I have used Gemini to help with this pages formatting.
I have watched all of these documentaries and series.
Just like the books, if I wrote full reviews for each, this page would be unreadable.
I prefer comprehensive deep-dives and limited series over sensationalist "History Channel" style clips.
Quality Matters
Bitrate is king.
If you are watching these on a phone, you are missing out.
For the nature and space documentaries especially, try to find the highest quality source (4K/Remux) possible. Sound design in modern documentaries is half the experience. Wear headphones or use good speakers.
Dan's Watch List
This is Dan from FMHY. These are the documentaries and docu-series I recommend. Just like my reading list, this leans heavily into History, War, and Human Endurance.
- These are in alphabetical order.
- Stars (β) denote entries that are particularly noteworthy.
- Stars (β) with yellow text are my favourite documentaries.
π¬ Documentaries & Series
Ancient & Medieval History
- Barbarians Rising β A dramatized docu-series telling the story of the rise and fall of Rome from the perspective of the barbarian leaders.
- Civilizations (BBC) β A massive survey of human culture and art history, narrated by Simon Schama and Mary Beard.
- Colosseum β A deeper look into the engineering and political utility of Rome's most famous arena.
- Empire of the Tsars: Romanov Russia with Lucy Worsley β Chronicles the rise and fall of the Romanov dynasty.
- β Meet the Romans with Mary Beard β Instead of emperors, this looks at the lives of ordinary people in Rome.
- Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb β A fascinating modern excavation of an untouched Egyptian tomb.
- Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit β Mary Beard examines the physical and cultural glue that held the Roman Empire together.
War & Conflict (WWII & Modern)
- β Apocalypse: The Second World War β Known for its incredible restoration and colorization of archival footage.
- Five Came Back β The story of how Hollywood directors (Ford, Capra, Huston) changed WWII propaganda and how the war changed them.
- The Fog of War β Former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara analyzes his mistakes during Vietnam and WWII.
- Hitler's Circle of Evil β Focuses on the inner circle of the Nazi party and their infighting.
- β The Nazis: A Warning from History β A groundbreaking BBC series examining how the Nazis rose to power and the complicity of the German public.
- Restrepo β A raw, non-political look at a US platoon in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan.
- β Shoah by Claude Lanzmann β The definitive, 9-hour oral history of the Holocaust. No archival footage, just testimony. Devastating.
- β They Shall Not Grow Old β Peter Jacksonβs technical masterpiece restoring WWI footage to life-like quality.
- β The Vietnam War by Ken Burns & Lynn Novick β The most comprehensive visual history of the conflict. A perfect companion to Max Hastings' book.
- β The World at War (1973) β The gold standard of documentary making. Narrated by Laurence Olivier. If you watch only one WWII series, this is it.
- World War II in Colour: Road to Victory β A modern, fast-paced overview of the strategic turning points of the war.
Modern History, Politics & Espionage
- 13th β Ava DuVernay's examination of the U.S. prison system and its history of racial inequality.
- β The Alabama Solution β Andrew Jarecki's shocking exposΓ© of the corruption and abuse within the Alabama prison system.
- The Central Park Five β Ken Burns details the wrongful conviction of five Harlem teenagers in the 1989 jogger case.
- Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes β Uses newly discovered footage to tell the story of the disaster and the Soviet cover-up.
- β Cold War (CNN/1998) β An exhaustive 24-part series covering the entire geopolitical struggle.
- The Corporation β Diagnoses the modern corporation as a psychopath. A critical look at the dominant institution of our time.
- HyperNormalisation by Adam Curtis β A complex, philosophical look at how governments and corporations manage public perception.
- β Icarus β Starts as a cycling experiment and accidentally uncovers a massive state-sponsored Russian doping scandal. Plays like a spy thriller.
- β O.J.: Made in America β This is not just about a murder trial; it is a 5-part deep dive into race, celebrity, and the history of Los Angeles.
- Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror β A comprehensive look at the attacks and the subsequent 20-year war.
- Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom β On-the-ground footage of the Euromaidan protests.
Science, Nature & The Cosmos
- β Apollo 11 (2019) β No narration, just pure 70mm archival footage of the moon landing mission.
- Blue Planet II β David Attenboroughβs look at marine life. The cinematography is groundbreaking.
- β Cosmos: A Personal Voyage by Carl Sagan β The series that defined science communication.
- Fantastic Fungi β A look at the biology and utility of mushrooms. Visually stunning.
- β Into the Inferno β Werner Herzog travels to active volcanoes. Itβs about geology, but also about human belief and culture.
- β Planet Earth II β The absolute peak of nature documentaries. Hans Zimmer score + Attenborough narration.
- The Year Earth Changed β Documents how nature recovered during the global lockdowns of 2020.
True Crime & Society
- β Capturing The Friedmans β A disturbing look at a family torn apart by allegations of child abuse, told through their own home movies.
- β Fear City: New York vs The Mafia β Details the FBIβs case against the Five Families of the New York Mafia.
- β The Imposter β A gripping thriller about a French con artist who impersonates a missing Texas boy, and the family who accepts him.
- β Into the Abyss β Werner Herzog interviews death row inmates. A profound examination of the human soul and the state.
- β The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst β A masterclass in interviewing and narrative tension.
- Making a Murderer β The series that popularized the modern true-crime boom.
- β The Seven Five β The explosive story of Michael Dowd and the rampant police corruption in the 75th Precinct of NYC.
- Wild Wild Country β The bizarre true story of the Rajneeshpuram cult in Oregon.
Culture, Arts & The Human Spirit
- β Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse β Chronicles the chaotic and near-disastrous production of Apocalypse Now.
- β Hoop Dreams β Follows two inner-city Chicago basketball prospects over several years. A monumental study of race, class, and the American dream.
- β Jiro Dreams of Sushi β A profile of sushi master Jiro Ono and his relentless pursuit of perfection.
- β King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters β The surprisingly intense rivalry between Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell for the Donkey Kong high score.
- The Queen of Versailles β Follows a billionaire family attempting to build the largest house in America as the 2008 financial crisis hits.
- β Searching for Sugar Man β Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, Rodriguez.
- Wordplay β A look at the world of competitive crossword solvers and the editor Will Shortz.
Human Endurance & Stoicism
- 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible β Nims Purja attempts to climb all 14 of the world's 8000m peaks in under 7 months.
- β Free Solo β Alex Honnold climbs El Capitan without a rope. The ultimate display of mental control and suppression of fear.
- β The Last Dance β Chronicles Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the fall of 1997, looking for their sixth NBA title.
- β Man on Wire β The high-tension story of Philippe Petit's illegal high-wire walk between the Twin Towers in 1974.
- Meru β Three climbers attempt the Shark's Fin route on Meru Peak. A story of obsession and resilience.
- β Touching the Void β A docu-drama about a climbing accident in the Andes. The ultimate survival story.