While Sky Documentaries may not have as many hits as Netflix, there are still some worth watching. Here are 55 documentaries worth adding to your watchlist. You’ll find everything from sports and music to true crime and biographies.
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Documentaries On Netflix 2025 ~ Documentaries On Amazon Prime ~ HBO Documentaries ~ Documentaries On BBC iPlayer ~ Documentaries On Amazon Prime ~ Documentaries on Disney+ & Hulu ~ Documentaries On Apple TV+ ~ Football Documentaries ~ Sports Documentaries On Netflix ~ Documentaries On Netflix
Award-Winning & Critically Acclaimed
Laurel Canyon (2020) – Music/History
For fans of: Echo in the Canyon, The Defiant Ones, Summer of Soul
This Emmy-nominated two-part series offers an intimate portrait of the 1960s–70s LA music scene, featuring Joni Mitchell, The Doors, and CSNY.
The Crime of the Century (2021) – Investigative/Politics
For fans of: Dopesick, The Pharmacist, Dirty Money
Alex Gibney exposes the roots of America’s opioid epidemic, tracing corruption from pharma giants to government enablers.
Honeyland (2019) – Environmental/Character Study
For fans of: Fire of Love, The Cave, All That Breathes
A Macedonian beekeeper’s fragile harmony with nature is disrupted by newcomers in this lyrical allegory. It was Oscar-nominated for Best Documentary Feature and Best International Film.
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes (2022) – Historical/Disaster
For fans of: Chernobyl, The Fog of War, The Rescue
Rare footage and survivor accounts reveal the human cost of the 1986 nuclear disaster in this haunting archival documentary.
Tina (2021) – Music/Biopic
For fans of: Whitney, Amy, What’s Love Got to Do with It
Tina Turner’s life and legacy are explored through electrifying performances and candid interviews with Turner herself.
Hitsville: The Making of Motown (2019) – Music/History
For fans of: Standing in the Shadows of Motown, Quincy, The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson recount the birth of Motown and its seismic impact on American music and culture.
King Otto (2021) – Sports/Underdog
For fans of: Next Goal Wins, The Miracle of Bern, The Class of ’92
German coach Otto Rehhagel leads Greece to an improbable Euro 2004 victory in this rousing football doc.
Man on Wire (2008) – Biopic/Thriller
For fans of: Free Solo, The Walk, The Imposter
Philippe Petit’s 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers is retold as a poetic heist. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived (2023) – Biopic/Resilience
For fans of: The Deepest Breath, Gleason, The Crash Reel
Harry Potter stuntman David Holmes reflects on his life-changing injury and enduring friendship with Daniel Radcliffe.
Spielberg (2017) – Biopic/Film History
For fans of: De Palma, The Fabelmans, Hitchcock/Truffaut
Steven Spielberg’s career and influences are explored through rare footage and interviews with collaborators and critics.
Fire in Babylon (2010) – Sports/History
For fans of: The Two Escobars, Senna, When We Were Kings
West Indies cricket’s golden era becomes a story of resistance, pride, and sporting dominance. It won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary.
The Kingmaker (2019) – Politics/Character Study
For fans of: The Act of Killing, Get Me Roger Stone, The Queen of Versailles
Imelda Marcos’s return to power is dissected in this chilling portrait of legacy, manipulation, and historical revisionism.
Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015) – Music/Biopic
For fans of: Amy, The Velvet Underground, Janis: Little Girl Blue
Kurt Cobain’s inner world is explored through animation, home videos, and unreleased music. It was BAFTA-nominated and praised for its immersive style.
Exterminate All the Brutes (2021) – Essay/History
For fans of: I Am Not Your Negro, The Fog of War, The Act of Killing
Raoul Peck interrogates colonialism and white supremacy in this sweeping, visually experimental four-part series.
Ice on Fire (2019) – Environmental/Science
For fans of: Before the Flood, An Inconvenient Truth, The Territory
Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, this urgent doc explores climate innovations that could reverse global warming.
Agents of Chaos (2020) – Investigative/Politics
For fans of: The Great Hack, Active Measures, The Swamp
Alex Gibney investigates Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and its broader implications for democracy.
Midnight Family (2019) – Social/Character Study
For fans of: The Rescue, Cartel Land, City of Ghosts
A family-run ambulance service navigates Mexico City’s chaotic healthcare system in this gripping, vérité-style documentary.
Sports & Athletic Biographies
89 (2017) – Sports/Football
For fans of: Fever Pitch, Sunderland ’Til I Die, Take Us Home: Leeds United
Arsenal’s dramatic 1989 league win at Anfield is retold with player interviews and pulse-pounding match footage.
Kenny (2017) – Sports/Football
For fans of: Gascoigne, Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In, Pelé
Football legend Kenny Dalglish reflects on his career, family, and resilience in this candid portrait.
I Am Duran (2019) – Sports/Boxing
For fans of: Tyson, When We Were Kings, The Four Kings
Boxing icon Roberto Durán’s life and legacy are explored through interviews with peers and sports legends.
Superswede: En film om Ronnie Peterson (2017) – Sports/Racing
For fans of: Senna, Schumacher, Rush
Swedish Formula 1 driver Ronnie Peterson’s brilliance and tragic death are remembered through race footage and personal stories.
Bruno v Tyson (2023) – Sports/Boxing
For fans of: Facing Ali, The Real Rocky, ESPN 30 for 30
Frank Bruno and Mike Tyson revisit their rivalry and reflect on the personal battles behind the boxing ring.
Love Means Zero (2017) – Sports/Character Study
For fans of: Andre Agassi: Open, Untold: Breaking Point, McEnroe
Tennis coach Nick Bollettieri’s controversial methods and fractured relationships are laid bare in this blistering profile.
Gascoigne (2015) – Sports/Biopic
For fans of: Kenny, Diego Maradona, Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In
Paul Gascoigne’s brilliance and turmoil are explored through candid interviews and match footage.
John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection (2018) – Sports/Philosophy
For fans of: Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, The Last Dance, Senna
McEnroe’s perfectionism and volatility are examined through archival footage and philosophical narration.
The Scheme (2020) – Sports/Corruption
For fans of: Bad Sport, Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul, Hoop Dreams
Wiretaps and interviews unpack a college basketball bribery scandal that exposed the underbelly of recruitment.
Music, Fame & Performance
Boyzone: No Matter What (2024) – Music/Pop
For fans of: Westlife: Our Story, Take That: Look Back, Glee: The 3D Concert Movie
This behind-the-scenes doc charts the Irish boy band’s rise, legacy, and enduring fanbase through archival footage and interviews.
Spector (2022) – Music/Crime
For fans of: The Kingmaker, Cobain: Montage of Heck, Amy
Phil Spector’s genius and volatility are dissected alongside the murder trial that redefined his legacy.
Becoming Madonna (2024) – Music/Biopic
For fans of: Gaga: Five Foot Two, Whitney, Amy
Madonna’s early years and rise to stardom are charted through rare footage and interviews with collaborators.
Wig (2019) – Culture/Performance
For fans of: Paris Is Burning, Disclosure, The Queen
Lady Bunny and Neil Patrick Harris celebrate drag culture and the legacy of Wigstock in this vibrant tribute.
Showbiz Kids (2020) – Culture/Fame
For fans of: Kid 90, Britney vs Spears, This Is Paris
Former child actors reflect on fame, exploitation, and the pressures of growing up in Hollywood.
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (2020) – Biopic/Legacy
For fans of: Bright Lights, Jane, Listen to Me Marlon
Wood’s daughter revisits her mother’s life and legacy, confronting long-standing questions about her death.
The Amazing Johnathan Documentary (2019) – Meta/Performance
For fans of: F for Fake, Exit Through the Gift Shop, Tickled
A filmmaker’s attempt to chronicle a dying magician spirals into a meta-story about truth, illusion, and authorship.
Politics, Power & Ideology
American Dharma (2018) – Politics/Ideology
For fans of: The Brink, Get Me Roger Stone, The Fog of War
Steve Bannon’s worldview and media strategy are interrogated through extended interviews and archival footage.
Hillary (2020) – Politics/Biopic
For fans of: Knock Down the House, The Final Year, The War Room
Hillary Clinton’s life and career are revisited through interviews, campaign footage, and personal archives.
Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn (2019) – Politics/Legacy
For fans of: Where’s My Roy Cohn?, The Reagans, The Kingmaker
Archival footage and interviews dissect Roy Cohn’s influence on American politics and his complex legacy.
The Swamp (2020) – Politics/Systemic
For fans of: The Fog of War, The Great Hack, Knock Down the House
Inside the U.S. Congress, this documentary reveals how money and influence shape political dysfunction.
Crime, Justice & Controversy
The Vow (2020–2022) – Crime/Cult
For fans of: Wild Wild Country, Seduced, The Deep End
Former NXIVM members recount their experiences inside the cult and the legal fallout that followed in this gripping docuseries.
McMillions (2020) – Crime/Corporate
For fans of: American Greed, Dirty Money, The Inventor
The bizarre true story of how the McDonald’s Monopoly game was rigged for years by a criminal ring unfolds like a heist comedy.
Allen v. Farrow (2021) – Crime/Family
For fans of: The Vow, Leaving Neverland, Capturing the Friedmans
The allegations against Woody Allen and the custody battle with Mia Farrow are explored through interviews and legal evidence.
3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets (2015) – Justice/Race
For fans of: 13th, Strong Island, Do Not Resist
The fatal shooting of Jordan Davis sparks a powerful examination of race, justice, and Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law.
In the Cold Dark Night (2020) – Justice/Race
For fans of: The Innocence Files, Strong Island, The Rape of Recy Taylor
The 1983 murder of Timothy Coggins and its decades-later resolution highlight racial injustice in Georgia.
Southern Rites (2015) – Justice/Race
For fans of: 13th, Strong Island, The Rape of Recy Taylor
A Georgia town’s racial tensions are exposed through the lens of segregated proms and a murder trial.
Tell Them You Love Me (2023) – Ethics/Controversy
For fans of: The Teacher’s Pet, The Case Against Adnan Syed, Capturing the Friedmans
A controversial relationship between a professor and a student with disabilities raises complex questions about consent and power.
Tread (2019) – Crime/Character Study
For fans of: Grizzly Man, The Staircase, Evil Genius
A quiet man’s descent into vengeance culminates in a homemade tank rampage through a Colorado town.
Biopics, Tech & Hybrid Portraits
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015) – Biopic/Tech
For fans of: The Social Network, General Magic, The Inventor
This critical portrait explores the contradictions behind Apple’s co-founder, blending innovation with personal cost.
Framing John DeLorean (2019) – Biopic/Hybrid
For fans of: The Inventor, American Hustle, The Social Network
Alec Baldwin stars in this hybrid docudrama exploring the rise and fall of the automotive maverick.
Media, Misinformation & Influence
After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News (2020) – Media/Politics
For fans of: The Great Hack, Q: Into the Storm, The Social Dilemma
This sobering doc explores how conspiracy theories and misinformation shape public perception and policy.
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