The 23 Best TV Shows Based On Real Life You Can Binge Right Now

Baby Reindeer — Stream on Netfliex

The Baby Reindeer showrunners got into some hot water after headlining the limited Netflix series with the fact that it is based on real-life events. Since the show is about a crazed stalker who develops an unhealthy (mutual?) attachment to her prey, it immediately ignited fans of the series to scour the internet for the real-life version of said stalker. Once fans found their target, the woman who many speculate to be Donny’s stalker IRL decided to sue Netflix for defamation. Yikes!

For those who’ve missed out on this prestigious work of art, it’s about a man named Donny who dreams of stardom. Yet, unfortunately for him, he just doesn’t have the charisma or “it” factor to be deemed as someone special enough to make it in show business. But one day, he meets Martha, a woman who admires him as though he were the biggest celebrity on the planet. This sort of attention and worship is everything he’s ever dreamed of. But at what cost, when she’s a certified stalker?

Orange Is the New Black — Stream on Netflix

Orange Is the New Black is one of those TV shows that I have to go back and rewatch once every year. It’s peak television, and it humanizes the ladies in minimum security at Litchfield prison. The series is equal parts profound as it is hilarious- and adding to its appeal is the fact that it’s based on the real-life events of Piper Kerman. With this in mind, the book it was inspired by (also titled OITNB) is much tamer compared to the show. It’s safe to say Jenji Kohan took some liberties with her creative work, yet based much of the complexities of the series on real-life issues.

Mindhunter — Stream on Netflix

I’ll watch anything with Jonathan Groff, and Mindhunter is no exception. Many people consider this crime drama one of the best Netflix originals of all time, and it’s not hard to see why. This series explores the real-life experiences of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as they use criminal profiling to take down the biggest serial killers of the 1970s.

Succession — Stream on HBO Max

While HBO’s Succession isn’t technically based on real-life events (there’s no “disgusting brothers” waltzing around IRL, at least as far as we know), it is based on the Murdoch family and their news conglomerate. It’s one of those shows where, going into it, I thought it’d be sort of boring, yet now it has singlehandedly taken over my life, mind, body, and soul. At this point, I’ve binged it all the way through at least 10 times now. Like, it’s a problem. I just can’t get enough of the witty dialogue, the captivating power dynamics, and the utter bizarreness that is Roman Roy.

A Man on the Inside — Stream on Netflix

One of the most wholesome and heartwarming new Netflix shows, A Man on the Inside, is based on the real-life events of a retired elderly gentleman who believes the excitement in his life is far behind him. In a quest to feel alive again, he takes up a job as a private investigator. His first gig has him going undercover in a retirement home, where he’s instructed to lie low. But how can he, when he makes so many friends along the way? This series is wonderful because it proves your life can truly take off at any age. Even when you least expect it.

Sex and The City — Stream on HBO Max

Believe it or not, much of Sex and The City is actually based on real-life events. Cynthia Nixon, aka Miranda, explained how many of the “bad date” episodes were taken from actual experiences that the writers of the show had to endure. She explained, “Every plot-line that happened literally happened to someone in the writers’ room, or happened to someone they directly knew. So even though some of them were fantastical and absurd, it was based on a real thing.”

The Crown — Stream on Netflix

The Crown is the perfect series to binge if you want to feel classy and elite. I love watching it during cozy rainy days, with a cup of hot tea and a warm blanket. It tells the real-life stories of the royal family, and it’s an absolute must-watch for British TV buffs.

More TV Shows Based On Real Life:

• Narcos (Netflix)
• Murdaugh: Death in the Family (Hulu)
• Inventing Anna (Netflix)
• The Dropout (Hulu)
• Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (Peacock)
• Five Days at Memorial (Apple TV)
• Under the Bridge (Hulu)
• American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson (Netflix)
• Love and Death (HBO Max)
• Griselda (Netflix)
• Dirty John (Netflix)
• When They See Us (Netflix)
• We Own This City (HBO Max)
• Chernobyl (HBO Max)
• The Offer (Paramount+)
• Band of Brothers (HBO Max)