What are the best episodes of Crimes That Shook the World?

The best rated episodes of Crimes That Shook the World are: Suffok Strangler - S2E10 rated 8.0, Dennis Nilsen - S2E7 rated 8.0, Monster of Belgium - S2E5 rated 8.0, Monster Of Florence - S2E3 rated 8.0, Chessboard Killer - S2E2 rated 8.0

What are the worst episodes of Crimes That Shook the World?

The lowest rated episodes of Crimes That Shook the World are: The Wests - S1E1 rated 5.7, The Phoenix Strangler - S1E6 rated 6.0, Bodies in the Barrels - S2E4 rated 6.0, The Vienna Strangler - S1E4 rated 6.5, Yorkshire Ripper - S2E8 rated 6.7

Crimes That Shook the World Episode Rating Graph

Sep 2006 - present

5.9

Crimes That Shook the World Episode Rating Graph poster

Browse episode ratings trends for Crimes That Shook the World. Simply click on the interactive rating graph to explore the best and worst of Crimes That Shook the World's 16 episodes.

Best Episodes of Crimes That Shook the World

Suffok Strangler
S2 Ep10
8.0
The hunt for the Suffolk Strangler, who murdered five prostitutes in the Ipswich area during 2006, leading to the largest manhunt since the Yorkshire Ripper
Dennis Nilsen
S2 Ep7
8.0
We reconstruct the horrific crimes of Dennis Nilsen, using interviews with investigating officers and forensic scientists to determine his motives
Monster of Belgium
S2 Ep5
8.0
The story of Belgian Marc Dutroux, who kidnapped, tortured and killed children, and why 300,000 people took to the streets in protest at the handling of his case
Monster Of Florence
S2 Ep3
8.0
The unsolved case of the Monster of Florence, who preyed on young couples and committed seven murders in and around the city, but who has never been officially identified
Chessboard Killer
S2 Ep2
8.0
23rd Apr 2012
The story of Alexander Pichushkin, who aimed to kill 64 people - one for each square on a chessboard - but was caught before he could complete his task

Worst Episodes of Crimes That Shook the World

The Wests
S1 Ep1
5.7
26th Sep 2006
Series profiling major 20th century crimes, beginning with the case of notorious Gloucester couple Fred and Rose West. The pair were arrested after police found several dismembered bodies in and around their home, but Fred escaped trial by committing suicide in prison. His wife was convicted of 10 killings and sentenced to life imprisonment
The Phoenix Strangler
S1 Ep6
6.0
The case of Phoenix Strangler Sipho Thwala, who was sentenced to 506 years in jail in March 1999 when he was convicted of the murder of 16 women in Durban, South Africa. The police search was initially hampered as the bodies had been burned, but with the help of psychological profiler Micki Pistorius and DNA samples which matched those from a past attempted rape, Twala was eventually brought to justice.
Bodies in the Barrels
S2 Ep4
6.0
In-depth investigations into infamous criminal cases and uncovering the motives behind them and the procedures used to arrest the perpetrators
The Vienna Strangler
S1 Ep4
6.5
21st Oct 2006
The case of Austrian Jack Unterweger who, after serving a 14-year spell in jail for the murder of a girl in 1974, went on to become a celebrated media figure and an example of the reform system's effectiveness. However, since his release, it transpired he had killed up to 11 more people across Europe and America and he hanged himself in his cell after being given a life sentence without parole
Yorkshire Ripper
S2 Ep8
6.7
In-depth investigations into infamous criminal cases and uncovering the motives behind them and the procedures used to arrest the perpetrators

Crimes That Shook the World Episode Guide

The Wests
S1 Ep1
5.7
26th Sep 2006
Series profiling major 20th century crimes, beginning with the case of notorious Gloucester couple Fred and Rose West. The pair were arrested after police found several dismembered bodies in and around their home, but Fred escaped trial by committing suicide in prison. His wife was convicted of 10 killings and sentenced to life imprisonment
BTK
S1 Ep2
7.0
6th Oct 2006
Profile of serial killer Dennis Rader, who preyed on families in Kansas for 30 years, and called himself BTK to draw attention to his preferred murder method - bind, torture and kill. Rader's narcissistic nature proved to be his downfall when, after years of mocking the police officers attempting to find him, a careless mistake exposed his identity
Green River Killer
S1 Ep3
7.0
The case of Green River killer Gary Leon Ridgeway who was arrested on 30 November 2001 after 19 years of police searches. The offender is recognised as the most prolific murderer in US history, having slayed at least 48 women. A warrant was granted to search his property in 1987 but no evidence was found at the time, it was only after a breakthrough in DNA technology in 1999 that the case was reopened
The Vienna Strangler
S1 Ep4
6.5
21st Oct 2006
The case of Austrian Jack Unterweger who, after serving a 14-year spell in jail for the murder of a girl in 1974, went on to become a celebrated media figure and an example of the reform system's effectiveness. However, since his release, it transpired he had killed up to 11 more people across Europe and America and he hanged himself in his cell after being given a life sentence without parole
Backpacker Murderer
S1 Ep5
7.5
The case of Ivan Millat, who killed at least seven backpackers in New South Wales, Australia, during the early 1990s. Police were initially confounded by the marked differences in the murders and it was suggested two offenders could be on the loose. However, evidence eventually began to mount against Millat, who had been charged with the rape of two women in 1971, and it was ascertained he was the only culprit
The Phoenix Strangler
S1 Ep6
6.0
The case of Phoenix Strangler Sipho Thwala, who was sentenced to 506 years in jail in March 1999 when he was convicted of the murder of 16 women in Durban, South Africa. The police search was initially hampered as the bodies had been burned, but with the help of psychological profiler Micki Pistorius and DNA samples which matched those from a past attempted rape, Twala was eventually brought to justice.