Documentaries comprise a substantial chunk of the streaming content on Netflix. Most viewers are likely to be more familiar with Netflix's roster of shows and movies, but the streamer's growing list of documentaries and docu-series deserve just as much attention from subscribers. From the classic nature, technology, sports, and true-crime documentaries, to ones that dive deep into art, unexplained mysteries, politics, history, and even philosophy, it's all on Netflix.

Whether formatted as a movie or series, Netflix documentaries provide subscribers with entirely new stories and knowledge bases to discover. While the genre is traditionally more popular for documentaries about nature and true crime, there are documentaries today about practically any topic under and beyond the sun. Here are some of the best documentaries on Netflix, what they're about, and why they deserve to be seen.

For more streaming recommendations, be sure to check out the best movies on Netflix and the best TV shows on Netflix.

10 Dirty Money (2018-2020)

In a nutshell, Dirty Money is the raw, unfiltered story of unhinged capitalism. The docuseries comes from Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney, and it's about evidence-based stories focused on corporate corruption. Most notably, there are episodes dedicated to the rise of Donald Trump, the scandals surrounding Jared Kushner's real estate properties, and the fraudulent, destructive, but profitable activities of mining, banking, and manufacturing companies. A deep dive into the unethical practices that produce billionaires, critics and audiences agree that Dirty Money is one of the best documentaries found on Netflix.

Related: Dirty Money & 9 Other Fascinating Business Documentaries You Should Watch

9 Don't F**k With Cats (2019)

Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer is about a crowdsourced investigation into a man who filmed himself killing two kittens and posted it on the internet. While the producers tracked down the man, the police were closing in on the perpetrator as well, as it's revealed that he also killed a foreign exchange student while filming the act as well. While ultimately worth a watch on Netflix, viewers should be warned that the first episode contains horrifying moments of animal cruelty. Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer is absolutely not for the faint of heart, but true-crime and gore hounds will love it.

8 The Movies That Made Us (2021)

A spinoff from the Netflix original series, The Toys That Made Us, the docuseries The Movies That Made Us looks at landmark movies in the 1980s and 1990s and the stories behind them - from how they were made to why they have become so important in many people's lives. With movies like Home Alone, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, and more, it takes people of a certain age on a walk back to their childhood in a way few other documentaries could. It's also one of the best documentaries on Netflix for younger audiences to learn about the original movies that spawned today's popular reboots and sequels.

7 Pamela, A Love Story (2022)

The limited series Pam & Tommy was a big hit and received critical acclaim for its dramatized version of the story of Pamela Anderson. However, the series was also criticized by Anderson herself, who has fired back with a documentary to tell her side of the story. Pamela: A Love Story follows the life and rise to fame of Pamela Anderson, including her take on being in the media spotlight for aspects she would rather have kept private. One of the best documentaries available on Netflix today, it features never-before-seen-footage, journals, and revelations about Pamela Anderson that might put her life in a different context for audiences.

6 Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017)

Jim Carrey is perhaps the most famous example of how some the world's greatest comedic performers seem to also slide effortlessly into dramatic roles. This is explored in the bizarre and fascinating documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond. The movie documents Carrey's process of playing Andy Kaufman in the biopic Man on the Moon, during which Carrey claims to have actually become the ground-breaking comic, which resulted in him refusing to break character during the entire shoot. Whether for those who want to understand one of Jim Carrey's greatest dramatic roles, or just marvel at his inconsiderate approach to method acting, it's one of the best documentaries on Netflix.

5 My Octopus Teacher (2020)

Many Netflix documentaries are about the lives of animals and how they're connected to human activities, but few feature a friendship like in My Octopus Teacher. The movie tells the story of filmmaker Craig Foster who, after spending years swimming in the waters of Africa, encountered an octopus and befriended the curious intelligent creature. My Octopus Teacher perfectly balances a deeply emotional story with crucial educational points about humanity's relationships with the planet's ecosystems, making it one of the most uplifting documentaries in recent history. In 2021, My Octopus Teacher won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

4 Making A Murderer (2015 - 2018)

Years after Steven Avery was released from prison after being wrongly convicted, he found himself back in prison on another questionable charge. Making a Murderer provides insight into just how faulty and biased the American judicial system is. Some might not appreciate that the Making a Murderer director is on Avery's side, but it still makes for a compelling true-crime story, and one of the most famous to date. Whichever side of the legal debacle viewers find themselves on in terms of Avery's case, Making a Murderer is worth a watch for Netflix subscribers in search of a good documentary.

3 David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet (2020)

David Attenborough's soothing voice and knowledgeable narration are at the center of some of the best documentaries on Netflix. As a journalist, he has visited every continent and shed light on the different ecosystems and landscapes on Earth. However, in A Life on Our Planet, Attenborough talks about something more serious: the manmade disasters he has observed throughout his six-decade career. Attenborough and his team know how to create a compelling narrative with these stunning images, and it's clear that the documentary aims to inform rather than preach. Both children and adults will find A Life On Our Planet to be a captivating and thoroughly educational nature docuseries.

2 Icarus (2017)

One of the most fascinating aspects of Icarus is how it shows the unplanned and surprising ways documentaries can be taken in new directions. The story begins as a mission to uncover the truth about doping in sports, but a chance meeting with a Russian scientist eventually uncovers an international conspiracy much bigger than the filmmakers could have imagined. While there are gripping spy movies based on true events, few are as intense and riveting as watching this real-life intrigue accidentally unfold. Icarus won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2018.

1 13th (2016)

Ava DuVernay's documentary, The 13th, explores the history of racial inequality in the U.S. It opens with the famous Barack Obama quote, "The U.S. is home to 5 percent of the world's population, but 25 percent of the world's prisoners." The main message is that while slavery (in its most recognized sense) might be gone, the struggles of Black people continue through issues such as mass incarceration, dehumanization, and judicial corruption. 13th received several accolades, including a BAFTA Award. It is a troubling and thought-provoking Netflix documentary that, sadly, remains highly relevant and timely today.