4 docs you shouldn't watch before bed
The other night I curled up in bed and was looking forward to watching some documentaries, but when I got to the end of Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold, I couldn’t sleep. I was wide awake and wound up binging Dragon’s Den for two hours to stop myself from questioning just about everything. My new solution is to watch these kinds of docs during the day, and reserve my nights for The Bachelor and other mindless reality television. Here are some other docs I find better to reserve for the daytime so you don’t stay up all night thinking about getting murdered or having an existential crisis.
New episodes of Twisted Sisters are coming out weekly on the Investigation Discovery network.
I Am a Killer: I dislike series that show one-sided interviews, and although I thought I Am a Killer did a bit of that, it was still entertaining. I had never heard of the crimes that were being retold by the suspect, families, friends, and police officers involved, so I learned something in each episode. I thought there was too much camera time for the convicted suspects, who almost always embellished stories or tried to downplay their role in the crime. I felt horrible for the families of the victims and thought their stories were mostly endearing and genuine.
Twisted Sisters: This true crime docu-series was produced by none other than my favourite celebrity, Khloe Kardashian. Is there anything she can't do? Honestly, though, the first episode wavers at the outset but the interviews and footage soon shed light on the deeply disturbing story behind a brutal murder involving two sisters who believed one of their sons could speak to God. The crime, seemingly “religion gone wrong,” is so much deeper than that. And very captivating. The rest of the series explores other murderous sisters. Worth watching.
Drug Lords (season 2): From Jamaica to Colombia, learn about the heads of major drug gangs around the world in the second season of this docu-series. They show real footage and interview those involved—even former hitmen and gang members.
Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold: I wouldn’t advise watching this documentary about the famed American journalist right before bed. That’s because it’s pretty heavy. If Didion is anything, it isn’t simple. Her complicated journey in writing, journalism, love and family are riddled with heartache and run deep with emotion. She is honest and cutting. And she really makes you think about your own life and choices. Watch this one during the day so you don’t stay up all night wondering, “What am I really doing with my life?”
The rest of these shows are streaming now on Netflix Canada.
