This docuseries knocks Fool Me Once off the throne

All Netflix viewers are captivated by Fool Me Once and we totally understand that, but this weekend I found another gem on the streaming service and I’m still seriously recovering from it. I’m not the only one, as this docuseries has now become the most streamed series worldwide — and it has dethroned Fool Me Once. And if you thought that Harlan Coben's series is a bit far-fetched here and there… Then you have no idea what you’re in for. Oh, and did I mention that it’s a docuseries about a true crime? Yep, exactly our favorite.

It’s called American Nightmare and I couldn’t have thought of a more fitting name myself. This story is so bizarre that when it unfolded in 2015, no one believed it. As if it was pulled straight from the movie ‘Gone Girl’ — something had to be off here. Alright, let’s dive in, and no worries, I won’t give too many spoilers.

On March 23, 2015, Denise Huskins and her boyfriend Aaron Quinn were sleeping at his home in Vallejo, California when they were awakened by a burglar. This person shone a bright light in their eyes, making it impossible for them to identify him. They were then tied up and blindfolded, and Denise was taken away. Aaron was left behind and was told that he would receive instructions for paying the ransom.

Aaron — understandably — was not very keen on that, and he immediately called the emergency number after freeing himself. He naturally hoped that the police would spring into action and that Denise would be back home in no time. That turned out to be quite different: the police didn’t believe him, and instead of helping him, he became the number one suspect in this missing persons case. The police suspected that Aaron had murdered his girlfriend and made her body disappear, and that this action was to save himself. The fact that the real kidnapper had since contacted him for the ransom was of no use; Aaron was behind bars and couldn’t get to his phone.

With a friend in jail who couldn’t answer, let alone pay money, the kidnapper had very little use for Denise and did something bizarre: he set her free. Denise managed to safely reach her father’s house, who then contacted the police. Isn’t it great that the kidnapper let her go? Nope, the police now suspected both of them of some sort of Gone Girl operation; she might have lured her boyfriend into a trap but changed her mind.

And all of this takes place in episode 1, so you really roll from one surprise to another. The following episodes revolve around the consequences of the kidnapping, and the fact that Denise might not even have been the real target… Denise also shares the terrible things the kidnapper did to her during the 48 hours she was held captive, but she is still not believed by the police.

Really a bizarre case that I wasn’t familiar with. You really want to see this docu. It’s not good for your blood pressure; I was really getting very angry, but this story will stick with you for a long time.