When it comes to documentaries, you know you can never go wrong with Netflix, which boasts a huge collection of fascinating non-fiction content.
From headline-making titles like Tiger King and The Tinder Swindler, to true-crime shows like Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey, Unsolved Mysteries and What Jennifer Did, there are docuseries for everyone’s tastes.
New to Netflix is A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough, an intimate documentary that revisits the naturalist’s first encounter with a baby gorilla in 1970s Rwanda, following the animal’s descendants today in a moving, conservation-led story of family, legacy and survival.
A recent release is Being Gordon Ramsay, which follows the celebrity chef as he embarks on his most ambitious project yet – the opening of five culinary experiences in one of London’s tallest buildings, 22 Bishopsgate. But the six-part series also offers an emotional glance at his personal life, as he delves into his childhood and fatherhood.
There’s also Louis Theroux’s latest documentary, Inside the Manosphere; thought-provoking film MH370: the Plane That Disappeared, which looks into the theories surrounding the vanishing of the Malaysian flight in 2014 and stranger-than-fiction tale Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare, which tells the story of Kirat Assi, a woman who lost a decade of her life to a catfishing ordeal.
For those crazy about canines, Gunther’s Millions is the story of a German Shepherd said to have inherited $400 million from his countess owner in 1992 – a fortune managed by family friend Maurizio Mian.
If those don’t appeal, why not try Homicide: New York, the series that follows detectives and prosecutors as they revisit their most challenging homicide cases? Or how about Can I Tell You a Secret?, a chilling three-part series about the UK’s worst cyber-stalking case? Or if natural history is more your thing, then Our Universe narrated by Morgan Freeman should hit the spot.
Whatever you’re after, there are so many great documentaries to choose from on Netflix and we’ve listed our favourites down below for you to start watching.
Meanwhile, for those wanting something a bit different, we’ve also created shortlists of the best Netflix movies and the best Netflix series, as well as the best Netflix comedies.
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Veteran naturalist Sir David Attenborough tells the story of a remarkable group of gorillas, from his first encounter in the ’70s to the present day.
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In an award-winning TV career spanning more than 30 years, documentarian and broadcaster Louis Theroux has travelled the world to meet colourful characters with conflicting worldviews. In this new film directed by Adrian Choa, he encounters a network of influencers and content creators who are gaining huge numbers of online followers by opposing feminism and reshaping young men’s ideas about masculinity. Louis travels to Miami, New York and Marbella to spend time with prominent figures in the manosphere including Harrison Sullivan (aka HS Tikky Tokky), Myron Gaines, Nicolas Kenn De Balinthazy (aka Sneako), Justin Waller and Ed Matthews. These proponents of a resurgent global men’s rights movement teach Louis their language, including colourful terms such as ‘red-pilling’, and explain their different interpretations of traditional gender roles and values
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Go behind the scenes with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay behind the scenes as he juggles family life, global empire and his biggest launch yet in this all-you-can-eat documentary.
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Unseen footage and unheard insider accounts reveal the harrowing and divisive case of Lucy Letby, the neonatal nurse convicted of fatally harming infants.
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Monaco, 1999. One of the world’s richest men dies in his penthouse. This documentary unpacks the mysterious murder of billionaire banker, Edmond Safra.
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Hard-hitting journalism. Era-defining fiction. Witty cartoons. The New Yorker marks its 100th anniversary with this look at its past, present and future
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Ed Sheeran performs his greatest hits during a walkabout in New York City, captured in a single fluid take by Adolescence director Philip Barantini
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A young man’s dramatic rescue at sea spirals into accusations he murdered two members of his wealthy New England family in this true-crime documentary.
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Warnings about climate change divide George HW Bush’s White House at a pivotal moment for the planet in this documentary told through archival footage.
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From critical emergencies to the operating room, this documentary series follows London’s trauma centres as they treat the most severely injured
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Featuring interviews with performers, activists and past employees, this documentary offers a deep dive into the successes and scandals of Pornhub.
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Thousands of pages of documents, emails, and text messages that have never been seen on television chart the inner working of one of the world’s most powerful families. Rupert Murdoch and his chosen heir Lachlan are pitted against the patriarch’s other adult children, James, Elisabeth and Prudence, for control of the Murdoch media empire when Rupert dies. An ugly court battle ensues as the fractured family stands at a crossroads and 94-year-old Rupert enacts plans to protect his legacy.
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Step into Victoria Beckham’s London atelier, as the Spice Girl-turned-powerhouse designer opens up about her life while preparing for Paris Fashion Week.
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Eyewitness accounts and previously unreleased footage reveal the 2005 London transport bombings and subsequent events.
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David Attenborough narrates a natural history series shot in striking locations around the world.
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Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras and co-director Mark Obenhaus gain the trust of Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh for an eye-opening portrait of the pursuit of truth at all costs in an era of widely touted ‘fake news’. Incorporating archive footage and a revealing in-person interview with Hersh, Cover-Up traces the reporter’s endless quest for answers and justice. The film recalls his work on the Watergate scandal for The New York Times, his courageous exposure of the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War and evidence of torture at Abu Ghraib prison. Hersh provides access to his personal notes (and steadfastly protects his sources) to demonstrate his tenacity under fire and an insatiable public interest in transgressions of power
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In this documentary, three former Navy SEALs with post-combat trauma turn to an unexpected treatment for healing and hope – psychedelic-assisted therapy.
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Military documentary series following the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit as they conduct high-stakes combat exercises in the Pacific.
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After a catastrophic ferry disaster, the off-duty captain seeks answers and justice for those who lost their lives – and those they left behind
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Documentary series about Flight MH370, which disappeared in 2014 with 239 people on board.
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People who lived through chilling paranormal encounters share their experiences in present-day interviews, enriched with immersive dramatic reenactments
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After TikTok dancers join a management company and its associated church, unsettling details about the founder and their dark realities come to light.
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Tinder Swindler target Cecilie Fjellhoy and private investigator Brianne Joseph works with victims of romance scams to reclaim their lives
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Jussie Smollett tells his story about the headline-grabbing case, which sharply divided opinion between he was the victim of a hate crime or the perpetrator of a hoax
