Best documentary shows streaming, ranked.
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- #198
Ocean with David Attenborough
2025 · Movie · 1h 35mDocumentary
Attenborough explores the planet's undersea habitats, revealing the greatest age of ocean discovery and emphasizing the ocean's vital importance while exposing its problems and highlighting opportunities for marine life recovery.
Disney+Hulu - #1094
Music by John Williams
2024 · Movie · 1h 45mDocumentary · Biography
1 EmmyHis unforgettable scores are an essential part of some of the most beloved movies of our time, over a career that spans decades. See and hear maestro John Williams' own story, with insights from filmmakers, musicians, and others he has inspired, complete with rare behind-the-scenes looks at the making of movie history.
Disney+ - #4188
MythBusters
2003–2018 · Series · 15 seasonsDocumentary · Mystery · Reality
The Mythbusters use science (and explosions) to answer every shower thought ever. From testing the myth that coke and pop rocks can explode your stomach, to recreating historical weapons to see how they worked.
Disney+MAXHulu - #4488
LIGHT & MAGIC
2022–2025 · Series · 2 seasonsDocumentary · History
Showcasing the people of Industrial Light and Magic, the special effects division of Lucasfilm, this series takes us back in time as they create the effects for some of the biggest and most successful films of the last 45 years.
Disney+ - #5187
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story
2009 · Movie · 1h 41mDocumentary
Their music is unforgettable. Their name is legend. Delve into the lives and cinematic legacy of the prolific songwriting duo whose music has been featured in classic movies such as Mary Poppins (1964) and The Jungle Book (1967).
Disney+ - #5486
The End of an Era
2025– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary
A behind-the-scenes docuseries event chronicling the development, impact, and inner workings that created the phenomenon that was Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour, as well as providing an intimate look at Taylor's life as her tour made headlines and thrilled fans around the world. The series also spotlights performers, family members, and friends — including Gracie Abrams, Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran, and Florence Welch — offering never-before-seen insight into what it took to create a phenomenon.
Disney+ - #5786

Prophet's Prey
2015 · Movie · 1h 41mDocumentary · Biography · History
When Warren Jeffs rose to Prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, he took control of a religion with a history of polygamous and underage marriage. In a short time, Warren managed to expand these practices and t...
Paramount+ - #6285
Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band
2024 · Movie · 1h 39mDocumentary · Biography
Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band showcase the process of creating their live performances, sharing footage from band rehearsals, behind-the-scenes moments, rare clips, and personal reflections from Springsteen himself.
Disney+Hulu - #6685
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
2021 · MovieDocumentary
The Harlem Cultural Festival, also known as "Black Woodstock", was a series of music concerts held in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City during the summer of 1969 to celebrate African American music and culture and to promote the co...
Disney+Hulu - #9083

Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough
2015–2016 · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary
David Attenborough revisits the Great Barrier Reef after nearly 60 years. His visit takes him from the most exposed part of the reef as well as down to 300m below the surface discovering corals never seen before.
Paramount+ - #9882

Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All
2023– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Biography
Follows Sheeran's personal life as he discusses how this trying time has affected him and his new music. It will spotlight how an unlikely child with a stutter rose to fame and how his chart-topping hits were born
Disney+ - #10081

Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip
2013 · Movie · 1h 25mDocumentary · Comedy
Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond go on a seven-day road trip from Venice, Italy, to Pau, France, in this special episode from the BBC motoring series. Along the way the pair visit the Autodromo Nazionale Monza race track and ta...
Peacock - #10581

Aerial America
2010– · Series · 8 seasonsDocumentary
Helicopter flights above the USA give breathtaking views of the nation's historic landmarks and natural wonders all presented in stunning HD aerial cinematography while narration provides background information and historical cont...
Paramount+ - #10880
The Third Reich: The Rise & Fall
2010– · SeriesDocumentary · History · War
THIRD REICH: THE RISE & FALL tells the story of Hitler's Germany through rarely seen films of the people who were there. Immersive and evocative, it takes viewers inside the Germany of the 20s, 30s, and early 40s, through the use ...
Disney+Hulu - #11879
We Need to Talk About Cosby
2022– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Biography · Crime
Writer/director W. Kamau Bell's exploration of Bill Cosby's descent from "America's Dad" to convicted sexual predator. Comedians, journalists and survivors have a candid, first of its kind conversation about the man, his career an...
Paramount+ - #12279
Into the Unknown: Making Frozen II
2020– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Family
With less than a year until the world premiere of Frozen II (2019), the filmmakers, artists, songwriters and cast open their doors to cameras for a six-part documentary series to reveal the hard work, heart, and collaboration that...
Disney+ - #12679

Born in China
2016 · Movie · Mandarin · 1h 19mDocumentary
Venturing into the wilds of China, "Born in China" captures intimate moments with a panda and her growing cub, a young golden monkey who feels displaced by his baby sister, and a mother snow leopard struggling to raise her two cubs.
Disney+ - #13178
60 Days In
2016– · Series · 9 seasonsDocumentary · Crime · Reality
"60 Days In" offers an unprecedented look at life behind bars at Indiana's Clark County Jail. Seven ordinary people volunteer to live among its general population for 60 days, without fellow inmates or staff knowing their secret.
Disney+HuluNetflixPeacockPrime Video - #13278
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
2019 · Movie · 1h 34mDocumentary · History
An exploration of the history and emotional power of cinema sound, as revealed by legendary sound designers and visionary directors, via interviews, clips from movies, and a look at their actual process of creation and discovery.
Peacock - #13878
Waking Sleeping Beauty
2009 · Movie · 1h 26mDocumentary · Drama · History
The story of the Disney Renaissance, an incredibly prolific, successful and prestigious decade lasting from 1984 to 1994 that saw the fallen Walt Disney Animation Studios' unexpected progressive triumphant return to excellence.
Disney+ - #14078
Secrets of the Bees
2026– · SeriesDocumentary · Action
With the expertise of entomologist and fellow National Geographic Explorer Dr. Samuel Ramsey, the series uses groundbreaking filming technology to reveal the extraordinary world of bees; and uncover their astonishing architecture and intelligence, unlocking their secrets and featuring never-before-filmed moments.
Disney+Hulu - #14777
American Greed
2007–2023 · Series · 15 seasonsDocumentary · Crime
Documentary series focusing on history's largest financial crimes ranging from Ponzi schemes, murder, card counting, generating fake currency and goods, extortion, online dating, identity theft, drug distribution, and insider trad...
PeacockPrime Video - #15277
This Magic Moment
2016 · Movie · 1h 41mDocumentary · Biography · History
In the mid-1990s, Orlando was the center of excitement in the NBA. The young franchise, led by mega-stars Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, beat the mighty Bulls en route to the 1995 NBA Finals. While it was clear Orlando was a...
Disney+Netflix - #17076

Life After People: The Series
2009–2025 · Series · 3 seasonsDocumentary · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Scientists explore how Earth would transform if humans vanished, from ecosystem recovery to surviving structures and fastest decay. Based on expert analysis of our industrial world without people.
Disney+HuluPrime Video - #17375
Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford
2023 · Movie · 1h 30mDocumentary
Documentary exploring actor Harrison Ford's enduring appeal and his upbringing, including his foray into the entertainment business, his casting in the "Indiana Jones" franchise and the impact and inspiration generated by the films.
Disney+ - #17875

American Pickers
2010– · Series · 27 seasonsDocumentary · Reality
Mike and Frank are pickers that travel the country and literally would go anywhere just for the prospects of finding antique gold. With the assistance of Danielle they often find themselves in a comedic pickle.
Disney+HuluNetflixPrime Video - #18275

The Devil's Climb
2024 · Movie · 1h 15mDocumentary · Thriller
Climbers Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell embark on an expedition to conquer Alaska's treacherous Devils Thumb, pushing their limits through perilous climbs across daunting peaks, while their unbreakable bond is put to the ultimate...
Disney+ - #18575

Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe
2014 · Movie · 43mDocumentary · History
A look at the story behind Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from all of the Marvel films, the Marvel One-Shots and "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Disney+ - #19274

John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise
2021– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Biography · Crime
The chilling story of one of the world's most notorious serial killers told through the words of Gacy himself, those who were forever changed by his unspeakable deeds and those who believe that the full truth remains concealed to ...
Peacock - #19574

Primal Survivor
2016– · Series · 7 seasonsDocumentary · Action
Primal Survivor tracks wilderness guide and survival instructor Hazen Audel as he tackles some of mankind's most rigorous journeys, relying on skills learned from native inhabitants.After first living with the locals to understand...
Disney+Hulu - #20674

Curiosity
2011–2014 · Series · 2 seasonsDocumentary
This program is made by the Discovery Network, and the show's 'full-name' has the suffix phrase of "The Questions of Our Life", after curiosity. The show tries to answer mysteries and certain queries within diverse fields like the...
PeacockPrime Video - #20874
Sea of Shadows
2019 · Movie · 1h 45mDocumentary · Crime · History
The vaquita, the world's smallest whale, is near extinction as its habitat is destroyed by Mexican cartels and Chinese mafia, who harvest the swim bladder of the totoaba fish, the "cocaine of the sea." Environmental activists, Mex...
Disney+ - #21173
Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of '80s Hair Metal
2024– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary
Follow the wild, excessive '80s hard rock scene's insanity and ambition that enthralled generations. Uncensored behind-the-scenes look at an iconic musical era's influence on culture through candid insights from renowned rock jour...
Paramount+ - #21973
Sid & Judy
2019 · Movie · 1h 35mDocumentary · Biography · History
Revealing new look at Judy Garland fifty years after her tragic, untimely death. Fusing the unpublished recollections of producer, manager and third husband, Sid Luft, with film clips, rare concert footage and Judy's own inimitabl...
Paramount+ - #23772
The Pope: Answers
2023 · Movie · Spanish · 1h 28mDocumentary
Ten young people from all over the world meet in Rome with Pope Francis, with the aim of talking and conveying to him the main concerns of their generation. What awaits them is an unprecedented meeting, a face-to-face conversation...
Disney+Hulu - #24872
Kyle Kinane: Whiskey Icarus
2012 · Movie · 1hDocumentary · Comedy
In his first hour-long Comedy Central special, Kyle Kinane contemplates the existence of God, and the true meaning of being delivered an unsliced pizza. This special is extended and uncensored with all sorts of extra Kyle.
Paramount+ - #24972
Inside the Factory
2015– · Series · 10 seasonsDocumentary · History
How our favorite foods and products are made? Cherry Healey and Gregg Wallace go into the factories to figure out, while Ruth Goodman tell us about the historical development of the manufacturing process of these products.
Paramount+ - #25072
The Day Kennedy Died
2013 · Movie · 1h 32mDocumentary · History
Captures the frantic rush to the local hospital, the public chaos that ensued, the quickly mobilized manhunt by law enforcement looking for a suspect after witnesses identified the source of the gunshots as the Texas Book Deposito...
Paramount+ - #25572
The Spymasters: CIA in the Crosshairs
2015 · Movie · 2hDocumentary · Drama · War
Documentary revealing the inner workings of the world's most powerful intelligence organization, with unprecedented access to America's spy network, all 12 living CIA directors and top agency operatives, who talk candidly about to...
Paramount+ - #25872
A Hero's Journey: The Making of Percy Jackson and the Olympians
2024 · Movie · 50mDocumentary · Family
Follows these three young stars on the set of the Disney+ Original series as they step into worlds fit for gods, battle unforgettable creatures and perform legendary feats, all while still going to school.
Disney+ - #26072
Water & Power: A California Heist
2017 · Movie · 1h 27mDocumentary
In California's complex water system, a handful of corporate land owners took advantage of a state-engineered system and gained control of the state's most precious public resource, while drought left local homeowners with dry wells.
Disney+ - #26471
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
2023 · Movie · 57mDocumentary
Follow the production of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” as the cast and crew take on the incredible challenge of remembering T’Challa with a chapter befitting the late king. Through intimate behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, watch Shuri take on the mantel of Wakanda’s hero and face a new foe from the ocean’s depths in Namor.
Disney+ - #27171
Lynching Postcards: Token of a Great Day
2021 · Movie · 15mDocumentary
During 1880-1968 over 4,000 African Americans were lynched at the hands of white mobs. These lynchings were commemorated through souvenir postcards that would ultimately be subverted by Black activists to expose racist violence in...
Paramount+ - #27471
Mars: One Day on the Red Planet
2020 · Movie · 1h 28mDocumentary
An epic journey revealing the real Mars, as you've never seen it before. Using data from orbiters and rovers to build accurate views of the red planet and uncover its secrets. On a single circuit of Mars from dawn to dusk, encount...
Disney+ - #28071
Nilgiris - A Shared Wilderness
2024 · Movie · 1h 15mDocumentary
A land of sacred peaks and secret creatures, lost in the mists of time, somewhere between folklore and magic. This is a story of India's very first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve - the Nilgiris - one of Asia's most intensively studied a...
Disney+Hulu - #28671
Secrets of the Morgue
2018–2019 · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Crime
"Secrets of the Morgue" explores high-profile murder cases from the perspective of the medical examiner, as they work alongside homicide detectives to bring justice to murder victims and their families. A victims body tells a hidd...
HuluPeacockPrime Video - #28771
The Beauty Queen Killer: 9 Days of Terror
2024– · SeriesDocumentary
A twist-filled story of Tina Risico, who now reveals the truth about what happened when she was kidnapped for 9-days by notorious killer Chris Wilder, with many believing she played a role in helping her captor abduct further vict...
Disney+Hulu - #29870

Tut's Treasures: Hidden Secrets
2018– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · History
Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 made headlines across the world sparking a global frenzy for Ancient Egypt. But over the decades since the find, many of the pharaoh's priceless grave goods have disappeared ...
Disney+ - #31270
Pirates: Behind the Legends
2024– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Biography · History
From legendary John Ward, immortalized in fiction as Jack Sparrow, and English explorer Francis Drake; branded Pirates by their enemies but heroes by their comrades, to the notorious Pirates of the Caribbean shrouded in myth.
Disney+ - #31570
The Con
2020– · Series · 2 seasonsDocumentary · Crime
Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg narrates this series exploring the troubling tales of people taken in by claims and promises that proved too good to be true, from identity fraud and misleading romance to the hi...
Disney+Hulu - #31670
The Last Expedition
2024 · Movie · Polish · 1h 20mDocumentary
The true story of Wanda Rutkiewicz, the first woman in the world and the first person from Poland to climb the highest peaks on earth - told by herself. Wanda entered the men's world of high-mountain expeditions without an invitat...
Paramount+ - #32370
America's Book of Secrets
2012–2021 · Series · 4 seasonsDocumentary
From the facts behind the NSA spying scandals ("Big Brother") and the Boston Bombings ("American Terrorists") to America's secret prisons, Scientology, the Gold conspiracy and America's doomsday plans, this series features in-dept...
Disney+HuluPrime Video - #32869
Pathological: The Lies of Joran van der Sloot
2024 · Movie · 1h 33mDocumentary · Crime
Delves into Joran van der Sloot's lifelong pattern of violence and pathological lying through rare interviews and new insights years after he brutally murdered American Natalee Holloway and Peruvian Stephany Flores.
Peacock - #33469
The Mountain Lion and Me
2018 · Movie · 51mDocumentary
On the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park is Paradise Valley, Montana, home to bears, wolves, elk, and an animal so secretive, few ever get to see it: the mountain lion. Wildlife filmmaker Casey Anderson became one of those lu...
Paramount+ - #33869
Mystery in Yellowstone
2015 · Movie · 46mDocumentary
Yellowstone National Park is home to a vast array of landscapes and a huge diversity of animals, united in a fascinating ecosystem, one that is currently in severe trouble. The area once contained over 19,000 elk, but its numbers ...
Paramount+ - #33969
Americans Underground: Secret City of WWI
2017 · Movie · 44mDocumentary
An amazing discovery has been made beneath a farm field in Northern France: a vast underground city where World War I soldiers, on both sides of the conflict, took refuge a century ago. Even more remarkable, it is one of hundreds ...
Paramount+ - #34069
Madagascar: Africa's Galapagos
2019 · Movie · 50mDocumentary
It's the 10th of May 1836, Charles Darwin leans on the beaten wooden gunwale of The Beagle. He's yet to start writing his "Origin of the Species", but he's already forming his theories about evolution. Locations like the Galapagos...
Paramount+ - #34769
Marvel's Behind the Mask
2021 · Movie · 1h 4mDocumentary
Meet the writers and artists behind characters like Black Panther, Miles Morales, Ms. Marvel, Luke Cage, the X-Men, Captain Marvel, and many other characters in the Marvel Universe, highlighting their impact on pop culture and media.
Disney+ - #35069
Miles To Go Before I Sleep
2016 · Movie · 35mDocumentary
35 minute documentary about musicians and the relationships they have with their roadies. Features Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters) and Jim James (My Morning Jacket), who talk about their time on t...
Paramount+ - #35369
Hamilton: History Has Its Eyes On You
2020 · Movie · 46mDocumentary
Robin Roberts hosts this discussion about Hamilton together with the creator, director and the cast. The discussion ranges from questions about the show's creation to its remarkable relevance to today's social and political realit...
Disney+ - #35469
Surviving Mormonism with Heather Gay
2025– · SeriesDocumentary
Heather Gay explores the secrets and sins behind the Mormon church, fracturing the church's seemingly perfect veneer to expose secrets. Heather has impactful conversations with abuse survivors, ex-Mormons and former LDS church lea...
Peacock - #36069
Unbelievable Flying Objects
2007 · Movie · 52mDocumentary
In the history of aviation, there were some ideas that didn't quite...fly. From the bizarre vertical "Pogo" plane to the disastrous Goblin, nicknamed the "Flying Egg," we take an in-depth probe of some magnificent men and their no...
Paramount+ - #36269
Angola Do You Hear Us? Voices from a Plantation Prison
2021 · Movie · 27mDocumentary
Angola Do You Hear Us? Voices from a Plantation Prison gives us a window into playwright Liza Jessie Peterson's performance in 2020 of her acclaimed play The Peculiar Patriot performed at Angola, the Louisiana State Penitentiary, ...
Paramount+ - #36369
Uphill Climb: The Women Who Conquered the Impossible Race
2023 · Movie · 35mDocumentary
The inspiring story of the first women to compete in the Tour de France. These pioneering "hidden figures" of cycling defied those who said women could never finish the toughest bicycle race in the world. They proved them wrong.
Peacock - #36769

Gangsters: America's Most Evil
2012– · Series · 6 seasonsDocumentary · Biography · Crime
Gangsters: America's Most Evil is a cinematic documentary series that explores the rise and fall of some of the most nefarious and notorious criminals brought to justice by the United States government.
HuluPeacockPrime Video - #36869

Out of the Rubble
2016 · Movie · 17mDocumentary
This is a fine short film neatly pulling together post-war archive to tell a story of the modernisation of Britain through architectural change, town planning, immigration and attitudes towards all this. All done in less than 20 minutes. There's such a good flow to the editing that it probably won't even feel its running length. There's a few contemporary additions including interviews with some of the subjects from the archive, which help to pull of the social commentaries together, but none detract from the flow or style of this piece of documentary cinema. All in all it's a good use of the BFI's archive so hopefully there'll be more similar efforts like this in the future.
Paramount+ - #37069

Songs & Stories with Kelly Clarkson
2025– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary
The three-time Grammy winner will chat with Gloria Estefan, Jonas Brothers, Lizzo, and Teddy Swims about music as well as their personal lives, giving viewers a “a front-row pass” at their “unfiltered” conversations. The four-episode special will also feature musical performances in an “intimate, unplugged setting.
Peacock - #37269
Hunting the Hammerhead
2016 · Movie · 46mDocumentary
The tropical waters of Bimini in the Bahamas are the hunting grounds for a large, yet elusive predator - the Great Hammerhead Shark. After 7 years research into the hunting senses of the Great White Shark, sensory biologist Dr. Cr...
Paramount+ - #37869
Ari Shaffir: Paid Regular
2015 · Movie · 1h 13mDocumentary · Comedy
Stand-up comic Ari Shaffir discusses inappropriate subjects like taking shrooms while camping, unusual new racial stereotypes, morning blowjobs, oddities of some of the ten commandments, and his profound hatred towards TSA.
Paramount+ - #38069
China's Emperor of Evil
2016 · Movie · 46mDocumentary
In China's Valley of the Kings, there stands a tall, carved stone. It honors the resting place of a woman named Wu Zetian, who rose from concubine to become China's only female emperor. For more than a millennia, history claimed s...
Paramount+ - #38469
Malawi Wildlife Rescue
2021–2022 · Series · 2 seasonsDocumentary
Malawi is a small African country that has made a big push to protect its wildlife. Leading the effort is American veterinarian Dr. Amanda Salb and her colleagues at the country's only animal rescue center, where injured and aband...
Disney+Hulu - #39069
Billy Corgan's Adventures in Carnyland
2024– · SeriesDocumentary
Billy juggles his music career with The Smashing Pumpkins, reviving his wrestling promotion National Wrestling Alliance, family life with his fiancée Chloe Mendel and their two kids, in a multitasking whirlwind that tests his limits.
PeacockPrime Video - #39369
Battle of Little Bighorn
2020 · Movie · 45mDocumentary · Action · Biography
The U.S. expands westward after the Civil War displacing the last of the free-roaming Native Americans onto Reservations. This show focuses special attention on General George A. Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn and Buf...
Paramount+ - #39669
Our Guy in Russia
2018– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary
Guy Martin, the popular UK lorry mechanic and television daredevil returns for 'Our Guy in Russia', the fourth in a series of critically-acclaimed adventure travelogues. In this three part documentary, Guy travels from Moscow to S...
PeacockPrime Video






















































































