Hulu is celebrating a banner night for its true crime slate, with Only Murders in the Building cementing its status as appointment television and Girl on the Run proving the streamer has documentary chops to match its scripted offerings.
Sources close to the Clue Awards organizing committee tell me there was serious debate behind closed doors about whether Only Murders—a comedy-mystery hybrid—really belonged in 'true crime' territory, but ultimately the votes spoke loud and clear.
The 2026 Clue Awards were held Saturday night at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Chris Hansen, formerly of Dateline and now host of Takedown With Chris Hansen, hosted the ceremony. Jeffrey Epstein survivors Jena-Lisa Jones, Haley Robson and Courtney Wild received Crimefighter of the Year honors for their work with The Survivors, Inc.
The fact that a comedic mystery about true crime podcasters beat out serious dramatic entries tells you everything you need to know about where this genre is headed—and who's holding the real power in the room.
LAS VEGAS — If there were any doubts about whether true crime has fully conquered American entertainment, this weekend's CrimeCon Clue Awards should erase them. The three-day convention, held at Caesars Palace, wrapped Saturday night with an awards ceremony that crowned winners across television, podcasts, film, and publishing—and the results revealed some interesting fault lines in the genre's increasingly crowded landscape. Hulu emerged as the night's biggest winner, snagging two major categories. Only Murders in the Building—yes, the Steve Martin/Martin Short comedy about podcast-obsessed neighbors solving murders in their apartment building—took home Outstanding Scripted Series, while Girl on the Run: Hunt for America's Most Wanted claimed the prize for Outstanding Docuseries. The double victory marks a significant moment for the streamer, which has been aggressively expanding its true crime footprint over the past few years. Former Dateline correspondent Chris Hansen, now known for his work on Takedown With Chris Hansen, hosted the ceremony and brought his signature brand of hard-hitting journalism to an audience of hardcore true crime enthusiasts. The crowd at Caesars Palace included some heavyweight names in the genre's ecosystem—from podcasters to investigators to survivors themselves. Perhaps the most emotionally charged moment of the evening came when Jeffrey Epstein survivors Jena-Lisa Jones, Haley Robson, and Courtney Wild received the Crimefighter of the Year honor for their advocacy work with The Survivors, Inc., an organization supporting sexual assault survivors. The award was presented by 2025 honorees Becky Patty, Mike Patty, and Tara German—the families of Abigail Williams and Liberty German, the two teenage girls murdered in Delphi, Indiana in 2012. That generational passing of the torch from one set of crime victims' advocates to another carried undeniable weight. Meanwhile, Law&Crime announced its own separate honors: Detectives Tara Augustin and Alyson Dupouy from Maryland's Montgomery County Police Department won America's Greatest Detective for their work helping solve the Leslie Preer cold case. The 48 Hours podcast franchise also had reason to celebrate, with both Post Mortem (Outstanding Episodic Series) and Blood is Thicker: The Farris Wheel getting recognition in the podcast categories. The big question hanging over everything? Whether Only Murders in the Building—a show that literally pokes fun at true crime obsession while simultaneously capitalizing on it—deserved to win Outstanding Scripted Series over more traditional dramatic entries like Dark Winds, Paradise, and Reasonable Doubt. The genre has always existed in an uncomfortable space between entertainment and exploitation, and this year's Clue Awards made clear that tension isn't going anywhere.
