The best documentaries on Netflix right now
From jaw-dropping true crime to sport, scandals and nature that’ll make your telly look like IMAX
Netflix has quietly become the ultimate home for documentaries. No longer do you have to wander the dusty aisles of a DVD shop, hoping to stumble across something interesting; everything you need is right there on your screen, ready to press play. And these aren’t your dull, talking-head, “background noise” documentaries of old. They’re gripping, binge-worthy, and often so cinematic that you’ll forget you’re watching reality.
The streamer has something for every mood. Want to peek behind the curtain of celebrity chaos? There’s a doc for that. Curious about the natural world, in all its jaw-dropping beauty? Covered. Obsessed with sports drama, scandal, and triumph? Absolutely. Or maybe you just want to stare in disbelief at the shocking stories that prove reality is often stranger than fiction. Netflix’s documentaries can make you laugh, gasp, cry, and occasionally scream at your screen, sometimes all at once.
What makes these documentaries truly addictive is how they straddle the line between education and entertainment. They’re meticulously researched and often revealing, but they’re also crafted to hook you in, keep you watching, and leave you thinking long after the credits roll. Some are tense, fast-paced thrillers; others are gentle, meditative portraits of the planet and its creatures. But all of them share that rare ability to feel like an event, a story so compelling that pausing halfway is almost impossible.
Whether you’re a true crime junkie, a wildlife aficionado, a sports fanatic, or just someone who loves being entertained while secretly learning something, there’s something here for you. And if you’ve been scrolling endlessly and never quite known where to start, we’ve got you covered. These are the 20 best documentaries on Netflix right now.
20. Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey
Beginning the list on a quiet but deeply emotional note, Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey tells the story of one rescued pangolin and the conservationists trying to save the species from extinction. Pangolins are among the world’s most trafficked animals, and the documentary offers a rare and intimate glimpse into their rehabilitation. The film is beautifully shot, capturing both the fragility and resilience of the species.
It balances education with heartfelt storytelling, creating an emotional connection between the viewer and the animal. It’s a moving reminder of conservation’s importance, proving documentaries don’t need explosive drama to leave a lasting impact.
19. Explained
![Explained | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dM0krSvAQuw/maxresdefault.jpg)
Explained does exactly what it says on the tin, but does it brilliantly. Each short episode tackles complex topics ranging from cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence to dieting and the monarchy. Using clever animation, expert interviews and accessible storytelling, it breaks down subjects that might otherwise feel overwhelming.
The tone is informative without ever becoming dull, making it perfect for curious viewers who want to learn something new without committing to a full-length documentary. It’s easy to binge thanks to its digestible format, often leaving you feeling smarter in under 20 minutes, which is quite an achievement.
18. Untold
Rather than focusing on sporting glory, Untold digs into the controversies and scandals behind major sporting moments. Each episode examines a different story, from infamous matches to athlete scandals and misunderstood careers. The series thrives on alternative perspectives, often giving voice to figures who were previously painted as villains.
The result is a nuanced exploration of how media narratives shape public perception. With slick production and strong storytelling, it feels more like a series of feature-length investigative films than a typical sports documentary. It’s compelling viewing even if you don’t follow the sports themselves.
17. The Toys That Made Us
Nostalgia is a powerful drug, and The Toys That Made Us delivers it in bulk. This colourful, fast-paced series explores the history behind iconic toy franchises, including Star Wars, Barbie and He-Man. Packed with interviews from designers, executives and collectors, it reveals how these cultural phenomena were created, often against overwhelming odds.
The storytelling balances humour, industry insight and childhood memories, making it equally entertaining for casual viewers and pop culture obsessives. It’s surprisingly educational, showing how marketing, creativity and business decisions shaped entire generations. Expect to leave each episode Googling toys you forgot you ever owned.
16. Sunderland ’Til I Die
![Sunderland 'Til I Die | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tIqatfxGB0M/maxresdefault.jpg)
Sunderland ’Til I Die chronicles the club’s turbulent seasons following relegation from the Premier League, offering an unfiltered look at the emotional rollercoaster experienced by players, staff and, most importantly, fans.
It’s less about football tactics and more about community, identity, and the cultural weight sport carries in working-class cities. The heartbreak and hope feel painfully real, turning matches into emotional battlegrounds. You don’t need to support Sunderland to feel invested; the human stories make it universally compelling viewing.
15. The Tinder Swindler
Modern dating meets international crime in The Tinder Swindler, a documentary that feels almost too outrageous to be real. It follows women who match with a seemingly wealthy and charming businessman on Tinder, only to discover they’ve been manipulated into funding his lavish lifestyle.
Through interviews, messages and dramatic storytelling, the film unpacks the emotional and financial devastation left behind. It’s gripping because it feels so relatable, a cautionary tale about trust, deception and the curated personas of online dating. The pacing is sharp, the twists are shocking, and the aftermath proves that sometimes reality is far stranger than fiction.
14. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
Night Stalker dives into one of America’s most terrifying crime sprees, chronicling the hunt for serial killer Richard Ramirez during 1980s Los Angeles. Rather than glorifying the killer, the series focuses heavily on the detectives and investigators who worked tirelessly to catch him.
The atmosphere is thick with tension, enhanced by haunting archive footage and chilling survivor accounts. It captures the sheer fear Ramirez created across the city, as well as the relentless determination of law enforcement to bring him down. The storytelling is sharp and suspenseful, making it one of Netflix’s most intense and unsettling true crime offerings.
13. Don’t F**k With Cats
As titles go, it doesn’t get much more direct than Don’t F**k With Cats. This gripping true crime series follows internet sleuths tracking down a man who posts disturbing animal abuse videos online. What begins as amateur detective work spirals into an international manhunt and eventually intersects with a shocking murder case.
The documentary cleverly explores online obsession, mob mentality and the power and danger of digital communities. It’s relentlessly tense and often disturbing, but undeniably fascinating. The story unfolds like a psychological thriller, raising serious questions about justice, accountability and the internet’s darker corners. To give the doc its credit, it's f**king brilliant
12. Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
![FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uZ0KNVU2fV0/maxresdefault.jpg)
The Fyre Festival promised luxury villas, gourmet food and superstar performances on a tropical island. What attendees got instead were soggy cheese sandwiches and disaster relief tents. Fyre brilliantly charts the rise and spectacular collapse of one of the most infamous event scams in modern history.
Through interviews, social media footage and behind-the-scenes chaos, it shows how influencer culture, marketing hype and unchecked ambition combined to create a catastrophic failure. It’s both hilarious and horrifying, offering a fascinating look at how easily perception can override reality. Equal parts comedy and cautionary tale, it’s social media culture at its most absurd.
11. The Keepers
![The Keepers | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Khr7dbuBjuE/maxresdefault.jpg)
The Keepers is one of Netflix’s most haunting true crime series. It investigates the unsolved murder of Catholic nun Sister Cathy Cesnik in 1969, but quickly expands into a deeply disturbing story involving abuse, cover-ups and institutional silence. What makes the series so powerful is its focus on survivors, allowing victims’ voices to drive the narrative.
The slow, careful pacing builds tension and emotional weight, making it feel less like entertainment and more like a search for truth decades in the making. It’s difficult viewing at times, but undeniably compelling, showing how unresolved trauma can echo across generations.
10. Formula 1: Drive to Survive
![Formula 1: Drive to Survive | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wtJPe1ksS6E/maxresdefault.jpg)
You don’t need to know a single thing about motorsport to get hooked on Drive to Survive. The series transformed Formula 1’s global popularity by focusing on the personalities, rivalries and politics behind the racing rather than just the action on track. With unprecedented access to drivers, team principals and paddock drama, it plays out like a high-speed soap opera, just with multimillion-pound cars and life-threatening stakes.
The editing, cinematography and storytelling elevate every race into something cinematic. It’s adrenaline-fuelled, surprisingly emotional and endlessly bingeable, turning viewers into F1 fans almost by accident.
9. Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness
During lockdown, Tiger King became essential viewing, and it’s easy to see why. This chaotic series drops viewers into the bizarre world of exotic big-cat ownership, led by the unforgettable Joe Exotic. What begins as a quirky subculture documentary quickly spirals into attempted murder plots, rivalries, conspiracy theories and some of the strangest personalities ever committed to film.
It’s messy, surreal and often hilarious, but beneath the chaos lies a darker commentary on animal exploitation and obsession. The series thrives on jaw-dropping twists that feel too ridiculous to be real, yet somehow are. It’s pure documentary chaos, and that’s exactly why it works.
8. Wild Wild Country
![Wild Wild Country | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hBLS_OM6Puk/maxresdefault.jpg)
You couldn’t script Wild Wild Country. This bonkers-but-true series explores the rise of controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers as they build a utopian community in rural Oregon during the 1980s. What starts as a strange spiritual movement quickly escalates into political warfare, bioterrorism, cult allegations and some of the most surreal interviews ever captured on camera.
The real star, however, is Rajneesh’s fiercely loyal spokeswoman Ma Anand Sheela, who steals every scene with her blunt charm and unapologetic attitude. It’s unpredictable, fascinating and wildly entertaining, part cult study, part political thriller, and completely impossible to turn off.
7. Blackfish
Few documentaries have had such a tangible real-world impact as Blackfish. The film investigates the captivity of orca whales, focusing particularly on Tilikum, a SeaWorld orca involved in multiple trainer deaths. Combining shocking archive footage, emotional interviews with former trainers and scientific insight, it dismantles the glossy theme-park image and replaces it with something far darker.
The storytelling is powerful but measured, gradually revealing the psychological toll captivity takes on highly intelligent animals. It’s uncomfortable viewing at times, but incredibly important. The documentary sparked global debate about marine parks and animal welfare, and once you’ve seen it, you’ll struggle to see those shows the same way again.
6. Making a Murderer
![Making A Murderer | Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qxgbdYaR_KQ/maxresdefault.jpg)
The sprawling docuseries follows Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man exonerated of a crime after 18 years in prison, only to find himself accused of murder shortly after his release. What unfolds is a deeply unsettling examination of policing, justice and small-town power dynamics.
With years of courtroom footage and deeply personal interviews, it unfolds like a slow-burning legal thriller. It’s gripping, frustrating and often infuriating, pulling viewers into the murky grey area between truth and perception.
5. Three Identical Strangers
Three Identical Strangers begins with joy and astonishment: three men discover they are identical triplets separated at birth. But the reunion quickly takes a darker turn as the documentary uncovers a secret experiment that manipulated their lives for scientific study. The film explores identity, nature versus nurture, and the ethical implications of such experiments, all while keeping the viewer emotionally invested.
With interviews, archival footage, and sharp storytelling, it balances shock, sadness, and occasional humour. It’s impossible not to empathise with the brothers’ journey while being horrified by the adults who controlled it. This doc lingers long after the credits roll, leaving viewers questioning morality and fate.
4. The 13th
Ava DuVernay’s The 13th is an unflinching exploration of systemic racism and the U.S. prison system. Named after the 13th Amendment, the documentary traces the lineage from slavery to mass incarceration, showing how laws, politics, and economics perpetuate racial inequality. It blends historical footage, expert analysis, and modern commentary from activists and politicians, creating a narrative that is as informative as it is shocking.
The film is emotional, enraging, and impossible to ignore, challenging viewers to confront uncomfortable truths. It’s a must-watch not just for understanding history, but for grasping the ongoing social and political structures that affect millions of lives today.
3. The Last Dance
Even non-sports fans can’t resist The Last Dance. Chronicling Michael Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls, this docuseries blends rare behind-the-scenes footage with the psychological intensity that turned Jordan into a legend. It’s part sports epic, part team drama, with personal rivalries, locker room tensions, and jaw-dropping moments on the court.
Interviews with teammates, coaches, and opponents reveal the mix of brilliance and obsession that made the Bulls dominant. Beyond basketball, it’s a study in ambition, ego, and perseverance. Each episode builds suspense like a thriller, leaving viewers invested in both the games and the personalities behind one of the greatest dynasties in sports history.
2. Planet Earth II
If you thought you’d seen everything the natural world has to offer, Planet Earth II proves you haven’t. Narrated by David Attenborough, the series spans the globe, capturing wildlife in astonishingly intimate and cinematic detail. From urban foxes navigating London rooftops to snow leopards stalking the Himalayas, every episode combines incredible cinematography with fascinating storytelling.
You’ll marvel at the adaptability of creatures, gasp at predatory chases, and be reminded of the beauty and fragility of our planet. It’s immersive, visually breathtaking, and occasionally heartbreaking, the sort of series that makes you pause, reflect, and maybe even want to help preserve what you’ve just witnessed.
1. Icarus
![Icarus | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qXoRdSTrR-4/maxresdefault.jpg)
Icarus starts as a personal experiment but escalates into an international scandal. Cyclist Bryan Fogel sets out to explore the effects of performance-enhancing drugs, only to uncover one of the largest doping scandals in Olympic history.
The film pivots from a quirky sports investigation to a high-stakes thriller involving Russia’s state-sponsored program, whistleblowers, and athletes risking everything. The tension builds like a heist movie, with huge revelations and shocking consequences. It’s equal parts educational and thrilling, offering insights into the dark side of elite sports while keeping you hooked with cinematic flair. A must-watch for anyone who loves a real-life drama.
Skip the search — follow Shortlist on Google News to get our best lists, news, features and reviews at the top of your feeds!
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.