dirty john review

“Dirty John” is a true-crime tale that starts like a rom-com and swerves into a nightmare, and yes, you’ll rubberneck the whole way. The original podcast by LA Times journalist Christopher Goffard is tightly told and properly chilling, while the TV adaptation leans into glossy melodrama.

Connie Britton sells the denial and dread, and Eric Bana makes charm look weaponised—both unsettlingly effective. It can feel sensational at times, but the pacing keeps you hooked like a cliff-hanger on the M4. If you like your cautionary tales with premium polish and a shiver, it delivers; if you want nuance over noir, the podcast lands cleaner. Either way, you’ll change your passwords and side-eye charisma for a week.