12 scary documentaries on Netflix for Halloween 2022

The Staircase

If you’re a true crime lover and haven’t seen The Staircase, you should add it to your watch list ASAP. It’s essential viewing for anyone who enjoys a good mystery. The seasons span from 2004 to 2018, with Netflix producing the most recent batch of episodes about the latest updates on the case.

The Staircase is directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and follows the death of a mother named Kathleen Peterson along with her husband Michael Peterson’s subsequent conviction. Michael was the only person home at the time of Kathleen’s death, and the cause was difficult to determine. According to Michael’s story, he came inside to find Kathleen dead and bloodied at the end of their staircase, believing she had accidentally fallen. But Kathleen’s family believed foul play was involved, and it didn’t take long for Michael to become the prime suspect.

Michael was sentenced to prison in 2003, and the docuseries follows his case as he attempts to clear his name. The story was also turned into a scripted drama called The Staircase from HBO Max, starring Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Michael Stuhlbarg, and other big names.

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey

The scariest title on this list would have to be Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey by Rachel Dretzin, a harrowing look at the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and its leader, Warren Jeffs. The documentary explores the unethical practices of the church and features interviews with survivors who were fortunate enough to get out.

The docuseries aims to expose the abuse going on at the FLDS, including sexual assault of women and minors, girls being forced to marry older men, members being closed off to the outside world, and other horrific acts. The members of the church are known to practice polygamy, with Jeffs having wed around 80 women, as reported by The Guardian.

As upsetting as Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is, it’s also incredibly frightening. It’s scary to know these things are going on today and the women don’t know any better. Thankfully, some have escaped the cult, but there are still so many who need saving.