Popular Documentary TV Shows

The Boys from Brazil: Rise of the Bolsonaros

2022

The Boys from Brazil: Rise of the Bolsonaros

2022
7
The remarkable rise of one of the world’s most controversial leaders, Jair Bolsonaro, from obscurity to the presidency of Brazil.
Sean Combs: The Reckoning

2025

Sean Combs: The Reckoning

2025
6.7
This documentary series unpacks the shocking allegations behind Sean "Diddy" Combs and his Bad Boy empire, spanning decades of his life and career.
Am Schauplatz

1998

Am Schauplatz

1998
Mayday

2003

Mayday

2003
8.2
Major real-life air disasters are depicted in this series. Each episode features a detailed dramatized reconstruction of the incident based on cockpit voice recorders and air traffic control transcripts, as well as eyewitnesses recounts and interviews with aviation experts.
Lecture Room

2001

Lecture Room

2001
10
The World Heritage

2014

The World Heritage

2014
8
TBS’s ”World Heritage,” is a 30-minute weekly documentary series that is registered by UNESCO under Natural Heritage, Cultural Heritage and Cultural Sciences. The program started in spring, 1996, and over a span of 10 years has covered about 560 topics around the world. To better convey the grandeur of these treasures of the world, TBS has shot the series in High-Definition. High quality images, impeccable narrative, and beautiful music...the elements are simple and straightforward. The producers feel that this style of presentation works best to visually document and preserve the wonders of the world, and continue to do so to this day.
Frontline

1983

Frontline

1983
7.5
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.
Horizon

1964

Horizon

1964
7.4
Horizon tells amazing science stories, unravels mysteries and reveals worlds you've never seen before.
NOVA

1974

NOVA

1974
7
PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA demystifies science and technology, and highlights the people involved in scientific pursuits.
私はここに住む理由

2015

私はここに住む理由

2015
10
MythBusters

2003

MythBusters

2003
7.8
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.
Nature

1982

Nature

1982
7.8
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.
Fuse

1962

Fuse

1962
7.6
Fitil is a popular Soviet/Russian television satirical/comedy short film series which ran for about 500 episodes. Some of the episodes were aimed at children, and were called Фитилёк, Fitilyok, Little Fuse. Each issue contained from the few short segments: documentary, fictional and animated ones. Directed by various artists, including Leonid Gaidai who presented his famous trio of Nikulin, Vitsin and Morgunov into the cast. It was called in USSR as "the anecdotes from the Soviet government".
Great Performances

1971

Great Performances

1971
5.8
The best in the performing arts from across America and around the world including a diverse programming portfolio of classical music, opera, popular song, musical theater, dance, drama, and performance documentaries.
Chronicle

1966

Chronicle

1966
Chronicle is a BBC Television series shown monthly and then fortnightly on BBC Two from 18 June 1966 to its last broadcast in May 1991. Chronicle focused on popular archaeology and related subjects. The best remembered episodes of Chronicle were "The Lost Treasure of Jerusalem...?", "The Priest, the Painter and The Devil" and "The Shadow of The Templars". These were presented by Henry Lincoln who later went on to write Holy Blood Holy Grail with Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh. The BBC have made some editions available online
Ancient Aliens

2010

Ancient Aliens

2010
7
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.
Mevlana Rumi

2023

Mevlana Rumi

2023
7.8
In 13th-century Anatolia, as the Mongol threat looms and internal turmoil rages, Rumi, a wise spiritual figure, emerges to assuage people's fears. His timeless words unite reason and compassion, inspiring change.
MeatEater

2012

MeatEater

2012
8.1
Hunter, author, cook and conservationist Steven Rinella treks into the world's most remote, beautiful regions, bringing game meat from field to table.
Prehistoric Planet

2022

Prehistoric Planet

2022
8.3
Experience the wonders of our world like never before in this epic series from Jon Favreau and the producers of Planet Earth. Travel back 66 million years to when majestic dinosaurs and extraordinary creatures roamed the lands, seas, and skies.
Retro

2008

Retro

2008
8

Popular Documentary TV Shows

2022

2022

2025

2025

1998

1998

2003

2003

2001

2001

2014

2014

1983

1983

1964

1964

1974

1974

2015

2015

2003

2003

1982

1982

1962

1962

1971

1971

1966

1966

2010

2010

2023

2023

2012

2012

2022

2022

2008

2008