Netflix Documentaries That Will Resolve Your Quarantine Boredom
Are you bored of quarantine life? Are you sick of having the same conversations with your family members on a daily basis? Are you tired of having bloodshot eyes from mindlessly scrolling and swiping through social media? In these trying times, we all need a good way to relax and zone out comfortably. Netflix documentaries are the perfect way to do so. Whether you’re trying to pique your intellectual curiosity or just venture off into a bizarre real life story you didn’t know existed, Netflix has a bevy of gripping documentaries that will be sure to inform and entertain.Nine of the 12 documentaries below were put on Esquire’s top list of Netflix documentaries. Those left off the list have garnered praise and attention from the public. The Staircase received an impressive score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. Making a Murderer led to a petition for exoneration with over 536,000 supporters. Don’t F**k With Cats has been touted as “One of the most talked-about (and disturbing) true-crime shows in recent memory.” Stop watching The Office on a loop and indulge yourself in a new viewer experience. Don’t know where to start? Well luckily this list of documentaries based on genre will help you sift and select the documentary that’s right for you.
True Crime Documentaries
Law enforcement, the justice system and sinister characters. A true crime junkie’s heaven.
This documentary follows the story of Steven Avery, who in 1985 was wrongfully convicted of sexual assault and the attempted murder of Penny Beernsten. After spending 18 years, attorneys for the Wisconsin Innocence Project at the University of Wisconsin obtained a court order for DNA testing. Following his exoneration, the big bearded Avery had become the face for criminal justice reform for wrongful convictions. However, in 2005, just two years after returning home, Avery and his nephew, Brandon Dassey were tried for the murder of Teresa Halbach and convicted of the crime in 2007. Avery had sued the county’s police department for $36 million after his wrongful conviction. He maintains that this was the reason he was being framed for murder, This series, like many others in the true crime genre, forces you, the viewer, to take a deeper look at the judicial process in the United States. Kathryn Schulz, a writer for the New Yorker highlights the portrayal of the justice system in the documentary, “The vast majority of misconduct by law enforcement is motivated not by spite but by the belief that the end justifies the means—that it is fine to play fast and loose with the facts if doing so will put a dangerous criminal behind bars. That same reasoning, with the opposite aims, seems to govern Making a Murderer.” See the story unfold in the two part, twenty episode series.
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez
This three part documentary covers the life of Aaron Hernandez, the former NFL player who was involved in multiple murders. This series brings you into the background of Hernandez and some of the major moments in his life that might offer an explanation as to why he had become a murderer. Hernandez’ private life, athletic career, mental health and public perception are all factors discussed extensively throughout the documentary. Despite being a documentary, Aja Romano in an article for Vox claims that the series focuses more on the juicier details of Aaron Hernandez, “Killer Inside opts for a more salacious approach. It works to present Hernandez as someone whose inherent darkness may have been exacerbated by his circumstances.” As a man that seemingly had it all and blew it all away senselessly, the story you thought you knew everything about has just become more compelling. Touch down on your couch right now and watch.
Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
This series covers one of the most notorious killers in recent history, Ted Bundy. His murders, arrests and escapes are broken down chronologically throughout four part series. You also get a closer look at Bundy on a more personal level through interviews and footage, whether it be his incessant lying and narcissism or his charm and intellect. The documentary had become popular following its release and had sparked an interesting debate in the general public: is Ted Bundy handsome? In an article from Psychology Today, Dr. Katherine Ramsland said, “This hyper-fascination with killers like Bundy grows from media portrayals of him as a handsome, articulate man who could sometimes be gentle and caring.” Set your morals aside and figure it out for yourself (I personally don’t see what all the hype is about but then again, I’ve never been into sociopaths).
The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
This documentary covers an incident that made international news, the abduction of 3 year old Madeleine McCann in 2007. While on vacation in Portugal, Katy and Gerry McCann, went out for dinner while they left Madeleine and her two siblings asleep at the resort. Despite Gerry and Katy checking in multiple times throughout the night and remaining close by the resort, they discovered that Madeleine wasn’t in her room. An investigation ensued over the next few weeks and became the headline for major media outlets. Due to the lack of any credible evidence, the Portugal had labeled both Gerry and Katy as suspects with the theory that they used an abduction for Madeleine’s death but later deemed them not to be suspects. Stop doing your home workouts and check out the story of the eerie, unsolved case.
Looking for a bingeable courtroom drama? Well The Staircase is exactly that. This series covers the story of the novelist Michael Peterson, who in 2003 was convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson in late 2001. Michael alleges that Kathleen had a few drinks and fell down the stairs while he was in his backyard however investigators believed that Michael had bludgeoned Kathleen to death with a blow poke. The trial is full of twists and turns, including a potential affair, falsified evidence from a blood spatter analyst, and someone in Michael’s past dying in a similar fashion to his wife. These are just a few of the details in the 13 episode series that will bring out your inner judge. Come to your own conclusion on whether Michael Peterson is innocent or guilty.
Documentaries That Are Too Bizarre To Be Fake
Hollywood wouldn’t be able to come up with these crazy stories
Ah, where to begin? I’m sure you’ve heard of this documentary, whether it be from a friend or through social media as Tiger King has been the source of a bunch of internet memes. Well if you are quarantining under a rock and haven’t heard of the documentary that’s captivated the general public since releasing last month, allow me to enlighten you. Tiger King mainly follows the story of Joe Exotic, the owner of a private zoo in Oklahoma, who was heavily involved in the trade and breeding of big cats. Exotic comes into a clash with animal rights activists and organizations seeking to bring legislation that would stop the breeding and captivity of big cats. Among these activists, none more prominent than Carole Baskin, Exotic’s biggest rival, whom he mentions his hatred for with every passing breath and eventually puts a hit out on. This seven episode series is filled with characters that, let’s just say, have unique backgrounds. Cult followings, a potentially unsolved murder, a “throuple” marriage, accidental suicide, and a tiger attack. Yeah, take that all in. All of those are included in Tiger King.
This documentary brings you into the story of the wacky bank heist in 2003 that resulted in the death of pizza delivery man, Brian Wells. Wells was forced to rob a bank at gunpoint, armed with a cane gun and a bomb strapped around his neck in Erie, Pennsylvania.Yes, you read that correctly. Following the robbery, the police weren’t sure if the device was real and stood on pointing their guns at a defenseless Wells. The bomb went off and he died instantly. Shortly after the death of Wells, Brian Rothstein alerted authorities about a body in the freezer in the home of Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong. Police had a strong sense that these crimes were related due to proximity and time frame.The crew of characters will have you wondering the whole time, “Who do I hate the most?” Daniel Fienberg from Hollywood Reporter classifies them as, “Providing spice is an eccentric cast of suspects and tangential characters — an assortment of incarcerated henchmen, crackheads, prostitutes and self-described masterminds, seemingly all living in rundown apartments last cleaned in the '80s.” This four part series shows how law enforcement was able to string together odd circumstances around different crimes to find the perpetrators in the Well’s case.
This series covers the shockingly true story of the Broberg Family and their neighbor Robert Berchtold, referred to as “B” and how he used their trust to get to Jan Broberg, the daughter of Bob and Mary Anne. The Brobergs had always thought that B and Jan had a loving father daughter type of relationship, however it became quickly apparent that B had been preying on Jan when he abducted her at age 12 and then again at age 14. The display put on by two of the worst parents ever seen in this documentary will leave you frustrated. I’m sure you’re wondering just exactly how he was able to get away with this twice. You’re going to have to text a friend and ask for their Netflix login for the answers. They’ll have no excuse not to text back, they’re in quarantine too.
Starting this out with a disclaimer, this three part documentary does include heinous acts to animals and a human. This series will bring your emotions to surface the whole time. It'll have you in disgust while also wanting to follow along to see if justice will prevail. It follows the story of a group of regular civilians on the internet working together to try and catch an online criminal uploading videos of harming cats. However, they quickly realize just how far this criminal will go with his twisted crimes. Tell your friends you need to get off your virtual happy hour zoom session and watch the Netflix thriller.
Celebrity Documentaries
The good, the bad and the ugly, these icons are people just like us… well maybe not JUST like us
Taylor Swift, one of the most beloved celebrities with a massive following. Well …maybe things haven’t been all sunshine and rainbows for the 35 time Grammy nominated recording artist. Her struggles are shown, specifically with being the target of hate online due to her noninvolvement in her “feud” with rapper Kanye West and the backlash she received for stating her opinion in politics. In the film, you, the viewer get to see Swift behind the scenes and unfiltered from a young age through her formative years where she becomes an established artist. There’s a juxtaposition between seeing Swift’s live performances, surrounded by thousands of people and seeing her private life, where she comes off as somewhat of a loner. Whether you’re a Swiftie or not, this documentary will be sure to give you insight on the lives of someone in their youth being thrusted into stardom.
This documentary was written, directed and produced by Queen B herself. It covers the events leading up to her performance at the 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival as well as the performance itself. This takes you into the creative process behind her concert where Beyonce captures the moments of rehearsal that reveal the difficulty of putting together the choreography and concepts for a live performance. It received high praise from Aisha Harris at the New York Times, The intimate and candid moments touted by Netflix are brief in comparison, appearing between long, uninterrupted musical segments from the show. Those moments will be enough to satisfy the overzealous Beyhive and probably more casual fans and admirers, too.” Dance your way over to the couch and watch Beyonce’s concert film Homecoming.
Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond
Jim Carrey has always been … unique and that becomes very apparent when watching this documentary. It brings to light footage that had been unseen for 18 years, of Jim Carrey during the filming of “Man on the Moon” in 1999. In it, Carrey is portraying the late Andy Kaufman, a comedy hero to Carey. Even while off camera, Carrey remains in character. He reminds cast and production members to not refer to him as Jim and won’t respond to his own name. Carrey even starts accosting pro wrestler Jerry Lawler off screen due to the fact that when Kaufman was alive he and Lawler had a rivalry in the ring. Once done with the role, Carrey had to figure who he was as a person again and had even forgotten his politics and personal beliefs.