Documentary/Docuseries recs?

[bradyjames_rivals]

Don’t watch live TV except sports. Love watching documentaries that don’t suck. So throw out some good ones.

Just finished Tread(Rec from BBdK). I liked it. Worth the watch for sure.

 

[UK4number9]

Making A Murderer.
Don’t F With Cats
Manhunt Deadly Games
The Whites of West Virginia
Tiger King
The Last Dance

 

[funKYcat75]

No real recs, but the parody show on IFC called Documentary Now is great. Very dry humor, but very realistic for a parody. John Mulaney, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, and Fred Armisen write most of it.

 

[Glenn's Take]

Do NOT watch Tiger King. You will lose at least 5 IQ points.

 

[nom de plume_rivals392166]

I have Netflix and Prime. While Netflix tends to have the glitzier big name docs I think Prime has it all over them on sheer content. My taste tends towards exploration docs like stuff about Everest so what I watch is probably not your thing but if you have Prime you'll have all you need.

 

[nom de plume_rivals392166]

Making A Murderer.
Don’t F With Cats
Manhunt Deadly Games
The Whites of West Virginia
Tiger King
The Last Dance

I resisted watch "Making a Murderer" for a couple years as it was Tiger King before Tiger King, but my goodness that was pure crack to watch. I couldn't watch it fast enough. I was in such a rage over what happened to that young kid Brendan. What a travesty of justice.

For the OP, the gold standard of documentary filmmaking is anything by Errol Morris. You look at all the most popular crime genre series of the last two decades and they stylistically borrow heavily from Morris's "The Thin Blue Line" which I think is one of the best documentaries ever made and so did Roger Ebert.

 

[UKGrad93]

Prime has documentary series about some people stranded on an island that you may like.

 

[Barleycorn]

No real recs, but the parody show on IFC called Documentary Now is great. Very dry humor, but very realistic for a parody. John Mulaney, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, and Fred Armisen write most of it.

the pro-bowling episode was great. My favorite was the Oregon cult episodes.

 

[TexasTimCat]

If you have not watched all of the Ken Burns stuff already - watch The Roosevelts - extremely well done as most all of his stuff is.

Also - there is an excellent documentary titled Into the Amazon detailing the true story of Teddy Roosevelt's harrowing exploration of the River of Doubt in Brazil. It was an American Experience episode and one of the best they have done.

 

[CastleRubric]

Don’t watch live TV except sports. Love watching documentaries that don’t suck. So throw out some good ones.

Just finished Tread(Rec from BBdK). I liked it. Worth the watch for sure.

“ESPN 30/30 - ‘Of Miracles and Men’ “

Starts with the amazing upset the US pulled over the Soviets in the 1980 Winter Olympics- then goes in to profile the Soviet players involved and the unique history of how hockey came to be in the USSR

You don’t have to like hockey to appreciate this one - highly recommended

 

[Blue63Madison]

Just started Night Stalker last night on Netflix. Two episodes in — out of four. Great stuff.

 

[nom de plume_rivals392166]

Just started Night Stalker last night on Netflix. Two episodes in — out of four. Great stuff.

I'm getting ready to start that one. I just finished the Manhunt ones on The Olympic Park Bombing and the Unabomber and they were great.

 

[funKYcat75]

the pro-bowling episode was great. My favorite was the Oregon cult episodes.

Co-op the musical was my favorite. Globesman is good too even though it is very dry.

 

[Barleycorn]

Co-op the musical was my favorite. Globesman is good too even though it is very dry.

the cocaine song was amazing.

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

I have been trying to find some docs to watch. I have Hulu and Prime if anyone has some good ones to reccommend. Thanks.

 

[UK4number9]

I have been trying to find some docs to watch. I have Hulu and Prime if anyone has some good ones to reccommend. Thanks.

Not a doc but if you like billy bob Thornton watch Goliath. It’s really good season 3 was a letdown but 1-2 was great

 

[WildcatFan1982]

I recommend either "Best In Show" or "A Mighty Wind". Both very fascinating. A lot of the people in them look similar, which is sort of weird, but still worth it.

 

[Atrain7732]

If you have not watched all of the Ken Burns stuff already - watch The Roosevelts - extremely well done as most all of his stuff is.

Also - there is an excellent documentary titled Into the Amazon detailing the true story of Teddy Roosevelt's harrowing exploration of the River of Doubt in Brazil. It was an American Experience episode and one of the best they have done.

Love all of Ken Burns stuff. Also enjoy American Experience altho I don’t think I’ve seen the TR Amazon one will have to check that out.

Most recently I watched the Ken burns country music series and enjoyed it immensely even tho I am not a huge country fan.

 

[BlueVelvetFog]

Best Dateline NBC ever

 

[TexasTimCat]

Love all of Ken Burns stuff. Also enjoy American Experience altho I don’t think I’ve seen the TR Amazon one will have to check that out.

Most recently I watched the Ken burns country music series and enjoyed it immensely even tho I am not a huge country fan.

I really enjoyed Country Music as well.

The one big one of his I have not watched is Baseball, just have not gotten to it.

I am a TR fan but was blown away about what I learned in the Amazon doc.

The KB Roosevelt's doc is one of my favorites, very deep dive on TR, FDR, and Eleanor and the satellite people and issues surrounding them. Highly recommend.

 

[Atrain7732]

I really enjoyed Country Music as well.

The one big one of his I have not watched is Baseball, just have not gotten to it.

I am a TR fan but was blown away about what I learned in the Amazon doc.

The KB Roosevelt's doc is one of my favorites, very deep dive on TR, FDR, and Eleanor and the satellite people and issues surrounding them. Highly recommend.

I haven’t seen Baseball yet either, but I agree the Roosevelt’s was excellent. Also enjoyed Jazz , The Great War, WWII & National Parks. Anything the guy does is just riveting. I’m convinced he could take the most mundane topic for a doc and I’d watch hours of it. Thanks again for the TR recommendation will be sure to watch.

 

[AustinTXCat]

“ESPN 30/30 - ‘Of Miracles and Men’ “

Starts with the amazing upset the US pulled over the Soviets in the 1980 Winter Olympics- then goes in to profile the Soviet players involved and the unique history of how hockey came to be in the USSR

You don’t have to like hockey to appreciate this one - highly recommended

Many ESPN 30/30 are highly recommended.

 

[JamesIII]

The Ottomans and Romans have both been good docu-dramas on Netflix.

 

[Deeeefense]

Frontline has a lot of good investigative documentaries

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

I haven’t seen Baseball yet either, but I agree the Roosevelt’s was excellent. Also enjoyed Jazz , The Great War, WWII & National Parks. Anything the guy does is just riveting. I’m convinced he could take the most mundane topic for a doc and I’d watch hours of it. Thanks again for the TR recommendation will be sure to watch.

Basball doc is really good but very long. What is the one about country music on?

 

[funKYcat75]

I’ve watched most of Baseball and Country Music twice. Jazz is next. At some point, Baseball (the doc) got boring because at some point there wasn’t too much I hadn’t heard before.

 

[Barleycorn]

These are great. Season one is outlaw country. Season two is “funk” music. Good stuff.

 

[magic8ball]

A few more that I haven't seen mentioned yet

The Staircase

Paradise Lost (3 part doc from HBO)

Wild, Wild Country

Fyre

Abducted in Plain Sight

Blackfish

McMillions

The Confession Tapes

 

[nom de plume_rivals392166]

A few more that I haven't seen mentioned yet

The Staircase

Paradise Lost (3 part doc from HBO)

Wild, Wild Country

Fyre

Abducted in Plain Sight

Blackfish

McMillions

The Confession Tapes

Good list. I've watched The Staircase, Paradise Lost - all versions, Fyre, Abducted in Plain Sight, McMillions, and The Confession Tapes and they are all solid recommendations.

The Staircase was crazy how people still believed in him when he was so obviously guilty and a master manipulator, Paradise Lost a cautionary tale about how religion tends to not be very compatible with justice, I don't have any words to describe Abducted in Plain Sight - you just have to sit back and let that one happen to you, McMillions confirmed everything I've ever thought about all those games in that I was sure they were scams and/or fixed, and The Confession Tapes were fascinating start to finish.

 

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

if you have Prime you'll have all you need.

Agree
If you enjoy docs on the cold war, here are 3, I have watched recently on Prime :
`The Soyuz Conspiracy 50min 2011
Narrated by Elliott Gould. Includes secret film footage never seen until now. After 15 years of research, filmmakers have discovered brand-new evidence that reveals a scandalous conspiracy surrounding the death of one of the old Soviet Union's most famous cosmonauts, Colonel Vladimir Komarov.

Azorian: The Raising of the K-129 2011
In 1968 the Soviet ballistic missile submarine K-129 sank in the Central North Pacific. American intelligence located it within weeks of its demise. The CIA crafted a secret program to raise the submarine in 1974.

Kursk: A Submarine In Troubled Waters 2004
A remarkable documentary that delves deep into the mysterious and murky circumstances surrounding the Kursk submarine sinking.

 

[joeyrupption]

American Movie
Parking Lot Movie
Resurrect Dead: Toynbee Tiles Mystery
Burden of Dreams
Sherman’s March
Dancing Outlaw
Rockafire Explosion
King of Kong
Winnebago Man
Man on Wire
I Think We’re Alone Now
Stanley Kubrick’s Boxes
Shut Up, Little Man!
Tickled
Tread
Perfect Bid
The Act of Killing
Sour Grapes

 

[nom de plume_rivals392166]

I just finished Night Stalker. Ramirez is one of the scariest mfkers of all time and was ruthless. What drove me crazy was the awful awful police work by drunken "celebrity" cops that don't have a single moment of decent police work to give an example of other than sitting in a bar with the door locked getting drunk on overtime while waiting for the public to solve the crime for them. Then they participate in the documentary and act like they're Sherlock Holmes patting themselves on the back. Lots of great docs out there that show fantastic policework and skilled officers going above and beyond... this is not one of them. Perfect ending for Ramirez begging for the police to save him as those Mexicans would have killed him if the cops didn't show up.

 

[catlanta33]

I recommend either "Best In Show" or "A Mighty Wind". Both very fascinating. A lot of the people in them look similar, which is sort of weird, but still worth it.

Not sure if serious. They did Waiting fo Guffman and I think This is Spinal Tap started it with that group.

 

[Atrain7732]

Basball doc is really good but very long. What is the one about country music on?

Outlines the history of country music how it started on the 1920’s and became popular thanks to the early radio shows. Also follows all the way to current. Very well done worth watching IMO.

 

[Atrain7732]

I just finished Night Stalker. Ramirez is one of the scariest mfkers of all time and was ruthless. What drove me crazy was the awful awful police work by drunken "celebrity" cops that don't have a single moment of decent police work to give an example of other than sitting in a bar with the door locked getting drunk on overtime while waiting for the public to solve the crime for them. Then they participate in the documentary and act like they're Sherlock Holmes patting themselves on the back. Lots of great docs out there that show fantastic policework and skilled officers going above and beyond... this is not one of them. Perfect ending for Ramirez begging for the police to save him as those Mexicans would have killed him if the cops didn't show up.

Watching Night Stalker now didn’t know it was even on until I saw here. Pretty good.

Agree on the Staircase doc I have no idea how anyone can watch that and not come away the guy was guilty as hell. Amazing he essentially skated given the evidence.

 

[WildcatfaninOhio]

Watched the documentary "ZZ Top, That Little Ole Band From Texas" on Netflix last night. If you like the band you'll enjoy this one.

Also recently watched "Hitsville: The Making Of Motown". That was really good.

 

[BlueBallz_rivals30790]

I’m more of a serial killer and mass murderer buff but a really good one one to check out on Netflix is How to Fix a Drug Scandal. It’s about two police chemist that process drugs for police when people get arrested on drug charges.

 

[bluthruandthru]

Icarus on Netflix.

Starts with a guy seeing how much doping helps in cycling by getting a Russian official to help him. Gets intense after that.

 

[magic8ball]

The Night Stalker was excellent!

It had details about him that if never heard before.

*Spoilers*

I wasn't aware he raped children and he killed way more people than I realized.

My wife and I love that the neighborhood folks caught him and kicked his as a little.

 

[Atrain7732]

The Night Stalker was excellent!

It had details about him that if never heard before.

*Spoilers*

I wasn't aware he raped children and he killed way more people than I realized.

My wife and I love that the neighborhood folks caught him and kicked his as a little.

I didn’t realize this either. I am pretty interested in the true crime genre in general and I listen to all the podcasts and YT channels. However, there hasn’t been a ton of info out there on the Night Stalker the doc was filled with info I had never heard.