What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedCrimes and Misdemeanors
Film · 1989
If you loved Crimes and Misdemeanors, start with Crime and Punishment (Fedor Mikhailovich Dostoevskii, 1968) — a book on the same thread. Below: 1 book, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Crimes and Misdemeanors across media.
What hooked you in Crimes and Misdemeanors was the way moral decay and existential guilt collide within the lives of ordinary people.
Books on the same thread
Crime and Punishment
Fedor Mikhailovich Dostoevskii · Book · 1968
Shares a thread with Crimes and Misdemeanors: Existentialism.
Like Crimes and Misdemeanors, this masterpiece explores the crushing weight of a guilty conscience after a murder, diving deep into the psychological burden of choosing between morality and survival.
Series on the same thread
Law & Order
Dick Wolf · Series · 1990
Shares a thread with Crimes and Misdemeanors: Moral ambiguity.
If you appreciated the cold, clinical look at justice in Crimes and Misdemeanors, this series provides a procedural examination of how legal systems handle complex human moral ambiguity.
American Crime Story
Scott Alexander · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Crimes and Misdemeanors: Moral Ambiguity.
This anthology mirrors the focus on systemic corruption and societal observation found in Crimes and Misdemeanors, highlighting how high-profile crimes expose deep fractures in our collective sense of justice.
Only Murders in the Building
Steve Martin · Series · 2021
Explores: True Crime Obsession, New York City, Intergenerational Friendship.
For those drawn to the dark comedic tone of Crimes and Misdemeanors, this show offers a lighter but equally obsessive look at how true crime shapes human connection.
Fargo
Noah Hawley · Series · 2014
Shares a thread with Crimes and Misdemeanors: Moral Ambiguity.
This series captures the same dark comedy and moral ambiguity present in Crimes and Misdemeanors, showing how ordinary people spiral into violence when faced with impossible life circumstances.
Podcasts on the same thread
Criminal
Podcast
Explores: Justice, Wrongful Conviction, Morality.
Much like the thematic core of Crimes and Misdemeanors, this podcast examines the gray areas of human behavior, focusing on those caught between doing wrong and being wronged.
Crime in Sports
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: athlete misconduct, legal absurdity, scandalous behavior.
If the dark humor and irony of Crimes and Misdemeanors resonated with you, this show applies that same cynical wit to the legal absurdities found within professional sports.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Crimes and Misdemeanors a single story or an anthology?
Crimes and Misdemeanors follows two distinct narrative threads. One story depicts an ophthalmologist who resorts to murder to end an affair, while the second follows a documentary filmmaker navigating his career and romantic life. These two separate plot lines converge to explore complex moral and existential themes.
What is the central conflict for the ophthalmologist in Crimes and Misdemeanors?
In Crimes and Misdemeanors, the ophthalmologist finds himself in a desperate situation when he attempts to end an adulterous relationship. This conflict escalates significantly when the situation results in murder, forcing the character to grapple with the severe consequences of his actions and his desire to maintain his lifestyle.
Who is the documentary filmmaker making a film about in Crimes and Misdemeanors?
The documentary filmmaker featured in Crimes and Misdemeanors is tasked with creating a film about a television producer's boss. He finds the subject of his documentary to be insufferably self-centered, which complicates his professional project while he simultaneously attempts to woo the producer herself.
Does Crimes and Misdemeanors involve a romantic subplot?
Yes, Crimes and Misdemeanors features romantic elements in both storylines. The ophthalmologist is involved in an adulterous relationship that leads to a murder, while the documentary filmmaker attempts to pursue a romantic connection with an attractive television producer while working on his film project.