We’re looking this week at a Netflix true-crime docuseries about a California murder case that made global headlines, and a peppy tropical crime caper that’s delightfully bananas.

Here’s our roundup.

“American Murderer: Laci Peterson”: It’s been just over two decades since a 27-year-old pregnant Modesto woman with an megawatt smile disappeared on Christmas Eve and whose remains washed up near the Berkeley Marina. Laci Peterson’s 2003 death at the hands of her husband became one of the most closely watched crime cases in recent history. It’s a story that remains forever etched in the public consciousness. But is there a real need to dredge it all up again? Is there anything legitimately new to add to a heartbreaking tragedy about the killing of Peterson and her unborn son Conner, given the relentless media scrutiny that came before?

Related Articles

Eugene and Dan Levy will host the 2024 Emmy Awards

Why is Alix Kendall leaving Fox 9? She wants to be a screenwriter.

The Hollywood production collapse’s latest victim: Why the reality TV bubble finally burst

5 books of low-stress nonfiction for your summer reading list

What to watch: Milli Vanilli scandal is retold, with no mercy, in ‘Girl You Know It’s True’

After all, we know well — perhaps too well — the shocking developments and players: the handsome philandering fertilizer salesman Scott Peterson tagged as the prime suspect, his unsuspecting Fresno girlfriend Amber Frey stepping forward to reveal critical info, the red herring in the form of a burglary next door to where Laci and Scott lived, and then that gruesome discovery.

At the time, Laci’s disappearance happened on one of the slowest news days of the year (Christmas Eve) and quickly caught fire to dominate the airwaves. Wherever you went people were discussing it. Scott Peterson convicted and in prison, denies he committed the crime; and is set to speak in a three-part Aug. 20 Peacock special. Meanwhile, Netflix’s three-part docuseries arrives, and could be seen as simply a calculated rehash of events. But while director Skye Borgman’s respectful docuseries isn’t revelatory by any means, it is powerful and presents a vaguely valid reason for its existence by offering testimonies from those left behind. These include Laci’s mom Sharon Rocha, consenting for the first time since her daughter’s murder to being interviewed on camera. She emotionally discusses her deeply loved daughter and how she grew more suspicious about her son-in-law Scott. We also hear from a group of Laci’s close friends, describing what made her so special, and Frey’s brave collaboration with a Modesto detective, which contributed to the conviction of Scott.

Nothing here could exactly be called a critical revelation (perhaps Frey’s interview comes close). So after viewing this very watchable, thankfully un-sensational series composed of video clips and interviews with investigators and reporters and so on, you’ll likely be left with one impression:that justice was indeed served. To her credit, Borgman does offer time to those who maintain Scott is innocent, although Scott himself is not interviewed.

What we do get out of “American Murder: Laci Peterson” is a cohesive overview of the case and investigation. But far greater than that, the series leaves us with an overwhelming sense of sadness about the senseless crime and how it left the many people who knew and loved Laci Peterson with gaping holes in their hearts that can never be filled. Details: 2½ stars out of 4; available Aug. 14.

“Bad Monkey”: What’s the second best thing to hitting the beach with one of Carl Hiaasen’s irresistible crime novels? How about watching a 10-part series on Apple TV+ that captures the rowdy spirit of his laugh-out-loud Florida-set page-turners as well as rogue’s gallery of colorful, morally ambiguous eccentrics that blunder about within them? You get all of that in this series from showrunner/executive producer Bill Lawrence (co-creator of “Ted Lasso,” “Shrinking”) and executive producer and star Vince Vaughn, who tosses out Hiaasen’s killer punch lines with perfect inflection. The “Swingers” star is a perfect match to play former Miami detective Andrew Yancy, whose past indiscretions (including a publicized fight with the husband of his problematic lover, played by Michelle Monaghan) leaves him in a job he hates: health inspector. A severed arm and a duplicitous, vapid girlfriend (Meredith Hagner) lure Yancy back into crime solving. He partners up with a feisty, sexy coroner (Natalie Martinez) and they connect the geographic dots to some underhanded resort dealings on a quiet island in the Bahamas. That’s where a fisherman (Ronald Peet), who is caretaker for the titular bad monkey, and a spell-caster dubbed the Dragon Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) live. More characters hurricane into the story with Hiaasen aiming his hilarious ire at fat-cat real estate developers and opportunists who are devoid of a conscience and a heartbeat. “Bad Monkey” skewers them while staying true to the unpredictable nature of its vast collection of characters, some of whom just happen to be killers. “Bad Monkey” is indeed bananas, in the best ways possible. Details: 3½ stars; two episodes drop Aug 14 with new episodes released every Wednesday through Oct. 9.

“Skincare”: A squabble between two aestheticians (Elizabeth Banks and Luis Gerardo Méndez) fuels paranoia and deceit and exposes just how disingenuous and artificial Los Angeles can be in director and co-writer Austin Peters’ plucky satire. Loosely inspired by an actual case, “Skincare” does a fine job of creating a complicated protagonist — Hope Goldman (Banks), an ambitious self-starter whose hard-fought career has encountered sexism and sexual advances. Hope is no pushover, and is well-versed on the proper way to shut down some creep asking for a quid pro quo exchange. When the confident Angel Vergara (Méndez) opens a studio too close for comfort, the kid gloves come off since this new guy on the block refuses to acquiesce to her. Shortly thereafter, Hope starts to receive lewd, frightening texts and images, and her email gets hacked. “Skincare” does throw in too many ingredients and ultimately does a disservice to the Angel character by not fully fleshing him out. But Banks’  textured performance and a shifty turn by Lewis Pullman (“Lessons in Chemistry”) as a spiritual/wellness coach are more than enough reasons to overlook the slight blemishes of a thriller that draws blood when it needs to. Details: 3 stars; opens Aug. 16 in area theaters.

“My Penguin Friend”: Remember those Disney live-action family films anchored around a cute  animal developing a deep connection with a human? Should you long for another one of those tear-inducing heart-warmers, you’re in luck. Director David Schurmann’s truth-based story about the incredible bond between a grieving Brazilian fisherman (Jean Reno) and a wounded penguin he nurses back to health might make even an ultimate grouch crack a smile. The screenplay by Paulina Lagudi and Kristen Lazarian bounces from the man-penguin duo to a crew of researchers on the Galapagos who react in astonishment at DinDim the Penguin’s travels from there to Brazil to see its human friend. That’s fine and all, but it’s the sight of that cute penguin waddling on the beach and loving on his human friend that’ll win you over. Details: 2½ stars; in theaters Aug. 16.

“Rob Peace”: “12 Years a Slave” actor Chiwetel Ejiofor directs, write and costars in this sorrow-laced biopic on the tragic, all-too-brief life of a gifted scientific-minded New Jersey Yale student who overcame all sorts of obstacles – his dad (Ejiofor) was sent to prison – and wowed everyone around him in academia, many of whom didn’t look like him. Jay Will impresses in his feature debut as the highly intelligent Rob whose mother (Mary J. Blige) exhorts him to not be consumed by his father tapping into Rob’s brilliant mind so he can get out of prison. Rob doesn’t heed her advice and resorts to selling pot around campus to offset the costs of his father’s appeals. Based on Jeff Hobbs’ book, Ejifor’s sobering and engrossing feature relates its sad story well with Rob seeing his rising-star status get tarnished and his off-the-cuff dealing turning into something he never imagined. Details: 3 stars; in theaters Aug. 16.

“Without Air”: Did popular Belgian literature teacher Ana Bauch (Ágnes Krasznahorkai) go too far in recommending, not requiring, her high school students watch Agnieszka Holland’s “Total Eclipse” with Leonardo DiCaprio so they can gain better appreciation for gay poet Rimbaud’s writings? That’s the central question in a divisive debate that’s heard throughout school systems. Director Katalin Moldovai’s feature debut shows how one parent’s outrage triggers an investigation that could cost one teacher her job. The victims aren’t the community that gets divided, the parents who are outraged, and the education system that’s feeling the heat of a surging far-right movement, but the students themselves, notably the creative, introverted son (Soma Sándor) of a conservative dad whose brutish overtures backfire in terrible ways. “Without Air” is a sad story about the consequences of dangers of wanting to close the eyes and minds of today’s youth and hamstring teachers for doing what they do best – inspire youth to think on their own. Details: 3½ stars; opens Aug. 16 at Orinda Theatre.

“Ganymede”: The supernatural part proves to be the weakest link in directors Colby Holt and Sam Probst’s gay-themed thriller set in the South, and that’s not a dealbreaker given the “horror” part is intended to be simmering on the backburner. Where “Ganymede” (the title refers to a hunky Greek mythological character) proves most effective is when focused on high school wrestler Lee’s (Jordan Doww) reconciling an attraction to out student Kyle (Pablo Castelblanco) with his rabidly homophobic parents’ (Joe Chrest and Robyn Lively) insistence he leads  a “virtuous” lifestyle. A bigger budget would have helped smooth out a few rough edges but “Ganymede” is a diamond-in-the-rough gem with a committed performance from Doww and a well-constructed screenplay from Holt that addresses how outside forces can create imaginary monsters that  then could do us harm if we don’t fight them off. Details: 2½ stars;l available to rent now.

Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.