Documentaries as a genre are growing faster than ever, and Netflix is the perfect home for them. With information made more accessible, documentaries are a precise way of capturing life as we know it. The most interesting part of this genre is that there is an abundance of sub-genres present.
So forget worrying about being bored. Here are the five best documentaries that you can sit back and binge over the coming weekend. While most Netflix binge sessions will do a good job of rotting your brain, these works are guaranteed to keep your mind whirring.
From docs on art, including the legendary Bob Ross, to more sadistic true crime, the streaming platform has a whole range of high-quality content to watch.
Grab your favourite popcorn, dive under your cosy duvet, and enjoy the world unseen with the following documentaries. From art to wildlife, crime to investigations, Netflix has banked it all. Without any more delay, let’s dive in.
Five best documentaries to watch on Netflix
5. Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art (2020)
If you are familiar with the art industry, you have to know the name Knoedler & Company. Responsible for one of the biggest frauds in the art world’s history, the question remains, did they play ball? In this saturated market, dupes and fakes form a massive part of distribution within the industry.
That is the very reason why art collectors and enthusiasts lean on reputed institutions to provide certificates of authenticity whilst purchasing. But what happens when they are ready to fool you too? Find out more about what went down with such con artists at Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art.
Watch it on Netflix here.
4. Our Father (2022)
Covering one of the most interesting stories out there, Our Father covers the story of a fertility specialist who chooses to inseminate several patients with his sperm. As bad as it sounds, it gets worse. The story of a former Indianapolis-based doctor called Donald Clien.
He does so without taking their consent or without their knowledge. This documentary interviews the women in question and their children about the horrors they have been through. Without a doubt one of the best documentaries on Netflix right now.
Watch on Netflix here.
3. Boss Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal, and Greed (2021)
Bob Ross is one of the most beloved painters in the world. Many people to this day feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia pouring over when they hear about “happy accidents”. Before watching this documentary, it is necessary to know that the show does not reveal that Bob Ross was a bad man in any way.
The show is more focused on the business side of this dreamy world. Filled with authentic narratives from his son and best friend, the show shines a light on the artist’s untimely death.
Watch this documentary now on Netflix here.
2. My Octopus Teacher (2020)
Easily one of the best documentaries present on the shelves of Netflix right now. My Octopus Teacher highlights the story of a filmmaker who befriends an Octopus.
Present in the setting of a kelp forest in South Africa, this journey unravels the value of friendships of all kinds and what they can do to a man in crisis. This female octopus did so much as to change his life. She made him feel calm and adjusted the lens through which he saw the world. A must-watch for all wildlife enthusiasts.
Watch it currently streaming on Netflix here.
1. Elephant Whisperers (2022)
Elephant Whisperers won the Oscar for best documentary in the awards ceremony held in 2023. And rightfully so. A truly touching and heartwarming watch in case you have been missing some good television. The story of Bomman, Bellie, and Raghu.
Alienated from the world a couple decide to explore the realms of animal and human relationships by taking in an orphaned elephant. They spent their lives looking after their animal child called Raghu, the elephant. A true story of love and how connecting with wildlife only brings us closer to nature by blurring the irrational barriers.
Catch it streaming on Netflix here.
