Teen crime dramas have carved out a unique space in television and film, blending youthful intensity with dark, often dangerous narratives. These stories go beyond classroom drama and teenage romance, plunging into a world of secrets, betrayals, and crimes that challenge characters’ morals and maturity. Whether set in small towns or gritty cities, they reveal just how complicated growing up can be.
A Good’s Girl Guide to Murder
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Pippa is a high school senior who decides to investigate a closed murder case for her senior project. The case centers on the death of a young woman and the conviction of her boyfriend, who was accused of the crime. As Pippa digs deeper, she begins to uncover unsettling truths about the case and people involved.
Pretty Little Liars
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This series follows four high school girls—Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily—whose lives are turned upside down after the sudden disappearance of their popular friend, Alison DiLaurentis. A year after Alison’s disappearance, the group begins receiving anonymous messages from someone known as “A,” who threatens to expose their darkest secrets.
13 Reasons Why
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Clay Jensen, a high school student receives a box of cassette tapes recorded by his classmate, Hannah Baker, who tragically took her own life. Each tape contains a reason -an event or person- that contributed to Hannah’s decision to end her life. Will anyone be held responsible for Hanna’s death?
One of Us Is Lying
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Five students are sent to detention. Only four of them walk out alive. Simon, the school’s notorious gossip, dies during the detention, and it quickly becomes clear that his death was no accident. As the investigation unfolds, the remaining four students become the prime suspects. What happened? Who did it and why?
Adolescence
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13-year-old Jamie Miller is arrested under suspicion of murdering his classmate, Katie Leonard. As the investigation unfolds, the audience learns about Jamie’s troubled upbringing, the challenges he faces as a working-class teen, and his exposure to toxic online environments like the incel subculture. Each episode is filmed in one sequence shot.
A Nearly Normal Family
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This Swedish crime series revolves around the Ekdahl family, focusing on their teenage daughter, Stella. The series begins when Stella, a seemingly ordinary 19-year-old girl, is accused of murder.
The Act
Based on the true-crime story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a young woman accused of murdering her mother. The psychological manipulation and abuse at the heart of the case will make viewers squirm in their seats. The show offers a chilling look at a young person pushed to the brink.
Élite
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When three working-class teenagers enroll in an exclusive private school, the differences between them and the wealthy students lead to a murder.
