Dick Wolf's "Law & Order" franchise has always mined news stories for inspiration, as evidenced by all of the episodes of "Special Victims Unit" loosely based on true crimes. However, his latest project, "Homicide: New York," removes the fictional elements to focus entirely on some all-too-real disturbing cases that rocked detectives in the Big Apple. While the Netflix docuseries lacks the character-driven action of "Law & Order," it's similar in that its stories are chronicled from the law enforcement officers' point of view. Furthermore, it details each grisly case from its brutal beginning to its dramatic conclusion, so fans of Wolf's work will likely enjoy it.
"Homicide: New York" has also been a hit with subscribers, with the docuseries landing a spot in Netflix's top 10 charts in various regions, according to FlixPatrol. The Netflix project is the latest acclaimed true crime documentary worth binging in 2024, but it isn't for the faint-hearted. Some viewers have shared their thoughts about it on social media, and the consensus is that Wolf's docuseries is pretty unsettling but also very compelling.
Why Homicide: New York is a must-see series for true crime fanatics
No one enters true crime documentaries expecting to feel good afterward, but fans find their grisly stories compelling. This is certainly the case for "Homicide: New York," with X (formerly known as Twitter) user @XoXo_KeiannaA stressing just how unbelievable some of its stories are. "These cases are INSANE. Especially this Central Park case nothing but privilege. SMH."
Meanwhile, @Moon_River05 praised the series' engaging qualities and for shining a spotlight on past real-world injustices. "Netflix's new documentary series, Homicide: New York is really riveting!! Homicide detectives talking about their most memorable cases. Anyone remember the Michael Morrow murder in 1997 by Daphne Abdel and Christopher Vasquez? What a travesty that was!!"
Some viewers also went into the docuseries with "Law & Order" on their minds, as @12docswearjar noted that they read one of the episodes' text segments with the franchise's narrator's voice in their head. Furthermore, as some of the previous testimonies about the series indicate, "Homicide: New York" is arguably just as morbidly entertaining as the network dramas that turned Dick Wolf into a television powerhouse.
If you enjoyed this article, read about the untold truth of "Law & Order."
