Streaming services' best documentaries

For documentary watchers who love a good sports scandal, Operation Flagrant Foul on Netflix tells the story of Tim Donaghy, a former NBA referee caught in a massive gambling scheme. The film features first-hand accounts from Donaghy, his co-conspirators, and those who investigated him. 

Homecoming is a concert documentary written, executive produced, and directed by Beyoncé. The film follows the singer's rehearsal process leading up to her incomparable Coachella performance in 2018. Netflix describes the film as an “intimate, in-depth look” at the “emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement.” The production received a Grammy and NAACP Image Award and universal acclaim, with Rolling Stone calling it an “awe-inspiring greatest hits set.” 

Ariana Grande is a global superstar with a powerhouse voice, No. 1 albums, and fans worldwide. Experience her Sweetener era live in her concert documentary, Excuse Me, I Love You. Released on Netflix in December 2021, the film came with a live album, K Bye For Now, which peaked at No. 79 on the Billboard 200. 

Stories of greed, corruption, and someone who thinks they're above the law are always compelling, and Netflix’s Murdaugh Murders is just that. The shocking three-part docuseries covers the Murdaughs, the multiple murders surrounding their family, and the trial of Alex Murdaugh  — charged with killing his wife and son. 

By the early 2000s, the popular clothing brand Abercrombie & Fitch had become a booming business. But as years passed and people began looking closer at their branding and messaging, the not-so-shocking discovery that their corporation was rooted in exclusionary practices sent this dynasty tumbling down. White Hot, the Netflix original documentary, details it all: the success, the downfall, the lawsuits, and all the secrets surrounding one of the most favored lifestyle retailers in the world. 

Deeply twisted yet wildly entertaining, The Tinder Swindler tells the story of Simon Leviev, an Israeli con artist who used the popular dating app to exploit and manipulate women into financing his fraudulent luxurious lifestyle. The film has garnered worldwide praise from critics and audiences, earning 45.8 million watched hours within the first week of release. 

The Plane That Disappeared is a three-part docuseries about the Malaysia Airlines flight that suddenly disappeared en route to China in 2014. Each episode, directed by Louise Malkinson, focuses on one of the many theories surrounding Flight 370’s vanishing. Of course, this film won’t provide watchers with concrete answers; however, each part is well-presented and backed by investigative journalist reports that will leave watchers asking for more. 

Netflix’s Killer Inside is another true crime docuseries focusing on former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez’s conviction for murder, legal cases, and time in prison. The project examines Hernandez’s upbringing, high school and collegiate career, and dangerous double life told by his family, friends, and victims.

God Forbid is a riveting Hulu original that tells the gripping story of a young adult who finds himself entangled in a seven-year affair with a pastor’s wife. Except for this pastor, Jerry Falwell Jr., was the president of one of the world’s largest Christian institutions, Liberty University, and actively participated in his wife’s sexual escapades.

Things could’ve worked out for this crew of three, but when millions of dollars, meet-and-greets with former Presidents of the United States, and a luxury lifestyle are intertwined, something scandalous is bound to occur. 

Watch the United States Women’s National Team take on the United States Soccer Federation in a legal battle for equal pay in the 2021 Max original documentary, LFG . Star players Megan Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, and Julie Foudy lead the pack and share moving stories about how the pay disparity impacted their personal and professional lives. 

Miss Cleo was a popular television psychic who rose to fame in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Her charm, charisma, accent, and personality lured viewers into trying out her “free” phone readings; however, callers quickly began accusing the visionary of using deceptive marketing schemes (like having her associates read from scripts) to trick them into spending large sums of money. 

The Max documentary, Call Me Miss Cleo, takes viewers on an intense ride, specifically focusing on her downfall, plus her company’s fight against their Federal Trade Commission charges. 

Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama gives Netflix watchers unprecedented access into her life before, during, and after her tenure in the White House. The Netflix documentary, Becoming, which is the same title as her 2019 No. 1 New York Times Best-Seller, has been celebrated by viewers and critics and scored a handful of Emmy and Grammy nominations.  

If you want to see why Taylor Swift deserves all the hype, just give her Netflix documentary Miss Americana a stream. Audience members praise this film as one of the most “intimate” looks into the icon’s creative process and artistry — offering behind-the-scenes footage of pivotal moments in Swift’s career.   

Our Father tells the heartbreaking story of the disgraced former doctor, Donald Cline, who, without his patients’ permission, impregnated them using his own semen. Between the years 1974 and 1987, Donald sired 94 children, who, years later, discovered their connection and decided to pursue justice. 

The popular megachurch Hillsong has had its fair share of controversies over the years. But the news surrounding Carl Lentz’s affair in 2020 takes the cake as the most shocking. In The Secrets of Hillsong, the former celebrity pastor, his wife, and those close to him share gripping testimonies about his multiple affairs, firing, and additional drug and sexual assault allegations.