Well, Netflix does have a good selection of TV shows and movies. Some might argue that their collection of documentaries is even better, so, instead of just doing a top 10 we’ll super-size, this article and give you our picks for the top 20 documentaries that you can watch right now on Netflix.
1. Murder Among The Mormons
At Number 1 on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Murder Among The Mormons this true crime Three-episode donkey series follows Mark Hoffman, one of the most accomplished forgers in history, he’s known for creating forgeries related to the latter-day Saint movement, when the high stakes exploits turn deadly. It sends shockwaves throughout the Mormon community.
2. Evil Genius
Up next, coming in at number 2 on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Evil Genius. The true story of America's most diabolical bank heist was released in 2018 spanning four episodes. This true-crime docu-series examines the crazy events leading up to and following the well-publicized 2003 bank robbery in Pennsylvania, where a pizza delivery driver had a bomb strapped to his neck. It’s now known as the pizza bomber case. Evil genius features a strange cast of characters, including the so-called mastermind Marjorie D Armstrong and there are plenty of twists and turns.
3. They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead
Next up in our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is the 2018 documentary film They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead. It follows the legendary director Orson wells over the last 15 years of his life, as he slowly makes the notorious film the other side of the wind, which also happens to be about an aging director trying to complete his last great movie. That film by the way, If you want to watch it is also available on Netflix.
4. Long Shot
Next up in our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is the short documentary film Long Shot released in 2017. It’s about a Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball fan, accused of a murder he claims he did not commit. This leads his attorney on a wild journey to confirm his alibi by using raw footage from the popular HBO TV show curbing your enthusiasm. If you need something quick to watch the run time for the long shot is only 40 minutes.
5. Formula One Drive to Survive
Next up on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Formula One Drive to Survive premiering in 2019. This documentary series gives viewers an inside look at the formula: one world championship: there’s exclusive access to the drivers, team, principals owners, and other key players. If you’re a fan of F1 you’ll love this series, even if you’re not this stocky series, might be a great introduction for you to formula one racing. There are now three seasons of formula one drive to survive to watch right now.
6. Fyre
Next up in our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Fyre the greatest party that never happened. This 2019 documentary film gives a close-up look at the fraudulent Fyre festival of 2017 co-founded by Billy McFarland and the famous rapper Ja rule. The Fyre Festival was promoted as a luxury music festival on an island in the Bahamas. With posh amenities and well-known musical performers, let’s just say that the reality for the arriving guest was not as advertised.
7. Team Foxcatcher
Next up on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Team Foxcatcher a 2016 documentary film about the multi-millionaire John Dupont and his involvement with the USA Olympic wrestling team. John, who had expensive training facilities and provided housing on his property for the wrestlers. This documentary does a great job of examining john’s paranoia and his interactions with Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz. Even if you’ve seen the 2014 drama, film fox catchers starring Steve Carrel, team fox catcher is still worth watching with new details and real-life footage to enhance the story.
8. The Bleeding Edge
Next up on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is The Bleeding Edge. This documentary film, released in 2018, was written and directed by Kirby, just like his other works, including the invisible war, and this film is not yet rated. The bleeding edge does not pull any punches. It takes an eye-opening look into the 400 billion dollars medical device industry. It examines the lack of regulation, corporate cover-ups, and the profit-driven incentives that put patients at risk daily, while some of the details are horrific, the bleeding edge is a must-see film that I highly recommend for everybody to watch.
9. The Pharmacist
Next up on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is The Pharmacist released in 2020 is a four-part, true crime documentary series based in Louisiana. The story begins in 1999 and follows Dan Schneider, a small town pharmacist after the loss of his son in a drug-related shooting in the ninth ward of New Orleans, with the police lacking Any answers which are fairly common for the NOPD, Dan begins to investigate on his own, to identify his son’s killer and gather evidence against those people responsible for the opioid epidemic.
10. Don’t **** With Cats
Next up on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Don’t **** With Cats. This 2019 true crime documentary series follows a group of internet sleuths that track down the man who, in 2010, posted a video of himself killing kittens. This fascinating docu-series is only three episodes and I should mention some scenes are quite disturbing, while your dogs might be entertained by the series, it could be quite traumatizing to your cats.
11. Tiger King
Next up in our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Tiger King takes the number 10 spot in our countdown. This eight-episode true-crime series released in 2020, explores the world of private zoos and so-called sanctuaries, while many big cat collectors are featured. The primary focus is on the contentious feud between Joe Exotic, the flamboyant owner of a big cat zoo in Oklahoma, and Carol Baskin, an animal rights activist in Florida tiger king is truly one of the strangest docu-series you’ll Probably ever watch.
12. Last Breath
Next up in our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is the 2019 documentary film Last Breath. This film covers the events in 2012 of a diver stranded at the bottom of the north sea, with only five minutes of oxygen and no chance of being rescued for at least 30 minutes using reconstructed original footage, along with first-hand accounts of the incident. This hidden gem is a must-watch that just might leave you breathless.
13. The Staircase
Next up in our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is The Staircase, this true-crime docu-series first premiered in 2004, with 10 episodes, and has been broadcast on various tv networks internationally. Since then, it follows the trial of Michael Peterson, who is accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen in North Carolina in 2012 and 2013, the camera crew returned to interview Peterson and his family covering developments in the case since the trial in 2018, Netflix ordered three new episodes. All 13 episodes of the staircase are available to stream.
14. Icarus
Next up on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Icarus. This academy, award-winning documentary film by Brian Fogle, was released in 2017. It follows Fogle, as he investigates the world of illegal doping in sports. The story takes off when Fogle meets a Russian scientist, who leads the Russian anti-doping laboratory as Fogle and the scientists become friends, Vogel receives information that leads to an international doping scandal.
15. The Keepers
Next up on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is The Keepers released in 2017. The series is about two former students who launched an investigation into the unsolved murder in 1969 of a catholic nun who taught English and drama at a high school in Baltimore Maryland. These students believed that there was a cover-up by the authorities to protect a priest at that school. If you’re a fan of the true-crime genre, the keeper is a must-watch.
16. Wild Wild Country
Next up in our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Wild Wild Country released in 2018. It’s about the controversial Indian guru, Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh, his followers, and his one-time personal assistant, Ma Anand Sheila. During the 1980s, they built the seemingly utopian city of Rajneesh Param in the small town of Antelope Oregon. This highly addictive show features assassination plots a hotel bombing, illegal wiretapping, and, at that time the largest bioterrorism attack in US history.
17. Five Came Back
Next up in our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Five Came Back, which is based on a 2014 book by Mark Harris released as a three-part series in 2017. It focuses on five legendary Hollywood filmmakers who enlisted in the armed forces to document the events during World War II, and it includes analysis from modern-day directors as well, such as Francis Ford, Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Guillermo del Toro, and others.
18. Our Planet
Next up on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Our Planet. This nature documentary series was released in 2019 and is from the same people who brought you the critically acclaimed planet earth, which is sadly no longer available on Netflix. Our planet is narrated by David Attenborough and was filmed in 50 countries over four years. As you would expect, the visuals on our planet are stunning: there are a total of eight episodes covering the frozen tundras jungles deserts the oceans, and everything in between.
19. The Last Dance
Next up on our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is The Last Dance. This 10-part sports documentary mini-series is a co-production by ESPN films and Netflix. It charts the rise of the Chicago bulls, an NBA basketball team, led by Michael Jordan in the 1990s. The primary focus is on the Bulls' 1997-98 season in their quest to win a sixth NBA title in eight years. The last dance includes never before seen, footage from the film crew that followed the bulls that season, along with interviews with Jordan, Dennis, Rodman, Scottie, Pippen, head coach Phil Jackson, and many others. The last dance is truly one of the best sports documentaries to ever be created.
20. Making A Murderer
Next up in our list of Best Netflix Documentaries To Watch is Making A Murderer its first season, premiered in 2015 and was filmed over 10 years. It follows a Wisconsin man named Steven Avery, who served 18 years in prison for a wrongful conviction and was set free when the DNA was matched with another man. After getting out of prison, Stephen works to expose the corruption in the local law enforcement and again finds himself to be the prime suspect in a new crime. The second season premiered in 2018 and explores the aftermath following the conclusion of the first season.
Thanks for reading.