A Netflix true crime series has been hailed as so gripping that people watch all four episodes in one sitting – and it leaves viewers ‘shellshocked’.

The Netflix true crime series is so gripping (Image: Netflix)
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If you’re a fan of true crime series, this four-part Netflix documentary could be the thing for you. True crime has shot up in popularity as a genre in recent years, with viewers finding a morbid curiosity and fascination in learning about people who have committed heinous crimes. From documentaries about serial killers, to films about high-profile stars who have been accused of abuse, there is a plethora of gritty true crime programming on streaming sites.

But if you want to sink your teeth into a gripping mini-series that you can binge in one night, true crime fans on social media have said there’s one series they couldn’t stop watching. One person asked for recommendations for true crime documentaries in a Reddit post, in which they said they wanted to watch “something that makes my jaw drop”

Among the many suggestions was a four-part Netflix mini-series called Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist, which was released in 2018. The programme follows the story of the death of Brian Wells, a high-profile incident in 2003 that is often referred to as the “collar bomb” or “pizza bomber” case.

Wells was a pizza delivery driver who robbed a PNC Bank in Pennsylvania. Upon being apprehended by police, he died when an explosive collar locked to his neck detonated. The investigation into his death uncovered a complex plot that the FBI described as “one of the most complicated and bizarre crimes in the annals of the FBI”.

Multiple people recommended Evil Genius as one of the most “jaw-dropping” true crime documentaries they have ever watched. In another Reddit thread, another person said they were left “shellshocked” by scenes shown in the very first episode.

Speaking about shocking scenes aired during episode one, someone said: “It was a shocker all right. Set the tone for a horrible few hours. Brilliant show. Put me right off my crisps though.”

Another added: “I watched this a few days ago and now I’m hooked on true crime documentaries.”

Evil Genius was directed by Barbara Schroeder and Trey Borzillieri, after new evidence emerged that suggested Wells may have been forced to commit the robbery with the bomb strapped to his neck, rather than being directly involved with the plot, as investigators concluded.

The FBI investigation led to Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and Kenneth Barnes being charged with the crime in 2007, determining that Diehl-Armstrong masterminded the plot to receive an inheritance by hiring Barnes with the money from the bank robbery to kill her father.

Diehl-Armstrong was sentenced to life in prison in 2011, and Barnes received a reduced sentence of 22 and a half years in exchange for testifying against Diehl-Armstrong. Both later died in prison.

Evil Genius was released on Netflix in 2018, and all four episodes are available to watch now. And if you binge the series and still want to know more, there is also a crime thriller film of the same name in the works.

The film was announced in November 2025 and is being directed by actress Courteney Cox. It will star Patricia Arquette and David Harbour, but it does not have a release date as of the time of writing.