Netflix remains the best place to watch documentaries (you can see more below). Netflix released more than 100 documentaries in 2025. I’ve gathered 54 of the best and ranked them according to their IMDb score, including my personal recommendation Mr. McMahon.
More best documentary lists:
Documentaries On Amazon Prime ~ HBO Documentaries ~ Documentaries On BBC iPlayer ~ Documentaries On Amazon Prime ~ Documentaries on Disney+ & Hulu ~ Documentaries On Apple TV+ ~ Documentaries on Sky Documentaries ~ Football Documentaries ~ Sports Documentaries On Netflix ~ Documentaries On Netflix
Turning Point: The Vietnam War (2025) – IMDb 9.1 · War/History
This five-part series reframes the Vietnam conflict through survivor testimony, archival footage, and political fallout. Released on the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, it’s been praised for its unflinching scope.
Chef’s Table: Legends (2025) – IMDb 8.2 · Culinary/Biography
Celebrating a decade of culinary storytelling, this season spotlights iconic chefs who revolutionised global gastronomy. It won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for the José Andrés episode.
Grenfell: Uncovered (2025) – IMDb 8.0 · Investigative/Tragedy
This forensic exposé revisits the Grenfell Tower fire, revealing systemic failures and cover-ups behind the 2017 disaster. It won the Audience Award at the 2025 Sheffield DocFest.
Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey (2025) – IMDb 8.0 · Nature/Conservation
Directed by Oscar-winner Pippa Ehrlich (My Octopus Teacher), this emotional journey follows a rescued pangolin and the man determined to return her to the wild.
Turn of the Tide: The Surreal Story of Rabo de Peixe (2025) – IMDb 7.9 · Crime/Community
This stranger-than-fiction doc recounts how a small Portuguese fishing village became the epicentre of a massive cocaine haul.
Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things — The First Shadow (2025) – IMDb 7.8 · Theatre/Fandom
Go backstage with the creators and cast of the Stranger Things stage prequel, blending lore, lighting, and London theatre magic.
DEVO (2025) – IMDb 7.8 · Music/Counterculture
This kinetic portrait of the pioneering art-rock band explores their philosophy, satire, and sonic rebellion from Akron to MTV.
The Perfect Neighbor (2025) – IMDb 7.8 · True Crime/Suburbia
A seemingly ideal neighbour hides a chilling secret in this twist-heavy doc that unpacks manipulation, trust, and small-town horror.
Vini Jr. (2025) – IMDb 7.8 · Sports/Race
Brazilian football star Vinícius Júnior confronts racism and pressure on and off the pitch in this intimate, defiant profile.
Stolen: Heist of the Century (2025) – IMDb 7.7 · Crime/History
Argentina’s most audacious bank robbery unfolds through reenactments and interviews, revealing charm, chaos, and criminal ingenuity.
Britain and The Blitz (2025) – IMDb 7.6 · War/History
This archival-heavy doc revisits the resilience and devastation of Britain’s WWII bombing campaign, blending personal stories with strategic analysis.
Rockstar Duki from the End of the World (2025) – IMDb 7.6 · Music/Identity
Argentine trap star Duki reflects on fame, roots, and reinvention in this genre-blending portrait of global stardom.
Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster (2025) – IMDb 7.6 · Disaster/Technology
This forensic breakdown of the Titan tragedy explores engineering failures, media frenzy, and the ethics of extreme tourism.
Uncredited: The Story of Passinho (2025) – IMDb 7.6 · Dance/Culture
Brazil’s street dance revolution gets its due in this vibrant, kinetic tribute to Passinho and the youth who shaped it.
Untold: The Fall of Favre (2025) – IMDb 7.6 · Sports/Scandal
NFL legend Brett Favre faces scrutiny over a welfare scandal in this investigative entry from Netflix’s Untold series.
Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful (2025) – IMDb 7.5 · Music/Feminism
Global reggaeton star Karol G reflects on heartbreak, empowerment, and creative rebirth in this visually lush concert-doc hybrid.
Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror (2025) – IMDb 7.5 · Crime/History
This chilling documentary revisits the 1995 bombing through survivor accounts, extremist ideology, and FBI investigation.
Untold: Shooting Guards (2025) – IMDb 7.5 · Sports/Scandal
NBA insiders unpack the rise and fall of a high-profile backcourt duo whose off-court drama overshadowed their legacy.
Who Killed the Montreal Expos? (2025) – IMDb 7.5 · Sports/Business
This nostalgic deep dive explores how politics, profit, and betrayal led to the demise of Canada’s beloved baseball team.
aka Charlie Sheen (2025) – IMDb 7.5 · Celebrity/Chaos
From sitcom stardom to tabloid infamy, this documentary traces Charlie Sheen’s volatile career and cultural impact.
Deive Leonardo – Before & After (2025) – IMDb 7.4 · Faith/Transformation
Brazilian preacher Deive Leonardo shares his spiritual journey and rise to global influence in this intimate, sermon-infused profile.
I’m Your Venus (2025) – IMDb 7.4 · Music/Identity
This genre-blending doc explores the legacy of Bananarama’s hit song and its unexpected cultural afterlife.
Songs From the Hole (2025) – IMDb 7.4 · Prison/Creativity
Inmates turn pain into poetry in this raw, musical portrait of incarceration, redemption, and underground expression.
Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel (2025) – IMDb 7.4 · Fashion/Scandal
This exposé unpacks the rise and implosion of American Apparel, where branding, controversy, and cult-like leadership collided.
American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson (2025) – IMDb 7.4 · Crime/Media
This forensic-style doc revisits the O.J. Simpson case with new interviews, timeline breakdowns, and cultural analysis.
Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes (2022) – IMDb 7.4 · True Crime/Archive
David Berkowitz’s own words guide this chilling dive into the Son of Sam murders and the media frenzy that followed.
Squid Game in Conversation (2025) – IMDb 7.4 · TV/Fandom
Cast and creators reflect on the global phenomenon of Squid Game, teasing themes and ambitions for Season 2.
Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds (2025) – IMDb 7.2 · Military/Aviation
This high-octane doc follows the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds through precision training, aerial spectacle, and patriotic pageantry.
Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever (2025) – IMDb 7.2 · Science/Longevity
A Silicon Valley biohacker chases immortality through cryonics, gene editing, and radical self-experimentation.
Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta (2025) – IMDb 7.2 · Music/Identity
Brazilian pop star Anitta sheds her stage persona to reveal Larissa — the woman behind the global brand.
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem (2025) – IMDb 7.2 · Politics/Scandal
This chaotic portrait of a small-town mayor spirals through corruption, eccentricity, and viral infamy.
Untold: The Liver King (2025) – IMDb 7.2 · Fitness/Deception
The influencer who built an empire on raw meat and primal living faces backlash when his steroid use is exposed.
Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer (2025) – IMDb 7.2 · True Crime/Investigation
This chilling doc revisits the unsolved murders of sex workers on Long Island, blending forensic analysis with systemic critique.
Christopher – A Beautiful Real Life (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · Music/Coming-of-Age
Danish pop star Christopher reflects on fame, family, and creative evolution in this intimate, sunlit portrait.
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · TV/Legacy
This archival-rich tribute explores how Ed Sullivan shaped American pop culture, from Elvis to The Beatles.
Trainwreck: Balloon Boy (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · Media/Hoax
The infamous 2009 hoax gets a reexamination, revealing the media circus, family dynamics, and fallout behind the headlines.
Trainwreck: The Real Project X (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · Youth/Chaos
Inspired by a movie, a teen party spirals into riot-level destruction — this doc unpacks the viral madness and legal aftermath.
American Murder: Gabby Petito (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · Crime/Media
This timeline-driven doc revisits the disappearance and murder of Gabby Petito, spotlighting social media’s role in public investigation.
Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · Crime/Cartels
A network of pilots turned traffickers smuggled cocaine across continents — this doc reveals the aviation underworld behind the headlines.
F1: The Academy (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · Sports/Development
Young drivers chase speed, sponsorship, and superstardom in this behind-the-scenes look at Formula 1’s elite training pipeline.
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · Disaster/Race
This retrospective explores Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, government failure, and the racial inequities laid bare by the storm.
Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · Crime/History
This gritty doc chronicles the bloody turf war between Philly’s mob factions and the rise of federal takedowns.
Mr. McMahon (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · Wrestling/Power
The WWE mogul’s empire, scandals, and persona are dissected in this bombastic portrait of Vince McMahon’s legacy.
Squid Game: Making Season 2 (2025) – IMDb 7.1 · TV/Behind-the-Scenes
Go inside the production of Squid Game’s second season, from set design to story arcs and global anticipation.
A Queen’s Runway (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · Fashion/Identity
This vibrant doc follows drag queens and designers as they collaborate on runway looks that celebrate gender, artistry, and defiance.
Chaos: The Manson Murders (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · True Crime/Culture
This reexamination of the Manson case blends conspiracy, celebrity, and counterculture to question the official narrative.
The Twister: Caught in the Storm (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · Disaster/Survival
Survivors and meteorologists recount the path of a deadly tornado, blending science with raw human resilience.
Trainwreck: P.I. Moms (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · Crime/Reality
A group of suburban mothers turn amateur sleuths in this chaotic, oddly inspiring tale of justice and DIY surveillance.
Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · Internet/Culture
What began as a meme became a movement — this doc unpacks the viral raid on Area 51 and the alien-curious chaos it unleashed.
Amy Bradley Is Missing (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · Mystery/Investigation
This haunting case of a young woman who vanished from a cruise ship remains unsolved — and deeply unsettling.
Critical: Between Life and Death (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · Medical/Frontline
Inside the trauma unit, doctors and nurses navigate split-second decisions that determine survival, loss, and hope.
Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · Sports/Promotion
This behind-the-scenes look at Matchroom Boxing explores spectacle, strategy, and the business of building legends.
The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · Sports/Team Dynamics
Go inside the locker room with the Boston Red Sox as they navigate a season of pressure, personality, and playoff dreams.
WWE: Unreal (2025) – IMDb 7.0 · Wrestling/Entertainment
This doc peels back the curtain on WWE’s scripted chaos, exploring kayfabe, character arcs, and the blurred line between reality and performance.
More best lists on Netflix: