It feels as if there's a banger new doco hitting Netflix every other week these days, and boy do we love a high brow piece of film to break up all the trashy binges that fill our weekends.
Although it came out early in the year, we're still telling everyone that'll listen about Will & Harper—the sweetest, at times slightly gut wrenching doco following Will Farrell and former SNL head writer Harper Steele on a charming and slightly chaotic road trip across the US chatting about Harper's choice to transition and the plight its taken to be authentically her. Completely changing that goofball, slightly irritating (IMH) persona Farrell's always been characterised for, I loved every second of this and have watched it multiple times with tissues close by.
Not for you? Fear not, because here are all the best Netflix documentaries to watch right now in autumn 2025.
Lover, Stalker, Killer
Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action
Bringing back a little nostalgia from sick days spent at home in front of day time telly (before our parents would turn it off) is the new, rather shocking doco Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action that takes you into the topsy turvy world of that hectic tv hit. Delving into a ton of contraversies that happened not only on but also off-screen with some salacious and downright ridiculous scandals, it's almost laughable what went on over the span the whopping 27 seasons on air.
Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy
Martha
In Martha, Netflix presents an intimate look into the life and impact of Martha Stewart, a name synonymous with lifestyle and home decor. This documentary dives beyond her public persona, exploring her journey from a self-made business mogul to a cultural icon, as well as the controversies that shaped her story. With candid interviews, archival footage, and insights into her rise to fame, Martha offers a compelling portrait of resilience, reinvention, and the complexities of maintaining an empire.
The Menendez Brothers
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This gripping new Netflix documentary dives deep into the notorious case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, with the brothers breaking their silence after nearly 30 years. Through exclusive interviews from prison, they reveal their perspective on the shocking murders of their parents. Featuring key figures from the trial, this is a must-watch for true crime fans hungry for fresh insights into one of America’s most infamous cases. Buckle up—this one will leave you speechless.
Will & Harper
The Man With 1000 Kids
Prepare for a jaw-dropping dive into one of the most shocking fertility scandals in history. The Man With 1000 Kids uncovers the disturbing story of Dr. Jan Karbaat, a Dutch fertility doctor who secretly used his own sperm to father over 1000 children without his patients' consent. Through emotional interviews with the children, their families, and those involved in bringing Karbaat's actions to light, this documentary explores the devastating consequences of deception and the search for identity. It's a gripping and unsettling tale that questions the ethics of reproductive medicine and the power dynamics at play.
American Murder: Laci Peterson
American Murder: Laci Peterson revisits one of America’s most heartbreaking and infamous true crime cases. Laci Peterson, a young, pregnant woman, went missing on Christmas Eve in 2002, and the nation watched as her story unfolded in the media. This documentary delves deep into the investigation, the media frenzy, and the eventual trial of her husband, Scott Peterson, who was convicted of her murder. Featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews with those closest to Laci, the film sheds light on the emotional toll of the case and the search for justice in the midst of public outrage. It’s a haunting look at a tragic crime that shocked the world.
America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Step into the world of glitz, glamour, and high-kicks with America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. This captivating docuseries takes you behind the scenes with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, one of the most iconic cheerleading squads in history. Explore the rigorous audition process, the intense training regimen, and the personal stories of the women who make the cut. Whether you're a sports fan or simply enjoy a good behind-the-scenes doco, this one is a must-watch.
Stamped From The Beginning
Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams brings Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s New York Times bestseller to the screen with Stamped From the Beginning. Published in 2016, Dr. Kendi’s National Book Award winner chronicles the entire story of anti-Black racist ideas and their staggering power over the course of American history.
Bad Surgeon: Love Under The Knife
This three-part docuseries tells the story of super surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. Paolo was globally lauded for creating the world’s first plastic organs. Now, he's accused of being a fraud and a fantasist.
Beckham
One of the biggest documentaries Netflix has gifted us, this Emmy-winning, four-part documentary series, tells the inside story of a global football star and cultural icon—David Beckham. From his humble working-class beginnings in east London, his drive and determination to win, and the battle to find balance between ambition, love and family, David’s story is one of immense ups and downs.
The Deepest Breath
Be warned, this Netflix documentary will bring on the tears. In this one, a champion freediver and expert safety diver almost seemed destined for one another despite the different paths they took to meet at the pinnacle of the freediving world.
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Break Point
From the team behind F1: Drive to Survive, Break Point follows a select group of top tennis players on and off the court as they compete in Grand Slams and tournaments all over the world. Their dream: lifting a trophy and becoming number one. As some of tennis’ legends reach the twilight of their careers, this is the chance for a new generation to claim the spotlight. Break Point gets up close and personal with these players over a year competing across the globe in the ATP and WTA tours.
Harry & Meghan
Across six episodes, this docuseries series explores the days of Harry and Meghan's early courtship and the challenges that led to them feeling forced to step back from their full-time roles in the institution. You can expect a whole lot of never-before seen footage, TikTok theories and interviews with their close friends and family.
Capturing The Killer Nurse
Charlie Cullen was an experienced registered nurse, trusted and beloved by his colleagues at Somerset Medical Center in New Jersey. He was also one of history’s most prolific serial killers, with a body count potentially numbering in the hundreds across multiple medical facilities in the Northeast. Based on The Good Nurse, this documentary reveals the twisted story behind Cullen’s hidden spree of murders.
Conversations With A Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes
When Milwaukee police entered the apartment of 31-year-old Jeffrey Dahmer in July of 1991, they uncovered the grisly personal museum of a serial killer: a freezer full of human heads, skulls and bones. Dahmer quickly confessed to sixteen murders in Wisconsin over the previous four years, plus one more in Ohio in 1978, as well as unimaginable acts of necrophilia and cannibalism.
Trainwreck: Woodstock '99
Woodstock ‘99 was supposed to be a millennium-defining celebration of peace, love and great music. Instead, the festival degenerated into a catastrophe of fires, riots and destruction. With rare insider footage and eyewitness interviews with a line-up of festival staffers, performers and attendees, this fresh docuseries goes behind the scenes to reveal the egos, greed and music that fueled three days of chaos.
Girl In The Picture
Okay people, if you're one of the sick humans that absolutely loses their mind over horror films, buckle in because this Netflix documentary has your name written all over it. Brought to you by the director who blessed your screens with Hidden In Plain Sight, this fresh doco tells the story of how a young mother’s mysterious death and her son’s subsequent kidnapping blow open a decades-long mystery about the woman’s true identity.
Keep Sweet: Pray And Obey
In 2008, a dramatic raid at the Yearning for Zion Ranch in West Texas generated attention around the world, as law enforcement agents uncovered evidence of sexual, physical and psychological abuse and took over 400 children into custody. Keep Sweet: Pray And Obey, directed by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Rachel Dretzin, is an in-depth look into the secretive polygamous sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the rise of self-professed prophet Warren Jeffs.
My Octopus Teacher
After years spent filming some of the planet’s most dangerous animals, Craig Foster was burned out and depressed, his family relationships in turmoil. He decided to put a halt to his career to reconnect with his own roots—the magical underwater world of the kelp forest off the coast of his hometown—Cape Town, South Africa.
Rising Phoenix
This tear-jerker tells the extraordinary story of the Paralympic Games—from the rubble of World War II to the third biggest sporting event on the planet, it sparked a global movement which continues to change the way the world thinks about disability, diversity and human potential.
In Rising Phoenix elite athletes and insiders reflect on the Paralympic Games and examine how they have impacted society’s understanding of disability. Athletes featured in the film include a slew of super inspiring humans like Aussie swimmer Ellie Cole and wheelchair rugby player Ryley Batt. There’s also moving chats with French sprinter Jean-Baptiste Alaize, American archery legend Matt Stutzman and Chinese powerlifter Cui Zhe—so keep the tissues close.
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Image credit: Netflix
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