Documentary
Years

Popular Documentary TV Shows

24 Hours in A&E
24 Hours in A&E
A British medical documentary set in King's College Hospital. 91 cameras filmed round the clock for 28 days, 24 hours a day in A&E it offers unprecedented access to one of Britain's busiest A&E departments.
24 Hours in A&E 2011
Finding Your Roots
Finding Your Roots
Noted Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has been helping people discover long-lost relatives hidden for generations within the branches of their family trees. Professor Gates utilizes a team of genealogists to reconstruct the paper trail left behind by our ancestors and the world’s leading geneticists to decode our DNA and help us travel thousands of years into the past to discover the origins of our earliest forebears.
Finding Your Roots 2012
60 Days In
60 Days In
An unprecedented look at life behind bars at Indiana's Clark County Jail as seven innocent volunteers are sent to live among its general population for 60 days without officers, fellow inmates, or staff knowing their secret.
60 Days In 2016
Travel Man: 48 Hours in...
Travel Man: 48 Hours in...
Joe Lycett takes a ruthlessly efficient approach to travel, covering everything top tourist destinations have to offer in just 48 hours.
Travel Man: 48 Hours in... 2015
Frontline
Frontline
Since it began in 1983, Frontline has been airing public-affairs documentaries that explore a wide scope of the complex human experience. Frontline's goal is to extend the impact of the documentary beyond its initial broadcast by serving as a catalyst for change.
Frontline 1983
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Bourdain travels across the globe to uncover little-known areas of the world and celebrate diverse cultures by exploring food and dining rituals. Known for his curiosity, candor, and acerbic wit, Bourdain takes viewers off the beaten path of tourist destinations – including some war-torn parts of the world – and meets with a variety of local citizens to offer a window into their lifestyles, and occasionally communes with an internationally lauded chef on his journeys.
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown 2013
Rawhide
Rawhide
The tale of trail boss Gil Favor and his trusty foreman Rowdy Yates as they drives cattle across the old west. Along the way they meet up with adventure and drama.
Rawhide 1959
Forensic Files
Forensic Files
Real crimes, disease outbreaks and accidents around the world are solved by experts using scientific laboratory analysis which helps them find previously undetectable evidence. Brilliant scientific work helps convict the guilty and free the innocent.
Forensic Files 1996
American Experience
American Experience
TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
American Experience 1988
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World
Tomorrow's World was a long-running BBC television series on new developments in science and technology. First transmitted on 7 July 1965 on BBC1, it ran for 38 years until it was cancelled at the beginning of 2003.
Tomorrow's World 1965
Hoarders
Hoarders
Each episode of Hoarders is a fascinating look inside the lives of two different people whose inability to part with their belongings is so out of control that they are on the verge of a personal crisis.
Hoarders 2009
RIDE ON TIME
RIDE ON TIME
Take a deep dive into the beautiful world of Japan's top male idol groups from number one producer Johnny's in this revealing docuseries.
RIDE ON TIME 2018
MythBusters
MythBusters
MythBusters is a science entertainment television program created and produced by Australia's Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The show's hosts, special effects experts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, use elements of the scientific method to test the validity of rumors, myths, movie scenes, adages, Internet videos, and news stories.
MythBusters 2003
Snapped
Snapped
The fascinating cases of every day, seemingly average moms, wives and girlfriends accused of murder. Did they really do it? And if so, why?
Snapped 2004
See No Evil
See No Evil
Every second of every day, millions of Americans are caught on CCTV. Living in a surveillance society means everyday actions are caught on camera, mostly of honest citizens going about their daily lives. But a few are guilty of unspeakable crimes. Video doesn't discriminate; criminals also end up on film. See no Evil is a groundbreaking series that presents dramatic stories about how real crimes are solved with the aid of surveillance cameras. Police reveal how CCTV footage has unlocked the answer to cases that otherwise might have remained unsolved- leaving dangerous killers at large. The series features real footage and dramatic reconstruction, combined with first-hand testimony from police, witnesses, and families.
See No Evil 2015
Nathan For You
Nathan For You
Self-proclaimed business expert, writer, director and comedian Nathan Fielder helps real small businesses turn a profit with marketing tactics that no ordinary consultant would dare to attempt. From driving foot traffic to an off-the-strip souvenir shop by using Hollywood flair and a Johnny Depp impersonator, to creating a rebate that can only be redeemed by climbing a mountain, to founding a coffee shop called "Dumb Starbucks,” Nathan has always gone to the limit to make his ideas come to life. With his unorthodox approach to problem solving, Nathan’s genuine efforts to do good often draw the real people he encounters into an experience far beyond what they signed up for.
Nathan For You 2013
Nature
Nature
Consistently stunning documentaries transport viewers to far-flung locations ranging from the torrid African plains to the chilly splendours of icy Antarctica. The show's primary focus is on animals and ecosystems around the world. A comic book based on the show, meant to be used an as educational tool for kids, was briefly distributed to museums and schools at no cost in the mid-2000s.
Nature 1982
Berlin, Berlin
Berlin, Berlin
Berlin, Berlin is a television series produced for the ARD. It aired in Germany from 2002 to 2005 Tuesdays through Fridays at 6:50PM on the German public TV network Das Erste. The show won both national and international awards.
Berlin, Berlin 2002
Ancient Aliens
Ancient Aliens
Did intelligent beings from outer space visit Earth thousands of years ago? From the age of the dinosaurs to ancient Egypt, from early cave drawings to continued mass sightings in the US, each episode gives historic depth to the questions, speculations, provocative controversies, first-hand accounts and grounded theories surrounding this age old debate.
Ancient Aliens 2010
United Shades of America
United Shades of America
Follow comedian and political gadfly W. Kamau Bell as he explores the far corners of our country and its various groups and subcultures.
United Shades of America 2016
The Buried Life
The Buried Life
The Buried Life is a reality documentary series on MTV. The series features Duncan Penn, Jonnie Penn, Ben Nemtin, and Dave Lingwood attempting to complete a list of "100 things to do before you die." The pilot episode aired on January 18, 2010, and the show was renewed for a second season in 2010. On Oct 25, 2011, The Buried Life announced they wouldn't be doing any more episodes of the show. However, the show's creators claim they are working on a "new and improved" show for the network based on the premise of the original series. Penn, Lingwood, Penn and Nemtin released their first book as The Buried Life, "What Do You Want to Do Before You Die?" on March 27, 2012. On the week of its release the book climbed to #1 on the NYT Best Sellers List.
The Buried Life 2010
Deadly Women
Deadly Women
This compelling series investigates the motives and m.o. of female murderers. While males are often driven by anger, impulse and destruction, women usually have more complex, long-term reasons to kill.
Deadly Women 2005
Cold Case Files
Cold Case Files
There are over 100,000 cold cases in America, and only about 1% are ever solved. With recent advancements in technology and the methods used to solve these cases, as well as the unwavering dedication of victims’ families, law enforcement and the public, “Cold Case Files” explores the cases that defied the odds. Each episode of the Emmy-nominated series examines the twists and turns of one murder case that remained unsolved for years, and the critical element that heated it up, leading to the evidence that finally solved it. Featuring interviews with family members, friends, detectives, and others close to the cases, the refreshed classic series examines all facets of the crime and shines a light on a range of voices and victims.
Cold Case Files 2017
American Monster
American Monster
On any street, behind any smile, lurks an American Monster. Never-before-seen-video footage looks straight into the eyes of a killer, hidden in plain sight. Mom next door; dad across the street; the kid who never broke the rules. Anyone can be a monster.
American Monster 2016
Once Upon a Time... Man
Once Upon a Time... Man
Once Upon a Time… Man is a French animated TV series from 1978 directed by Albert Barillé. It is the first in the Once Upon a Time... franchise. The series explains world history in a format designed for children. The action focuses around one group. The same familiar characters appear in all episodes as they deal with the problems of their time. The series' opening and ending title sequences famously used Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor as the main title theme music. Shortening the piece to only 2 minutes in length, the introduction uses the very beginning, which jumps into the start of the middle section and finally the dramatic ending to coincide with the destruction of Earth at the end of the intro.
Once Upon a Time... Man 1978
Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear
Getting viewers up to speed on all the latest automotive information, with new car reviews, second hand bargains and industry tidbits being the focus of this magazine show.
Fifth Gear 2002
Wild at Heart
Wild at Heart
The Trevanion family decide to make a fresh start and emigrate to South Africa to set up an animal reserve.
Wild at Heart 2006
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
Can you tell the difference between fact and fiction? Several stories of strange, mysterious and incredible occurrences are chronicled during each episode. It is up to the viewer to decide which stories actually happened and which were completely fabricated by the show’s writers. The answer is revealed by Jonathan Frakes at the conclusion of each episode.
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction 1998
Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy
Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy
In the words of Anthony Anderson, Tiffany Haddish, Steve Harvey, Regina King and more, this docuseries tells the unbelievable story of how one man, Guy Torry, moved mountains to launch an all-Black comedy night at The Comedy Store. What started as an experiment in '90s Los Angeles turned into a breeding ground for today's greatest comedians, elevating Black voices to have their turn on the stage.
Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy 2022
Seconds From Disaster
Seconds From Disaster
Seconds from Disaster is a US/UK-produced documentary television programme that investigates historically relevant man-made and natural disasters of the 20th century. Each episode aims to explain a single incidental by analyzing the causes and circumstances that ultimately effected the disaster. The program uses re-enactments, interviews, testimonies, and CGI to analyze the sequence of events second-by-second for the audience. Narrators for the show are Ashton Smith, Richard Vaughan and Peter Guinness.
Seconds From Disaster 2004
Once Upon a Time... The Discoverers
Once Upon a Time... The Discoverers
From flashes of genius to curious experiments, humankind's innovations lead explorers and inventors on a brilliant journey of discovery in this series.
Once Upon a Time... The Discoverers 1994
The Joy of Painting
The Joy of Painting
The Joy of Painting was an American television show hosted by painter Bob Ross that taught its viewers techniques for landscape oil painting. Although Ross could complete a painting in half an hour, the intent of the show was not to teach viewers "speed painting". Rather, he intended for viewers to learn certain techniques within the time that the show was allotted. The show began on January 11, 1983, and lasted until May 17, 1994, a year before Ross' death.
The Joy of Painting 1983
Ride with Norman Reedus
Ride with Norman Reedus
The Walking Dead star and motorcycle enthusiast Norman Reedus hits the open road to explore local biker culture and celebrate the best and brightest collectors, mechanics and craftsmen around the country. Each episode features Reedus and a riding companion – a fellow actor, musician, friend or local chopper fanatic – as they journey to custom bike shops, tattoo parlors, collector’s warehouses, or a roadside smokehouse… with plenty of time for unplanned detours and tire changes.
Ride with Norman Reedus 2016
Biography
Biography
Biography is a documentary television series. It was originally a half-hour filmed series produced for CBS by David Wolper from 1961 to 1964 and hosted by Mike Wallace. The A&E Network later re-ran it and has produced new episodes since 1987. The older version featured historical figures such as Helen Keller and Mark Twain, or long-dead entertainment figures such as Will Rogers or John Barrymore. The A&E series has placed the emphasis on such people as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Plácido Domingo, Freddie Mercury, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Eric Clapton, Pope John Paul II, Gene Tierney, Selena, Diego Rivera, Mao Zedong and Queen Elizabeth II, and fictional characters like The Phantom, Superman, Hamlet, Betty Boop, and Santa Claus. The program ended up profiling enough figures that in 1999, A&E spun it off into an entire network, The Biography Channel.
Biography 1987
Jay Leno's Garage
Jay Leno's Garage
Comedian and former Tonight Show host Jay Leno shares his passion for motor vehicles. Jay and guests drive cars, motorbikes and anything that moves all while meeting new people and exploring the rich motoring history of America and beyond.
Jay Leno's Garage 2015
One Born Every Minute
One Born Every Minute
British observational documentary series which shows activities taking place in the labour ward.
One Born Every Minute 2010
Lore
Lore
This anthology series brings to life Aaron Mahnke's “Lore” podcast and uncovers the real-life events that spawned our darkest nightmares. Blending dramatic scenes, animation, archive and narration, Lore reveals how our horror legends - such as vampires, werewolves and body snatchers - are rooted in truth.
Lore 2017
Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime
Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime
Hosts Ryan & Shane discuss mysteries surrounding notorious unsolved crimes.
Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime 2016
James May: Our Man in…
James May: Our Man in…
James May embarks on a remarkable journey across Japan, from its icy north to its balmy south. He’ll see the sights, meet the locals, and eat the noodles in a bid to truly understand the Land of the Rising Sun.
James May: Our Man in… 2020
Killer Women
Killer Women
Anthology series, in which every episode introduces fictionalized versions of real cases about women who, for different reasons, ended up committing murder.
Killer Women 2005