10 Times Pop Culture Solved Real Life Crimes

7. Subject Of The Jinx Admits To Murder

This more recent example has a lot of parallels to Serial, but ultimately had a more lasting effect. Whilst Koening's podcast brought to public attention a hitherto unknown case, it didn't succeed in finding answers or overturning the potentially wrong imprisonment of Adnan Syed for the murder of his high school ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee back in 1999.

HBO's documentary series The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of Robert Durst was structured in a similar way to Serial. It re-opened a case that's long been dormant, albeit one that never had a conclusion. It was one with a key suspect, though, with real estate heir Robert Durst most often in the frame for the murder of his wife and two associates.

The show picked over the evidence, and eventually managed to secure an interview not only with other people involved with the case but Robert Durst himself. Where Serial disappointed with its ending, The Jinx surprised everyone. Durst came out and confessed to all three murders, before the finale had chance to air, thanks to the series.