50 Of The Best Netflix Documentaries - The Most Riveting, Entertaining And Unmissable

The Explained series is one of Netflix's most underrated yet fascinating franchises, we believe. Containing very easily digestible episodes (most are around 20 minutes long), each ep is devoted to one subject filling the viewer in on everything they need to know about that said subject, from coding to billionaires to cults.

We loved the The Mind Explained's episode on anxiety - narrated by Emma Stone - featuring a mix of real-life experience and scientific explanation and Sex Explained's programme on the female orgasm, which details how under-researched this was until very recently. It is mind blowing. The experts are legitimate but deliver the information to you in an easy to understand, yet fascinating, way. Plus the roster of experts and narrators are seriously impressive, for example Bill Gates who appeared in one titled 'The Next Pandemic' which eerily was released in November 2019 months before the Coronavirus pandemic.

Directed and created by Beyoncé herself, Homecoming provides a rare glimpse into the superstar's professional and personal life, with the film alone explaining why Beyoncé's live performances look the way they do.

In the documentary, her spectacular Coachella headline performance of 2018 is put under the microscope with exclusive behind-the-scenes clips and performances from the show.

The work ethic Beyoncé instills is on full display, and so too is her vision with details including the historical researching of Black colleges in America which the performances paid tribute to. Plus, rare footage of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's family life with their children: eldest daughter Blue Ivy, and twins Sir and Rumi.

Produced by trailblazer, activist and Orange Is The New Black actor Laverne Cox, Disclosure examines Hollywood's depiction of transgender people on screen and what impact and consequence that has on society, culture and in particular the transgender community. Featuring contributions from prominent transgender activists including Cox herself, Chaz Bono and Alexandra Billings, the documentary has a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

You know when a documentary comes along and everyone starts talking about it? It happened with Tiger King, Blackfish, The Social Dilemma, Cowspiracy....and now it's happened with Seaspiracy.

See what all your friends are talking about and why they're re-evaluating their fish consumption, in this documentary focussing on humankinds' effects on the ocean.

If you've not seen this documentary series then we're not sure what you've been doing in 2020. Truly, what else have you been doing? Let us know... Anyway, this seemingly bonkers documentary - and it is bonkers - delves into those intertwined with the shocking fact that more tigers live in US backyards than in the wild.

The series turns into a true-crime investigation for a multitude of reasons, one being between the main two protagonists Joe Exotic, who is currently in jail and Carole Baskin, who is currently on the US version of Strictly, Dancing with the stars.

We told you, bonkers.

If you were debating spending less time on social media, this documentary might just force you to make that leap. The Social Dilemma examines everything there is to know about social media and, unsurprisingly, not all of it is great. While it's acknowledged that its creation has led to positive activism and movements for change, the doc also examines the link between social media and mental health, negative body image and why people become addicted to it ('only two industries call their customers users', the documentary claims: illegal drugs and social media').

Plus it delves into the technology behind it and the subsequent power social media companies have, from influencing buying behaviour to the criticism over their inefficiency to tackle fake news.

The 94-year-old returns to TV screens with what is, effectively, his witness statement. Having spent 70 years travelling the world, including to some of the most remote and untouched parts of the earth, Attenborough details what has changed and how he's seen it with his own eyes. And, it's devastating. From the deforestation of Indonesian rainforests to the melting of polar ice caps, Our Planet shows the catastrophic effects of climate change in its most simplest, and indisputable, form.

Watch and learn from the master, and really learn, as Attenborough finishes the documentary with an action plan of how we can all help to slow down and change the course of global warming.

One of the most talked about shows of 2020 was The Last Dance which told the story of the NBA-dominating, record-breaking 1990s Chicago Bulls basketball team. And, in particular, three of the main players, Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen. If you're a basketball fan, this one is for you. But honestly even if you don't know what a 3-pointer is, it's for you too. Plus it's peak 90s nostalgia, from the outfits to the Hip Hop music, which even has its own The Last Dance Spotify playlist. Alexa, play Nas and Lauryn Hill, 'If I Ruled The World'.

Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground productions, this Oscar-winning documentary tells the story of a car parts factory in Moraine, Ohio which was shut down in 2008 taking hundreds of local jobs with it. It was reopened in 2014 by Chinese entrepreneur Cao Dewang, the CEO of Fuyao who along with reemploying locals also sent over many Chinese staff from their factory in Fuqing, China. A fascinating look at the working attitudes of two cultures who become side-by-side colleagues in a very unexpected location.

A long overdue introduction of the people behind the iconic and powerful riffs, runs and echoes you hear in some of the most famous songs ever: backing singers. Spotlighting Darlene Love, Judith Love, Lisa Fischer and more who have all sang backing vocals for Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Sting and more. The documentary hears from the women themselves as well as the stars who relied on their vocals with contributions from Mick Jagger, Wonder, Sting and more. Race, power and sexism all come into this story about why these vocalists stayed in the background... until now.

Ava DuVernay brings together a wealth of criminal justice and civil rights experts - including civil rights icon Angela Davis and senator Cory Booker - to talk us through the history of America's judicial system in this mind-blowing documentary.

As Barack Obama explains in the first few minutes, the US possesses 5 per cent of the world's population but 25% of its prison population. Not only that, African Americans make up 6.5% of the American population but 40.2% of the prison population.

The title is derived from the 13th Amendment of the Constitution which abolished slavery in 1865, with the suggestion being that the mass incarceration of African-Americans simply replaced slavery.

Though it went viral at the time - remember that supposedly gourmet catering which turned out to be slabs of cheese on white bread - the actual realities of what led to the most anti-climatic party of all time are laid bare in this shocking documentary.

From Billy McFarland's background to the influencers who promoted the supposed festival to locals on the island who ended up losing a lot - believe us, you do not know the full story until you've watched this doc.

... The White House, that is. Following the 2016 defeat of Hillary Clinton by Donald Trump, more women than ever ran for office in the 2018 midterm congressional elections.

Knock Down The House follows four of these women - including 29-year-old former bartender turned congresswoman extraordinaire Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, on their mission to change the pale, male and stale elite status quo.

Prepare to be seriously inspired by this Netflix special, which is worth watching around this year's presidential election.

In 1990, two robbers masquerading as police officers stole more than £500 million worth of art from the Isabella Stewart Garden museum in Boston, Massachusetts. Paintings included rare works by Rembrandt and Manet.

The craziest thing about the heist? 30 years later and the crime still hasn't been solved. And there's still a £10 million reward outstanding, while the museum hangs empty frames around the house waiting for the paintings' return. Fancy yourself as an amateur detective? Review the evidence in this four-part true crime series.

Ahead of what would have been his 50th birthday, a new documentary (co-produced by both his friend and collaborator P Diddy aka Sean Combs and his mother Violetta Wallace), this documentary features previously unseen footage and accounts from the closest friends of Christopher Wallace AKA rapper, the Notorious B.I.G, who was killed in 1997.

This three-part mindblowing true crime series looks at a series of three bombings which occurred in Salt Lake City in 1985, seemingly targeted at members of the Mormon community and investigates Mark Hoffman, the forger and convicted murderer, responsible.

If you haven’t heard of world-dominating K pop girl group BLACKPINK yet, then this doc will have you saying out loud ‘Have I been living in a hole?’ followed swiftly by ‘Rose is my favourite but Lisa’s the best dancer…’

Follow the lives of Jisoo, Rose, Lisa and Jennie as they battle their way through girl band bootcamp to debut as BLACKPINK and go on to create a K pop frenzy of 31 million Instagram followers, a Coachella set and a world tour that ends in totes emosh tears.

This documentary follows the former First Lady as she embarks on a book tour for her critically-acclaimed and bestselling autobiography, Becoming.

Through the documentary, we are privy to all parts of that mammoth 34-city arena tour. From the planning process - including liaising with the secret service - the fashion team behind her biggest style moments (like those Balenciaga boots), the private meetings she held along the way with youth groups and her frank discussions with the camera about her life past and present.

Michelle's daughters Malia and Sasha also give rare interviews about their hopes for their mother following her departure from the White House.

A heartbreaking documentary - first released by CNN in 2013 but still as discussed today - which examines the practices of keeping orcas (killer whales) in captivity by focusing on one whale in particular, Tilikum - who ultimately was involved in the drowning of three of his trainers.

The effect of this documentary is legendary and it's very likely you'll have heard of it even if you haven't yet got round to watching. Seaworld reported declining visitor numbers and revenue following the 2013 film's release and in 2016 committed to no longer breeding orcas in captivity, pledging to phase out their shows.

For years the media reported on allegations and court cases brought against R Kelly and this 2019 documentary exposes detailed accounts of his alleged physical and emotional abuse, from the women themselves. The six-part series includes over 50 interviews including with civil rights activist Tarana Burke, musician John Legend and R. Kelly's family members who shed light on the singer's controversial past.