Binge Watching Crime Shows Can Be Motivating

If you find you are bored while sheltering in place please consider binge watching crime shows. There are so many on television now that they may have lost their initial appeal, and now are underrated. These programs can be very beneficial during a time such as this. There are three that my husband and I currently watch and they have worked wonders regarding boredom, and also sharpened our sleuthing skills. We are also getting an education in forensics, detective work and also insite into mindset of criminals. It is always tragic when someone is hurt or dies, but setting that aside for a moment these programs can give you advice and life lessons you might not otherwise learn.

You may believe these shows are a dime a dozen and that when you’ve seen one you have seen them all but you would be mistaken. Each episode is unique in its own personal way and who a few are similar, no two are exactly alike. There is a saying of “You can’t make this stuff up” and another adage that “ Truth is often stranger than fiction.” When you watch these crime shows you will be amazed that both phrased are accurate. You will be astounded at what people come up with and shocked at what women do for love. One downside is that sometimes I recognize that the same reinactment has already been on a different show on another channel. Ths takes away from the excitement of figuring it out, but this is a rare event.

There are three programs that we currently binge watch and tape if we are not at home. For each hour long episode, our minds are taken off of current events and that's a good thing. I find it similar to watching soap opera’s and find myself talking to the television and waning the characters of what not to do. Even though these events have already happened and are being re-enacted there is a thrill of excitement when my hsband or I figure out what will happen next, and or solve the mystery.

The crime show that we currently like best is I Almost Got Away With It. This comes on the Investigation Discovery Channel and is told by the criminals themselves. In each episode there is someone who commits a crime and is determined not to serve time in jail for breaking the law. Some of the guilty parties go on the run often for years, even decades until they are caught. Others plan prison breaks, escape and disappear until eventually they are found out. It is very entertaining to listen to these first person accounts, usually from jail of how the criminals believe they can outsmart police but eventually get caught. They leave the state or the country, use fake ID's and passports and even change their appearance and identity.

It is exhilarating to see the suspense build and at times I get so caught up in the episode that I have rooted for the suspect. It will actually look as though they are going to get away with breaking the law but you know they did not because they are telling their tale. A few times I’ve quoted from The Wizard of Oz when Toto ran away from Ms. Gulch and Dorothy said, “He got away, Toto got away!” These shows really are great escapism. I get an education each time something new is revealed about fingerprints and DNA that helps solve crimes.

The second show we enjoy is Fatal Attracts on TVOne. The cases that are on this network are almost always revolving around people of color. In each episode a woman will be talked into committing a crime for her husband or boyfriend. These females have robbed banks, set people up to be killed, covered for crimes their men committed or actually robbed someone or murdered them on their own. There have been situations where women went to jail because they would not incriminate a spouse or lover. Sometimes the wife or girlfriend pleads guilty and goes to jail for crimes they did not commit.

The third television show that I recommend is 48 Hours on ID which can be seen on the Discovery ID channel. On this program detectives and police are filmed actually working on a case. They say that if a case is unsolved with the first 48 hours the trail usually goes cold. This is a fast paced program as all hands are on deck trying to solve the crime within the first two days. This is a race against time to obtain justice for grieving families. It is very intriguing to watch how suspects are actually questioned. It is fascinating to see law enforcement use their techniques to wear them down and obtain a confession. At times watching this show can be like the game called Clue where you try to figure out who done it.

I might say it was ColonelMustard in the drawing room with a vase. My husband might decide it’s the butler in the dining room with a poisoned glass of wine. Sometimes I’m correct and at other times his analysis is accurate. We have agreed on the outcome and been correct and we both have been wrong. This is what makes watching crime shows so fun. I highly recommend these three shows because they are a free method to take a mental break and learn a few things along they way.