Best documentary & action shows streaming, ranked.
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- #995
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
2020 · Movie · 1h 23mDocumentary · Biography
3 EmmysIn this documentary David Attenborough, the celebrated naturalist, reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime and the devastating changes he has seen. The film provides a snapshot of global nature loss in a single lif...
Netflix - #1593
Crash Landing on You
2019–2020 · Series · Korean · 1 seasonAction · Comedy · Drama
The absolute top secret love story of a chaebol heiress who made an emergency landing in North Korea because of a paragliding accident and a North Korean special officer who falls in love with her and who is hiding and protecting ...
Netflix - #1993
Alchemy of Souls
2022–2023 · Series · Korean · 2 seasonsAction · Drama · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Set in a fictional country called Daeho, it is about the love and growth of young mages as they overcome their twisted fates due to a forbidden magic spell known as the "alchemy of souls", which allows souls to switch bodies.
Netflix - #2392
The Untamed
2019– · Series · Mandarin · 1 seasonAction · Drama
Two talented disciples from respected clans meet during their youth and form a close affinity, only to be separated by dire circumstances. Sixteen years later, can they unravel the tragedy of the past to solve the mysteries of the...
NetflixPrime Video - #2991
Jim Gaffigan: Obsessed
2014 · Movie · 1hDocumentary · Comedy
Jim Gaffigan bursts back on the scene with this eagerly anticipated fourth comedy special. Dubbed the "King of Clean Comedy" by The Wall Street Journal, Jim's obsession with all things food comes to fruition on "Obsessed" as he ta...
Netflix - #4790
Stargate SG-1
1997–2007 · Series · 10 seasonsAction · Drama
Set after the events of the Stargate (1994) movie, the series follows SG-1, one of many secret military teams of soldiers and scientists who travel through a gateway to other planets and fight against dangerous aliens to protect e...
NetflixPrime Video - #5490
Chef's Table
2015–2024 · Series · 7 seasonsDocumentary · Biography
Chef's Table goes inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned international chefs. Each episode focuses on a single chef and their unique look at their lives, talents and passion from their piece of culinary ...
Netflix - #5690
City of Joy
2016 · Movie · 1h 14mDocumentary · Crime · Drama
This film follows the first class of students at a remarkable leadership center in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a region often referred to as "the worst place in the world to be a woman." These women have been through...
Netflix - #6189
Weak Hero
2022– · Series · Korean · 2 seasonsAction · Drama · Thriller
Yeon Shi-eun is a model student, who ranks at the top at his school. Physically, he appears like a weak boy, but, by using his smarts, tools, and psychology, he fights against violence that takes place inside and outside of his sc...
Netflix - #7389
Julie and the Phantoms
2020– · Series · 1 seasonAction · Comedy · Drama
Julie is a teenage girl who finds her passion for music and life with the help of a high-concept band of teen boys "The Phantoms" who have been dead for 25 years. Julie, in turn, helps them become the band they were never able to be.
Netflix - #8688
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom
2015 · Movie · 1h 42mDocumentary · History
A documentary on the unrest in Ukraine during 2013 and 2014, as student demonstrations supporting European integration grew into a violent revolution calling for the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich.
Netflix - #10587
Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story
2022 · Movie · 1h 12mDocumentary
Follows celebrated competitive skating icon Leo Baker as they try to make space for themselves in the gendered world of pro sports and build a more inclusive skate culture, which leads them to doing the punkest thing imaginable.
Netflix - #10887
Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War
2024– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary
The series chronicles the creation of the atomic bomb and the spread of nuclear arms over the following decades. It continues past the dissolution of the Soviet Union to Vladimir Putin's ascent and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Netflix - #11987
Dhurandhar: The Revenge
2026 · Movie · Hindi · 3h 50mAction · Crime · Thriller
Jaskirat Singh Rangi descends deeper into his alias as Hamza Ali Mazari, rising through Karachi's criminal hierarchy to claim the feared title "Sher-e-Baloch" while balancing loyalty, betrayal, and survival in a ruthless underworld.
Netflix - #12786
Once Brothers
2010 · Movie · 1h 19mDocumentary · Biography · History
Drazen Petrovic and Vlade Divac were two friends who grew up together sharing the common bond of basketball. Together, they lifted the Yugoslavian National team to unimaginable heights. After conquering Europe, they both went to A...
Netflix - #13486

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+ - #13786
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin
2024 · Movie · Norwegian · 1h 43mDocumentary · Animation · Biography
Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer, died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25. His parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life, when they started receiving messages from online friends around th...
Netflix - #14186
The End of the F***ing World
2017–2019 · Series · 2 seasonsAction · Comedy · Crime
James is 17 and is pretty sure he is a psychopath. Alyssa, also 17, is the cool and moody new girl at school. The pair make a connection and she persuades him to embark on a road trip in search of her real father.
Netflix - #14686
Arthdal Chronicles
2019–2023 · Series · Korean · 4 seasonsAction · Drama · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
"Arthdal Chronicles" depicts the birth of civilization and nations in ancient times. It is a story of mythical heroes--their struggle, unity, and love of people living in a virtual land called Arth.
HuluNetflix - #14985
The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez
2020– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Crime
Filmmaker Brian Knappenberger investigates the tragic death of an 8-year-old California boy who endured horrific abuse by his mother and her boyfriend, along with the fractured and complex systems that failed to protect him.
Netflix - #15285
The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo
2025 · Movie · 1h 43mDocumentary · Biography · History
A two-year investigation uncovers a scandal behind the making of one of the most-recognized photographs of the 20th century. Five decades of secrets are unraveled in the search for justice for a man known only as "the stringer."
Netflix - #16385
Sunderland 'Til I Die
2018–2024 · Series · 3 seasonsDocumentary · Sport
Highlights the unfailing passion Sunderland residents have for their beloved football club, taking viewers through the highs and lows of SAFC's 2017-18 season in the Championship following its relegation the previous year.
Netflix - #16785
Belushi
2020 · Movie · 1h 48mDocumentary · Biography
Using previously unheard audiotapes recorded shortly after John Belushi's death, director R.J. Cutler's documentary examines the too-short life of once-in-a-generation talent who captured the hearts and funny bones of devoted audi...
Paramount+ - #18385
Star Trek: Voyager
1995–2001 · Series · 7 seasonsAction · Drama
7 EmmysPulled to the far side of the galaxy, where the Federation is seventy-five years away at maximum warp speed, the crew of the Starfleet star-ship Voyager must forge a truce with a group of Maquis rebels in order to find a way home.
Paramount+ - #20484

Galaxy Quest
1999 · Movie · 1h 42mAction · Comedy · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
The alumni cast of a space opera television series have to play their roles as the real thing when an alien race needs their help. However, they also have to defend both Earth and the alien race from a reptilian warlord.
Paramount+ - #21184
Elena
2013 · Movie · Portuguese · 1h 20mDocumentary · Biography · Drama
Elena, a young Brazilian woman, travels to New York with the same dream as her mother, to become a movie actress. She leaves behind her childhood spent in hiding during the years of the military dictatorship. She also leaves Petra...
Netflix - #22084
Alice in Borderland
2020–2025 · Series · Japanese · 3 seasonsAction · Drama · Horror
Arisu - a listless, jobless and video-game-obsessed young man - suddenly finds himself in a strange, emptied-out version of Tokyo in which he and his friends must compete in dangerous games in order to survive.
Netflix - #23783
The Last Days
1998 · Movie · 1h 27mDocumentary · War
1 OscarIn late 1944, even as they faced imminent defeat, the Nazis expended enormous resources to kill or deport over 425,000 Jews during the "cleansing" of Hungary. This Oscar-winning documentary, executive produced by Steven Spielberg,...
Netflix - #24483

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+ - #24983
Teen Wolf
2011–2017 · Series · 6 seasonsAction · Drama · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
An average high school student and his best friend get caught up in some trouble causing him to receive a werewolf bite. As a result they find themselves in the middle of all sorts of dramas in Beacon Hills.
NetflixPrime Video - #26182
Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski
2018 · Movie · 1h 55mDocumentary · Biography
This documentary chronicles the life of Polish-American artist Stanislav Szukalski (1893-1987) from his early years in Chicago, to his time in Poland and Los Angeles, and his artistic and political contributions to the world.
Netflix - #26282
The Deepest Breath
2023 · Movie · 1h 48mDocumentary · Action · Sport
A champion and expert safety diver seemed destined for one another. Despite different paths taken, they meet at the pinnacle of the free-diving world, experiencing the thrilling rewards and inescapable risks of chasing dreams thro...
Netflix - #27882
Alma Matters: Inside the IIT Dream
2021– · Series · HindiDocumentary
In a "nation of middle-class" the IIT dream involves clearing the world's toughest public exam for guaranteed lifelong success. Life is not an exam though. It's a hustle, one that nobody trains them for. The result? Eternal tumult.
Netflix - #28282
Headspace Guide to Meditation
2021– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Animation
Over the course of eight animated episodes, Andy Puddicombe—former Buddhist monk and co-founder of the globally beloved Headspace meditation app—takes viewers through the benefits and science behind meditation.
Netflix - #29881
Star Trek: Enterprise
2001–2005 · Series · 4 seasonsAction · Drama
4 EmmysA century before Captain Kirk's five-year mission, Jonathan Archer captains the United Earth ship Enterprise during the early years of Starfleet, leading up to the Earth-Romulan War and the formation of the Federation.
Paramount+ - #30781
Wild District
2018–2019 · Series · Spanish · 2 seasonsAction · Crime · Drama
Jhon Jeiver, a lethal guerrilla fighter who escapes from the jungle after the signing and referendum of the Colombian Peace Agreements, arrives in Bogotá escaping from his past, and tries to reinsert himself into society.
Netflix - #32481
Chef's Table: France
2016– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary
Chef's Table, French edition, goes inside the lives and kitchens of some of the world's most renowned French chefs. Each episode focuses on a single chef and their unique look at their lives, talents and passion from their piece o...
Netflix - #32981
How to Train Your Dragon
2025 · Movie · 2h 5mAction · Comedy
As an ancient threat endangers both Vikings and dragons alike on the isle of Berk, the friendship between Hiccup, an inventive Viking, and Toothless, a Night Fury dragon, becomes the key to both species forging a new future together.
Netflix - #33581
Snabba Cash
2021– · Series · Swedish · 2 seasonsAction · Crime · Drama
The entrepreneurial jet set and the criminal world are more brutal, chaotic, and ruthless than ever. When these two worlds collide, loyalty, friendships, and business partners will be tested in the never-ending quest for easy money.
Netflix - #33681

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+ - #35680
The Wrecking Crew
2008 · Movie · 1h 41mDocumentary · History
A celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew", a band that provided back-up instrumentals to such legendary recording artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys and Bing Crosby.
NetflixPrime Video - #36180
The Ba***ds of Bollywood
2025– · Series · Hindi · 1 seasonAction · Comedy · Drama
An entertaining ride through the adventures of an ambitious outsider navigating the glitzy yet tricky world of Bollywood, with self-aware humor, cameos, and larger-than-life characters for a tongue-in-cheek take on Indian cinema.
Netflix - #36380
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
1991 · Movie · 1h 50mAction · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
On the eve of retirement, Kirk and McCoy are charged with assassinating the Klingon High Chancellor and imprisoned. The Enterprise crew must help them escape to thwart a conspiracy aimed at sabotaging the last best hope for peace.
Paramount+ - #38780
Last Samurai Standing
2025– · Series · Japanese · 1 seasonAction · Drama · History
In 1878, 292 samurai gather for a battle royale lured by a 100 thousand yen prize. Wooden tags are given; the last survivor reaching Tokyo wins. Shujiro Saga participates to save his sick family. A dangerous game of survival unfolds.
Netflix - #39680
In the Dark
2019–2022 · Series · 4 seasonsAction · Crime · Mystery
Murphy is a hard-living, hard-drinking, disaffected twenty-something. She's also blind. Her life comes crashing down when she stumbles upon what she's sure is the lifeless body of her closest friend in the alley outside her apartm...
Netflix - #40280
The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52
2021 · Movie · 1h 36mDocumentary · Action
THE LONELIEST WHALE is a cinematic quest to find the "52 Hertz Whale," which scientists believe has spent its entire life in solitude, calling out at a frequency that is different from any other whale. As a group of scientists mou...
Netflix - #41180
American Factory
2019 · Movie · 1h 50mDocumentary
1 OscarIn post-industrial Ohio, a Chinese billionaire opens a factory in an abandoned General Motors plant, hiring two thousand Americans. Early days of hope and optimism give way to setbacks as high-tech China clashes with working-class...
Netflix - #41280

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
2013 · Movie · 1h 30mAction · Comedy · Crime
When famous DJ Alan Partridge's radio station is taken over by a new media conglomerate, it sets in motion a chain of events which see Alan having to work with the police to defuse a potentially violent siege.
NetflixPrime Video - #41779
Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father
2017–2021 · Series · 5 seasonsDocumentary · Comedy
Follows Jack Whitehall as he embarks on the trip of a lifetime with his father, Michael. The two set off on a journey across South East Asia to partake in a series of adventures, mishaps and escapades with two very different persp...
Netflix - #42279
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+ - #45079
American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing
2023– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Crime · History
Follows the tragedy in which terrorists detonated a bomb at the Boston Marathon's finish line; they carried out the attack by placing two homemade pressure-cooker bombs that resulted in three fatalities and numerous injuries.
Netflix - #47379
The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel
2026 · Movie · 1h 33mDocumentary · History
Gritty, formative years of the Los Angeles band, and the influence of original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died in 1988. It features interviews with bandmates Flea and Anthony Kiedis who discuss the band's early evolution.
Netflix - #47778
CSI: Vegas
2021–2024 · Series · 3 seasonsAction · Crime
Facing an existential threat that could bring down the Crime Lab, a brilliant team of forensic investigators must welcome back old friends and deploy new techniques to preserve and serve justice in Sin City (aka Las Vegas, Nevada).
Paramount+ - #47978
Rurouni Kenshin Part II: Kyoto Inferno
2014 · Movie · Japanese · 2h 18mAction · Drama
Kenshin Himura goes up against pure evil Makoto Shishio who is attempting to overthrow the Meiji government. The fate of the country hangs in the balance as Kenshin Himura takes up the sword that he vowed to never draw again.
Netflix - #48478
The Confession Tapes
2017–2019 · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Crime
A critical look into some true crime cases where American law enforcement made up for lack of actual physical evidence by using devious psychological tactics during interrogation in order to extract confessions from naive suspects.
Netflix - #48678
They'll Love Me When I'm Dead
2018 · Movie · 1h 38mDocumentary · Biography
In the final fifteen years of the life of legendary director Orson Welles, he pins his Hollywood comeback hopes on a film, The Other Side of the Wind (2018), in itself a film about an aging film director trying to finish his last ...
Netflix - #48778
Rurouni Kenshin Part III: The Legend Ends
2014 · Movie · Japanese · 2h 14mAction · Drama
Shishio has set sail in his ironclad ship to bring down the Meiji government and return Japan to chaos, carrying Kaoru with him. In order to stop him in time, Kenshin trains with his old master to learn his final technique.
Netflix - #48978
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 - #49178
Sean Combs: The Reckoning
2025– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Crime
A revealing look at Sean Combs' journey from music mogul to controversial figure, featuring footage and insider accounts that expose both his groundbreaking success with Bad Boy Entertainment and the troubling shadows behind his e...
Netflix - #50278
American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson
2025– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary · Crime · History
Revisits the infamous 1990s murder case and trial that captivated America. With new interviews and insights, it explores the chase, courtroom drama, and cultural impact, offering a fresh look at this pivotal moment in US history.
Netflix - #51178
Civil: Ben Crump
2022 · Movie · 1h 41mDocumentary · Biography
Crump's mission to raise the value of Black life as the civil lawyer for the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Black farmers and banking while Black victims, Crump challenges America to come to terms with what it owes his ...
Netflix - #51678
June 17th, 1994
2010 · Movie · 53mDocumentary · Biography · History
Documents on how the events on the day OJ Simpson was pursued and arrested on charges of murdering his ex wife and her boyfriend overshadowed and took precedence over other sporting events from around the country by the media. No ...
Netflix - #52778
The Helicopter Heist
2024– · Series · Swedish · 1 seasonAction · Crime · Drama
The Helicopter Heist is a reality-based and character-driven suspense series in eight parts about the drama behind one of the most spectacular heists in history, a grand and fast paced Icarus tale about winning or losing it all.
Netflix - #53878
Ikebukuro West Gate Park
2000– · Series · Japanese · 1 seasonAction · Comedy · Crime
Makoto who lives in Ikebukuro West Gate Park, an area known for juvenile delinquency and gangs, tries to solve the mystery of the death of a friend, he finds himself very indisposed in many mysteries and problems.
Netflix - #55877

Sebastian Maniscalco: Aren't You Embarrassed?
2014 · Movie · 1h 3mDocumentary · Comedy
Sebastian Maniscalco returns home to Chicago to perform in front of a live sold-out audience in this all-new comedy event. With his inimitable delivery, he burns modern-day society through the lens of his old-world Italian-America...
NetflixPrime Video - #56577
Casting JonBenet
2017 · Movie · 1h 20mDocumentary · Crime · Drama
In the months following the unsolved murder of 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, responses were elicited from her Colorado hometown community, creating a work of art from the collective memories and mythologies the crime in...
Netflix - #56877
Ancient Apocalypse
2022–2024 · Series · 2 seasonsDocumentary · History
What if everything we know about prehistory is wrong? Journalist Graham Hancock visits archaeological sites around the world investigating if a civilization far more advanced than we ever believed possible existed thousands of yea...
Netflix - #57877
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 - #58277
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
2024 · Movie · 1h 50mAction · Comedy
Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance.
Paramount+Prime Video - #59777
Street Food: Latin America
2020– · Series · 1 seasonDocumentary
The newest installment will travel to six countries in Latin America and explore the vibrant street food culture of Oaxaca, Mexico; Salvador, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Bogota, Colombia; and La Paz, Bolivia.
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