Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
Max, which already houses an extensive library of true crime documentaries, has made new additions. These documentaries cover a range of crimes and notorious real-life cases, including The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which first premiered in 2023 and added a second season earlier this year. Other documentaries include the scandalous Nickelodeon documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, The Jinx: Part Two, and They Called Him Mostly Harmless.
The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks
The Curious Case of Natalia Grace is one of Investigation Discovery’s highly acclaimed true crime documentaries currently streaming on Max. The series first premiered in May 2023, chronicling the bizarre adoption case surrounding Michael and Kristine Barnett, who have since divorced. Reportedly, the Barnetts adopted Natalia, a Ukrainian orphan, in 2010. They later claimed Natalia was an adult and had tried to harm them on multiple occasions.
In January, the docuseries released a much-anticipated second season titled Natalia Speaks. The six-part season 2 looked into the case from Natalia Grace’s perspective as she countered allegations brought up by the Barnetts, her former adoptive family. Natalia now lives with a different Indiana couple, Antwon and Cynthia Mans.
Natalia Grace’s case is now among a few hit true-crime documentaries available to stream on Max.
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV
Max houses another one of ID’s explosive true-crime documentaries, Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV. The limited series looked into abuse allegations against former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider. Child actors and crew members from the network’s golden days sat for interviews in the series, detailing their respective accounts. A work of directors Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz, the five-part series premiered in March 2024.
Among the stars who appeared in Quiet on Set was Drake & Josh actor Drake Bell, who claimed he was sexually abused on the show’s set. In the docuseries, Bell opened up for the first time that former dialogue coach Brian Peck sexually abused him when he was a teenager. Bell also claimed to be the anonymous teenager who filed charges against Peck, which resulted in the latter’s 2004 conviction.
Quiet On Set also revealed that several former child actors and crew members allegedly faced a toxic environment on show sets. They claimed to have been subjects of abuse fueled by racism, sexism, and sexual assault. It is streaming on Max as part of its extensive library of true-crime documentaries.
They Called Him Mostly Harmless
HBO highlights the power of internet sleuthing in one of its most shocking documentaries, They Called Him Mostly Harmless. The film looks into the case of a mysterious man who was found dead in the wilderness of Florida in 2018. The documentary is the work of Patricia E. Gillespie and first premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival before making a debut on Max.
Variety reported that police found the unidentified male body in a tent at Florida’s Cypress National Preserve in 2018. They discovered the body with no ID, phone, or credit card, and little to no clues to identify the individual. Reportedly, the John Doe had several trail names, including Denim, Ben Bilemy, and Mostly Harmless. Subsequently, a group of internet sleuths took it upon themselves to identify the man as Vance John Rodriguez.
According to TIME, Vance John Rodriguez was a mentally troubled man. A former roommate claimed he suffered from severe mental health issues, and women claimed he had a history of abuse. In fact, a journalist named Nicholas Thompson found out that Rodriguez was suicidal and had attempted to kill himself.
These recently added true crime documentaries on Max come from different directors and networks. Other new documentaries to stream on the platform include The Jinx: Part Two, which chronicles the notorious case of Robert Durst.
