True crime remains a booming business for television, and few figures have become more mainstream than Amanda Knox. The story of an American student in Italy captured the world’s attention after her roommate, Meredith, was found brutally murdered. Yet it was the media firestorm that grew out of the moment that became the stuff of legend. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox follows the story from a half-dozen perspectives, allowing the audience to feel the grandiose tale on the scale it deserves.

The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox Plot

In 2007, the body of Meredith Kercher was found dead in her flat. The police in the small town of Perugia, Italy, found the actions of her roommate, Amanda Knox (Grace Van Patten), incredibly strange. With only a mediocre understanding of Italian and advanced interrogation techniques, Knox soon blurted out that she knew who killed Kercher — her boss.

Knox and her boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito (Giuseppe De Domenico), were both arrested as part of the investigation. Investigator Giuliano Mignini (Francesco Acquaroli) employed conjecture and conspiracy theories to sway public opinion, leading to Knox and Sollecito’s conviction despite the absence of any forensic evidence. Over the next few years, they fight for their innocence and a chance at a new life.

Surprising amounts of style and good performances anchor the show.

Created by K.J. Steinberg (producer and four-time Emmy nominee for This Is Us), The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox has surprising devotion to not sensationalizing the story. Steinberg and her directors infuse the series with style, helped significantly by shooting on location in Italy (even in the town where the murder occurred). While that might have been a little excessive, the approach to shoot in Italy undeniably helps lend a level of authenticity to the project as a whole.

Related: Anya Taylor-Joy and Meryl Streep Circling Same Role In Cameron Crowe’s Next Big Bet: Reports

Additionally, there are great performances at the top of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. That starts with Van Patten, who levels up from her excellent performance in The Meyerowitz Stories. She’s the lifeblood of the show, tapping into every quirk that we’ve seen from Knox since she was shoved into the spotlight. Wisely, Van Patten plays into the clueless nature of youth, which is undeniably part of what got Knox in trouble in real life.

Around her, Van Patten builds on the strong supporting cast. Her parents, John Hoogenakker and Sharon Horgan, bring overwhelming heart to the story. Their love for their child is palpable, while each of them brings very different energies to the relationship. Horgan gets more of the highlight moments, while Hoogenakker surprises with his emotional nuance.

Acquaroli shines as a scary, intimidating prosecutor. However, he is also just as brilliant as his conspiracies grow crazier. He delivers them with the right amount of self-belief that you never question his commitment. Alongside Acquaroli, De Domenico shines in a role that has largely been pushed to the side in the absurdity of the trial. While he starts out playing a relatively goofy, lovesick man, by the end of the series, he lands a shockingly tragic story arc. He’s one of the biggest surprises of the series and should find himself with some choice roles after this.

The same true crime issues emerge in The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.

Part of the issue in telling a true crime story is that the world has already picked over the story. There are very few things in the series that are new in this version, in part because both Knox and Sollecito have written books about their experience. There are a half dozen moments that The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox almost finds something extremely profound about her time in prison, but it comes up short each time.

Related: Alien: Earth — “Metamorphosis” — Episode 3 Spoiler Recap and Review

While the creators and writers undeniably focus on Knox and do their best to avoid exploiting Meredith. At the same time, The Twisted Tale gives us very little about the person who was murdered. There is an element of exploitation, regardless of intentions, whenever a story like this is made. However, when you frame the events as the worst thing that ever happened to a person, the audience inherently starts to think negatively about the family who is simply looking for justice.

The other aspect that quickly begins to grate on the audience comes from the prosecution. While Acquaroli finds moments of incredible poise, the rest of the cops and prosecutors are painted with cartoonishly evil brushes. It’s not just that they’re poorly written, but the motivations are non-existent throughout The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, besides the idea that “she’s a weird American.” There is no doubt that Amanda Knox did not deserve what happened to her, but this element seems only to provide entertainment, not insight into her case.

Is The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox worth watching?

Yes, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox is one of the better true crime dramatic retellings out right now. At the same time, it falls a little short in predictable ways, especially towards the end of the series. The moments of brilliance come fast and early, but the series cannot keep up its frenetic pace. Van Patten and director Michael Uppendahl deserve their flowers, despite some inconsistency in the storytelling.

Related: Eenie Meanie: What Is Hulu’s $50 Million Movie About?

The true crime genre is not going away anytime soon, with a new season of Monster on the horizon about Ed Gein. However, the genre continues to run on fumes, and it was only a matter of time before Amanda Knox got the official series adaptation. This is classier than Apple Cider Vinegar or Happy Face, but still pales in comparison to shows like Smoke. Hulu will surely have a hit on its hands, and the march for the next big true crime show will already be in motion.

The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox releases on Hulu on August 20, 2025. All eight episodes were reviewed.

This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire