rankings
#19 - Signs Of A Psychopath
For every sadistic psychopath...there were signs. Charm. Narcissism. Lack of empathy. Impulsiveness. Manipulation. Deception. These traits and others are the telltale Signs of a Psychopath. This harrowing half-hour archive series revisits some of the most brutal killers in modern history, reviewing news footage and the words of the killers themselves to see which terrifying traits each killer exhibited. What are the signs...of evil?
View Episode Rankings
#20 - Very Scary People
Host Donnie Wahlberg chronicles the twisted lives of diabolical criminals, such as Charles Manson, Aileen Wuornos, John Wayne Gacy, the Rev. Jim Jones, and others.
View Episode Rankings
#21 - A Crime to Remember
Styles may change, but murder lasts forever. Step into the past and unravel the intricacies of real-life murder cases of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Set against the backdrop of Studebakers, fedoras, and three-martini lunches, these stories of truly mad men and women reveal complicated relationships where thwarted dreams and repressed passions led to terrible crimes. This series inaugurates a new high-end cinematic style, using the visual grammar of movies to bring the era to life. To properly illustrate each time period, the series stays true to the fashion and styles while highlighting the cultural taboos and social norms that informed each case.
View Episode Rankings
#22 - The Lake Erie Murders
Lake Erie is home to some of North America’s darkest and deadliest murder cases. Dive deep into its most notorious mysteries and hear insight from the detectives working on the frontline of these shocking investigations.
View Episode Rankings
#23 - People Magazine Investigates
Investigation Discovery and People magazine partner to re-examine some of the most high profile crime cases in recent history. The one-hour series brings viewers tales of betrayal, buried secrets and unsung heroes, ripped from the pages of one of the nation's top weekly magazines. These stories transcended news and became part of pop culture, revealing shocking twists, new evidence, and unexpected resolutions. Interlaced within every episode are exclusive interviews with People's journalists, archival footage, re-creations, and firsthand accounts by those closest to the investigations.
View Episode Rankings
#24 - Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV
Discover the untold story of the toxic and abusive environment inside '90s kids' TV. Hear harrowing accounts from former child stars and crew who probe the balance of power in the industry and reveal an era that inflicted lasting wounds still felt today.
View Episode Rankings
#25 - Shattered (2017)
Like a pane of glass cracking in all directions before shattering, the impact of a single crime can create ripple effects that forever alter multiple lives. This Investigation Discovery series unravels actual homicide cases to explore how the past continues to haunt the present for those involved -- loved ones, witnesses, and law enforcement.
View Episode Rankings
#26 - Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery
An examination of the Casey Anthony case. The 22-year-old Florida woman was accused of the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. At trial, she was convicted of four lesser charges of providing false information to a police officer, but found not guilty of murder, child abuse and manslaughter.
View Episode Rankings
#27 - Grave Secrets
A secret is never safe, even when it is buried six feet under. This series reveals the skeletons we hide in the closet and the fear of falling under suspicion. To unravel a murder mystery, investigators dig up secrets long-thought buried and come face-to-face with people who will do anything to keep those secrets in the ground.
View Episode Rankings
#28 - Fear Thy Neighbor
Fear Thy Neighbor takes you into the lives of horrific neighborly disputes. Watch what happens when a simple issue turns into the worst night of a family's life.
View Episode Rankings
#29 - See No Evil
Every second of every day, millions of Americans are caught on CCTV. Living in a surveillance society means everyday actions are caught on camera, mostly of honest citizens going about their daily lives. But a few are guilty of unspeakable crimes. Video doesn't discriminate; criminals also end up on film. See no Evil is a groundbreaking series that presents dramatic stories about how real crimes are solved with the aid of surveillance cameras. Police reveal how CCTV footage has unlocked the answer to cases that otherwise might have remained unsolved- leaving dangerous killers at large. The series features real footage and dramatic reconstruction, combined with first-hand testimony from police, witnesses, and families.
View Episode Rankings
#30 - Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death
Evil casts a shadow. That shadow spreads outward for years, even decades, after a crime. It consumes everyone in its path, pulling them into darkness. Can they find the light? Evil Lives Here: Shadows of Death explores the endless reach of evil, a reach that extends long after the act of evil itself. This original series highlights the struggle to survive as innocent people find themselves caught in the wake of death and evil.
View Episode Rankings
#31 - American Monster
If you looked into the eyes of a killer, would you know? In American Monster, you find out. For the first time, viewers get closer than ever to some of America's most shocking and surprising crimes. Filled with never-before-seen footage of these devils in disguise, from home movie shots of them playing with their kids to musical performances at high school, from the church cook-out to the wedding video, American Monster interweaves twisting-turning stories of astonishing crimes, with 'behind-the-scenes' footage of killers at their seemingly most innocent.
View Episode Rankings
#32 - Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda
Homicide Hunter is a non-fiction investigative series of murder cases told through the personal experience of retired detective, Lieutenant Joe Kenda. With his personal interviews and compelling storytelling style, Kenda captivates us with the details of a different investigation each week, beginning from when he got the homicide call to when the case was closed. Unlike many true-crime shows, this series delivers the realities of the emotional and psychological effects of a murder on the investigator. Set in Colorado, a state known for its suburban lifestyle, these murders are all the more compelling because they are stories of homicide that can happen to anybody.
View Episode Rankings
#33 - Murder Comes Home
When sentimental memories collide with horrific imagery, murder comes closer to home than anyone could ever have imagined. Murder Comes Home pairs actual crime scene video with real home video to create an intimate and emotionally powerful mystery.
View Episode Rankings
#34 - On the Case with Paula Zahn
Led by Emmy Award-winning journalist Paula Zahn, ON THE CASE features in-depth interviews and original reporting that go beyond the headlines in search of fascinating mysteries from within our nation's justice system. Each episode is highlighted by Zahn's riveting exclusive interviews, which draw out different viewpoints from the people personally connected to tragedies that rocked their local community and the investigations that attempted to piece together the truth.
View Episode Rankings
#35 - In Pursuit with John Walsh
Victims' rights activist John Walsh and his son, Callahan, showcase time-sensitive, unsolved cases in desperate need of attention, mobilizing the public to engage in the pursuit of justice.
View Episode Rankings
#36 - Obsession: Dark Desires
Obsessions form in all different kinds of ways. It could be a date, an interview, or even just a passing on the street. In this bone-chilling series they will show real life stories of obsession told by the victims.
View Episode Rankings
#37 - The Killer Beside Me
True crime stories expose the dark underbelly of the workplace, where coworkers indulge in rivalries, romances and abuses of power culminating in murder.
View Episode Rankings
#38 - Surviving Evil
SURVIVING EVIL features dramatically compelling and emotional stories of victims who fought back against their attackers and, against amazing odds, survived. Joining Investigation Discovery as host of the series is Charisma Carpenter, best known for her role as Cordelia Chase on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel. Carpenter is the survivor of a real-life incident that she endured more than 20 years ago. The actress and two friends were swimming at San Diego's Torrey Pines State Beach in 1991 when they were violently attacked by an armed, rogue police officer. Carpenter fought for her survival after being held at gunpoint, but her two friends were both shot by the attacker and seriously wounded. The police officer was sentenced to 56 years in prison for the attacks in addition to a series of rapes and robberies.
View Episode Rankings
#39 - Murdaugh Murders: Deadly Dynasty
The powerful Murdaugh family has held sway over the South Carolina "low country" for a century - until now. Alleged murder, corruption, and deception are revealed. Meanwhile Alex Murdaugh, 4th generation of the legal dynasty, stands accused of enough financial crimes to sentence him to more than 700 years in prison... and the saga continues.
View Episode Rankings
#40 - Gone
A documentary series about cold cases that finally get closure after many years.
View Episode Rankings
#41 - Nightmare Next Door
"Nightmare Next Door" tells the tales of mysterious murders that rocked small-town America. Each hour brings you a new murder mystery and a new look into the evil that can lurk in the heart and soul of a tight-knit community. Interviews with investigators, prosecutors, family members and neighbors piece together the twisting tale of a classic whodunit.
View Episode Rankings
#42 - Betrayed (2016)
Things are not always as they seem in Investigation Discovery’s Betrayed, which revisits heart-pounding cases of deception that ended in murder at the hands of a trusted family member, co-worker, lover, or friend. Told through the lens of the fictionalized, first-person perspectives of the victims, Betrayed treats the viewer like the only confidant they have left. As investigators, family, and friends peel back the layers and facts of each case, the otherworldly narrator already knows where the breadcrumb trail ends. They guide viewers through the various relationships that comprise their life, raising suspicions about who will commit the ultimate betrayal and bring about their doom.
View Episode Rankings
#43 - Undercover Underage
Every day, countless adults utilize the internet with insidious intentions to groom, sexually exploit, and abuse children online. Committed to helping law enforcement stop these perpetrators, child advocate Roo Powell and the team at her nonprofit organization SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse) work in collaboration with law enforcement to detect and identify the menacing adults who use the internet to harm children. Undercover Underage follows Roo as the 38-year-old mother of three transforms her appearance into a teen online. Once adults engage with Roo's underage decoys, it's a race against the clock to gather enough information to positively identify the offenders and get them on law enforcement's radar.
View Episode Rankings
#44 - A Time to Kill
The key to solving the toughest homicides lies somewhere in the final hours of a victim's life. In each one-hour episode of A TIME TO KILL, determined investigators must piece together events during this critical window to reconstruct the timeline, unlock the motive, and ultimately close in on the killer.
View Episode Rankings
#45 - The Golden State Killer: It's Not Over
He's the most prolific serial predator in California history, but remains mostly unknown. His reign of terror began in the 1970s, but the fear lingers today. Who is The Golden State Killer? Investigators past and present are committed to finding out.
View Episode Rankings
#46 - Horror at the Cecil Hotel
In Los Angeles, young Canadian student Elisa Lam's body is found in the water-supply cistern on the roof of the Cecil Hotel, which is known for its rich history of murders, suicides and unexplained deaths.
View Episode Rankings
#47 - Dark Waters: Murder In The Deep
DARK WATERS takes viewers deep into the world of maritime murders. Despite its promise of beauty and tranquility, the sea is a lawless world where jealousy, greed and rage surface and where no one is safe.
View Episode Rankings
#48 - Hometown Homicide
The urgency and intimacy of local news reports capture the murder investigations that turned small towns and communities upside down.
View Episode Rankings
#49 - An American Murder Mystery: The Staircase
Michael Peterson appears to have it all - a doting wife, a loving family and a successful literary career - but, that all changes on December 9, 2001, when Michael's wife, Kathleen, is found dead in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in their home in Durham, North Carolina. Michael claims it was a tragic accident. Investigators, however, fear something far more sinister is at play and direct their attention to him. Did Michael Peterson murder his wife?
View Episode Rankings
#50 - Fear Thy Roommate
This nail-biting series follows people who take the risk to move in with relative strangers. Small disagreements soon bring out the worst in one another until tensions escalate, provoking claustrophobic rages that erupt into heinous acts of violence.
View Episode Rankings