Prime Video had plenty of buzzy shows that premiered this past summer, from swoony romances like "Sterling Point" and "Every Year After" to action-packed returning favorites like "Reacher." But one title you may have missed when it hit Amazon's streaming platform this past July is "Murder 101," a true crime docuseries unlike any other you've seen thus far on streaming.
Instead of focusing on professional law enforcement or dogged journalists tracking down details of a case, the sleuths at the center of this three-part series are actually high school students in a small Appalachian town. That not only gives the show a welcome touch of relatability (who among us doesn't like to play detective?) but also shows the real-world challenges of trying to bring a criminal to justice.
If you're a fan of the true crime genre (or simply want something great to watch), here's why you should add "Murder 101" on Prime Video to your next watchlist.
What is 'Murder 101' on Prime Video about?
Based on the true crime podcast of the same name, the three-episode docuseries centers on the students of Elizabethton High School in rural Tennessee — Will Bowers, Andrew Barnett, Natali Kodak and Shelby Edmonds, among others. Their sociology teacher Alex Campbell turns a classroom project into a real-world investigation into the "Redhead Murders," a case of unsolved 1980s homicides that has gone cold after four decades.
"Part teen drama, part masterclass, and part edge-of-your-seat crime investigation," the doc follows the extraordinary youngsters as they uncover new leads and connect long-overlooked clues, working with local law enforcement to revive the dead case into a present-day hunt for a killer.
Why you should stream 'Murder 101' on Prime Video
Every day, it feels like yet another true-crime title makes its way onto a streaming service, but even with that inundation of similarly focused mysteries and procedurals, "Murder 101" manages to be a standout not only because of the charming youthfulness of its subjects but also for the humanity it offers to both the doc's subjects and the case's victims.
Many documentaries play into the salaciousness of the true-crime genre with sensational narratives, dramatic reenactments, and efforts more fixated on shock value than respect for the real-life people involved. But the Stacy Lee-directed "Murder 101" instead highlights the empathy, collaboration and social responsibility displayed by the high schoolers as they dig into the cold case and work to bring closure to grieving families.
Altogether, it's an inspirational and moving watch — and one with a solid 89% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes — that still scratches that puzzle-solving, justice-seeking itch for true-crime fans.
Stream "Murder 101" on Prime Video now