Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers – Review | Netflix

AILEEN: QUEEN OF THE SERIAL KILLERS on Netflix is a true crime documentary. It’s about the infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos, and the best I’ve watched so far. Focusing on covering the aspects of the trial instead of the media circus. Read our full Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers review here!

AILEEN: QUEEN OF THE SERIAL KILLERS is a new Netflix true crime documentary about Aileen “Lee” Wuornos. Or rather, there isn’t much new about the content in this documentary, but it has been curated and crafted into a complete portrayal of her.

Now, please don’t get the idea that this is meant to absolve her. It isn’t. Instead, it tries to paint the full picture of who she was and why she acted like she did. From her childhood, to finding love, to the crimes she committed, and finally, becoming famous and infamous.

Continue reading our Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers documentary review below. Find it on Netflix from October 30, 2025.

The best Aileen Wuornos documentary yet

To me, Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers (and yes, I will get back to that title) is the best documentary about the infamous serial killer, Aileen Wuornos, so far. We hear about her childhood from Aileen herself and someone who grew up with her.

Most of the Netflix documentary, however, will focus on her treatment by the justice system and the media. It is so obvious that she was in desperate need of help, and the trial that sealed her fate should never have ended in a conviction.

However, this was the one that set everything into motion, and once the first death sentence was dealt, she wanted it all to end and admitted to the rest – claiming self-defense, sure, but also stating clearly that she just wanted it to be over with.

Michele Gillen is the unsung hero

While I have seen plenty of clips of interviews with Aileen Wuornos in the past, Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers offers something that goes beyond anything I’ve watched before.

Especially thanks to the relentless work of former Dateline correspondent Michele Gillen. Not only did she interview Aileen several times, she also interviewed prosecutor (and professional Bible-thumper) John Tanner.

A man who infamously prayed 50 times with Ted Bundy prior to the execution of that particular serial killer. Something I suspect Aileen would have refused, and which I cannot imagine John Tanner would ever want to do, in any case.

Through remarkable archival footage featuring interviews conducted by Michele Gillen, we will see that John Tanner never cared about justice for Aileen. He just wanted his pound of flesh – and a re-election.

We also see Michele Gillen visit crime scenes, and (often in behind-the-scenes moments) comment on the absurdity of many things. She does not go easy on Aileen when interviewing her, but she does listen. Exactly what Aileen always hoped for.

Queen of the Serial Killers?!

Please do not be discouraged by the somewhat flamboyant title of the documentary. Admittedly, it did make me cringe at first, as I have watched my share of terrible movies about Aileen “Lee” Wuornos.

This Netflix documentary is the exact opposite and tries to encompass all that she was – and, sadly, would become.

The title is simply taken from one of the many headlines about her that was meant to sell newspapers. And, to be fair, it’s one of the “nicer” titles. Many of the other featured the words “lesbian” and “prostitute”, as if that’s all she was.

Of course, the story of her, the first female serial killer in the U.S., did check all the boxes for a media circus. She was gay, a woman, and a sex worker. And, ultimately, convicted as a serial killer and sentenced to death.

Also, Aileen Wuornos herself did not shy away from the media either. When watching this documentary in its entirety, it becomes apparent why: It was the only way to get her version of events out. When she spoke in court at her trial, her truth was largely ignored.

Watch Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers on Netflix now

Director Emily Turner has crafted a breathtaking portrait of not just Aileen Wuornos, but of the so-called justice system in Florida. One we have become acquainted with during many true crime documentaries.

In Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, we get never-before-seen death row interviews with Aileen herself. And yes, she does admit to things that would have landed her in jail for life, even if the death sentence had not happened.

However, it’s also obvious that she ended on this path for a reason. Does this excuse her actions? Of course not. But it does offer an explanation, which has often been the smallest part of describing her.

WHY SHOULD YOU WATCH THIS?

Because it covers the full and complex story of Aileen Wuornos. A life that ended with execution, but deserves a reexamination through a modern lens.

Born in 1956, Aileen Wuornos murdered seven men between 1989 and 1990. At least one of them was self-defense, but she herself ultimately confessed that not all of them were. She was arrested in 1991, and in 2002, she left this world, which was her own wish.

With BBC Studios Documentary Unit and NBC News Studios, director Emily Turner is using a method similar to that of American Murder and The Perfect Neighbor. With archival footage combined to tell a full story, not just soundbites. It hits hard!

Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers is streaming on Netflix from October 30, 2025.