Netflix is not only filled with incredible movies and TV shows, but the streaming service also features tons of great documentaries.
The hit streaming service highlights several documentaries, tackling a wide variety of topics ranging from true crime to inspirational stories.
15 Best Documentaries on Netflix
My Octopus Teacher
- Average Tomatometer: 93%
- Average Audience Score: 91%
My Octopus Teacher revolves around a filmmaker named Craig Foster who dives into a kelp forest in South Africa and meets and falls in love with a female octopus.
Aside from its intriguing premise, there are also meaningful lessons viewers can learn upon watching the documentary.
Watch My Octopus Teacher on Netflix.
Taylor Swift: Miss Americana
- Average Tomatometer: 92%
- Average Audience Score: 92%
Taylor Swift: Miss Americana explores the career of the titular singer-songwriter set between 2018's Reputation Stadium Tour to the release of her seventh studio album Lover in 2019.
Many shared praise for the documentary for the way it gives a unique look at Swift during an important phase in her life.
Watch Taylor Swift: Miss Americana on Netflix.
13TH
- Average Tomatometer: 97%
- Average Audience Score: 90%
Directed by Ava DuVernay, 13th revolves around the 13th amendment of the United States Constitution, breaking down every detail about it while informing audiences that the nation's prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans.
Many have deemed 13th as an important documentary due to the fact that it pushed historical (yet painful) truths about what Black Americans face and their frustrations through the years.
Watch 13th on Netflix and for free on YouTube.
Wham!
- Average Tomatometer: 89%
- Average Audience Score: 88%
Wham! is a documentary about the English pop duo consisting of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.
The project is a walk down memory lane featuring rare archive footage, interviews, and behind-the-scenes outtakes of the pair.
Watch Wham! on Netflix.
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond
- Average Tomatometer: 92%
- Average Audience Score: 87%
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond tackles the behind-the-scenes story of how Jim Carrey remained in character as Andy Kaufman during the production of 1999's Man on the Moon.
The documentary gives a different overview of Jim Carrey as a performer.
Watch Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond on Netflix.
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
- Average Tomatometer: 96%
- Average Audience Score: 97%
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet is a documentary where Attenborough shared his concerns regarding the current state of the Earth due to humanity's impact on nature.
It also tackled solutions on how to address the ongoing climate crisis.
Watch David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet on Netflix.
Sr.
- Average Tomatometer: 97%
- Average Audience Score: 89%
Sr. highlights the career and relationship that Robert Downey Jr. had with his late father, Robert Downey Sr.
Critics praised the documentary for being a "poignant tribute" to a father from his son.
Watch Sr. on Netflix.
Fyre
- Average Tomatometer: 93%
- Average Audience Score: 86%
Fyre featured the story of how the Fyre Festival never came to be and what went wrong behind the scenes.
It exposed how a con artist named Billy McFarland managed to lure rich kids into believing that a music festival in the Bahamas will happen. As it turns out, everything was a lie.
Watch Fyre on Netflix.
Blackpink: Light up the Sky
- Average Tomatometer: 88%
- Average Audience Score: 95%
Blackpink: Light up the Sky is an all-access documentary that chronicled the story of the titular group's rise to fame.
The project featured exclusive behind-the-scenes stories, interviews, and the exploration of what it means to be a Korean pop star.
Watch Blackpink: Light up the Sky on Netflix.
Abducted in Plain Sight
- Average Tomatometer: 75%
- Average Audience Score: 74%
Abducted in Plain Sight is a true crime documentary that explored the kidnappings of Jan Broberg, a child from Idaho who was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold on two occasions.
Although it had mixed reviews, Abducted in Plain Sight received several accolades, such as Best Documentary at the Newport Beach Film Festival and BendFilm Festival.
Watch Abducted in Plain Sight on Netflix.
Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé
- Average Tomatometer: 98%
- Average Audience Score: 87%
Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé is a concert film that revolved around Beyoncé's performance at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
The documentary unveiled an intimate look at her performance and an emotional in-depth exploration of the artist's journey.
It received widespread acclaim, with critics even calling it one of the greatest concert films of all time.
Watch Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé on Netflix.
Pelé
- Average Tomatometer: 84%
- Average Audience Score: 74%
Pelé is a biographic documentary that chronicled the life of the titular Brazilian footballer.
The project told the story of Pelé's childhood, his triumphs, and his last tenure with the New York Cosmos soccer team.
Watch Pelé on Netflix.
14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible
- Average Tomatometer: 91%
- Average Audience Score: 93%
14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible followed the story of a Nepalese mountaineer named Nirmal Purja and his team as they try to climb all 14 eight-thousander peaks within a record time of under seven months.
For reference, the previous record was over seven years.
The documentary earned strong positive reviews from fans and critics, praising its story and the lessons it left behind.
Watch 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible on Netflix.
Downfall: The Case Against Boeing
- Average Tomatometer: 91%
- Average Audience Score: 90%
Directed by Rory Kennedy, Downfall: The Case Against Boeing examined the events that led to the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 which both involved the Boeing 737 Max.
Downfall received positive reviews due to its detailed approach, structure, and emotions evoked from interviews.
Watch Downfall: The Case Against Boeing on Netflix.
Girl In The Picture
- Average Tomatometer: 96%
- Average Audience Score: 83%
Girl In The Picture revolved around Sharon Marshall who was abducted by a federal fugitive named Franklin Delano Floyd and then raised as his own daughter.
The documentary chronicles the shocking events after her death and how Birkbeck, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and the FBI managed to find her true identity.
Upon its release, Girl In The Picture started to trend on social media, ultimately becoming a worldwide phenomenon.
Watch Girl In The Picture on Netflix.
