Looking for a good documentary to watch this weekend (or whenever)? Don't be wooed by Netflix's big red logo—they don't have the market cornered on docs.In fact, HBO Max has one of the most prestigious libraries of excellent and award-winning documentaries of any streaming service, and they're all there for the taking.But as we head into May and wait for all of HBO Max's upcoming titles to make it to the screen (including a few anticipated docs), I've assembled a wild miniseries and two fascinating documentary movies for you.
The first is a two-parter that delves into the world of drag queens and a mysterious murder in Kentucky, the second is a joyride through the smooth sounds of Yacht Rock, and the last is a profile of a larger-than-life wrestling legend that you shouldn't miss.3 Murder in Glitterball City (2026) Drag, drugs, and a Louisville mansion mystery If you're a fan of fascinating subcultures and scenes and sensational true-crime drama, stop scrolling on this tasty HBO Max Original miniseries that my wife and I devoured in one sitting.In June of 2010, Louisville police pulled the body of James "Jamie" Carroll, a drag performer and hairstylist, from the basement of an old Victorian mansion in Old Louisville, Kentucky—Carroll had been missing for seven months.
The suspects? Homeowner Jeffrey Mundt and his lover, Joey Bandis, who were both charged with the murder.is a wild two-parter that tells the story.From the filmmakers behind , , and , the series was inspired by David Domine's nonfiction book , and explores the heated court case that saw the two lovers point the finger at one another.
It covers their separate trials, bizarre, conflicting confessions, and a famous video recording that's still hard to decipher.Stitched together using courtroom footage, interrogation tapes, and candid interviews with many of the colorful and vibrant members of Old Louisville's LGBTQ+ community (Louisville is also the birthplace of the disco ball, hence the nickname), is a riveting watch that will leave you shaking your head.Murder in Glitterball City Documentary Release Date 2026 - 2026-00-00 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming Network HBO Directors Fenton Bailey Producers Mona Card Seasons 1 Powered by Expand Collapse 2 Music Box: Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary (2024) Smooth sailing through soft rock's best genre The smooth, breezy sounds of Christopher Cross's "Sailing" frequently wafted through my house growing up in the '80s, gently threatening to "take me away to where I always heard it could be." Which is weird, because the term "Yacht Rock" wasn't used to describe the soft, jazz-tinged pop from artists like Michael McDonald, Toto, and Steely Dan until 2005, when a group of comedians donned captain's hats to poke fun at it in some videos.
In Garret Price's () HBO Max doc, —the latest in the streamer's excellent Music Box anthology series—we set sail for a fun exploration of the genre that ruled for roughly a decade in the mid '70s.Quiz 8 Questions · Test Your KnowledgeHBO Max movies and showsTrivia challengeFrom Westeros to the ER — how well do you know HBO Max's biggest hits and most talked-about originals?DramaComedyFantasyMoviesCharactersBegin 01 / 8DramaIn The Pitt, what type of medical facility serves as the primary setting for the series?AA trauma surgery wingBA Pittsburgh hospital emergency roomCA rural urgent care clinicDA military field hospitalCorrect! The Pitt is set in a Pittsburgh hospital emergency room and follows the staff through a single grueling 15-hour shift.The show stars Noah Wyle and was created as a spiritual successor to the classic ER.Not quite.
The Pitt takes place in a Pittsburgh hospital emergency room, not a surgery wing or clinic.The show unfolds in real time over one intense 15-hour shift, giving it a grounded, unrelenting pace.Continue 02 / 8ComedyIn Hacks, what is the profession of Deborah Vance, the character played by Jean Smart?AA retired Broadway actressBA veteran stand-up comedianCA Hollywood talent agentDA late-night talk show hostCorrect! Deborah Vance is a legendary Las Vegas stand-up comedian who reluctantly teams up with a young, struggling comedy writer named Ava.Jean Smart's performance earned her widespread critical acclaim and multiple Emmy Awards.Not quite.
Deborah Vance is a veteran stand-up comedian — a Las Vegas legend who is forced to collaborate with a younger comedy writer to reinvent her act.Jean Smart won Emmy Awards for the role.Continue 03 / 8FantasyHouse of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones — approximately how many years before the events of Game of Thrones does it take place?AAbout 50 yearsBAbout 100 yearsCAbout 200 yearsDAbout 300 yearsCorrect! House of the Dragon is set roughly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones.It depicts the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, a catastrophic conflict over succession to the Iron Throne.Not quite.
House of the Dragon is set approximately 200 years before Game of Thrones, not 50 or 100 years.The series is based on George R.R.Martin's Fire & Blood and covers the Targaryen dynasty at the height of its power.Continue 04 / 8MoviesIn the 2025 horror film Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, what supernatural threat do twin brothers face in the Deep South?AA cult of witchesBVampiresCA demonic possession outbreakDA vengeful ghostCorrect! Sinners features vampires as the central supernatural threat.
Ryan Coogler's film stars Michael B.Jordan in a dual role as the twin brothers, and blends horror with themes of race, music, and history in 1930s Mississippi.Not quite.The supernatural menace in Sinners is vampires.
Director Ryan Coogler crafted the film as a genre-bending horror story set in 1930s Mississippi, starring Michael B.Jordan as twin brothers caught in a terrifying night of violence.Continue 05 / 8MoviesWeapons, the 2025 horror anthology film on Max, was written and directed by which filmmaker?AJames WanBAri AsterCZach CreggerDMike FlanaganCorrect! Weapons was written and directed by Zach Cregger, who previously broke out with the acclaimed horror film Barbarian in 2022.The anthology follows multiple interconnected stories tied together by a disturbing central mystery.Not quite.
Weapons was directed by Zach Cregger, best known for directing Barbarian.Cregger has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting voices in modern horror, and Weapons continued that momentum on Max.Continue 06 / 8FantasyA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is another Game of Thrones prequel series — which character does it primarily follow?AAegon the ConquerorBSer Duncan the TallCBrynden Rivers, the BloodravenDBaelor BreakspearCorrect! The series centers on Ser Duncan the Tall, a hedge knight, and his young squire Egg — who is secretly the young prince Aegon Targaryen.The story is based on George R.R.
Martin's Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas.Not quite.A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follows Ser Duncan the Tall, a wandering hedge knight, alongside his squire Egg.The show is adapted from George R.R.
Martin's beloved Dunk and Egg novellas set a century before Game of Thrones.Continue 07 / 8DramaOne Battle After Another, the 2025 Max limited series, is based on a novel by which author?ACormac McCarthyBDon DeLilloCThomas PynchonDDenis JohnsonCorrect! One Battle After Another is adapted from Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland.The series marks a rare screen adaptation of Pynchon's notoriously complex work, and generated significant buzz for its ambitious literary source material.Not quite.The series is based on the work of Thomas Pynchon, one of American literature's most elusive and celebrated novelists.
Adapting Pynchon for television is a rare and ambitious undertaking given the dense, layered nature of his writing.Continue 08 / 8DramaIn Euphoria, what substance addiction is central to the storyline of the main character, Rue, played by Zendaya?AAlcoholBPrescription pillsCOpioidsDMethamphetamineCorrect! Rue's battle with opioid addiction is a core thread running through Euphoria.The show uses her struggle as a lens to explore trauma, identity, and mental health among teenagers, and Zendaya won Emmy Awards for her portrayal.Not quite.Rue struggles primarily with opioid addiction throughout Euphoria.
Creator Sam Levinson drew on personal experience to shape her character, and Zendaya's raw, emotionally powerful performance earned her back-to-back Emmy wins.See My Score Challenge CompleteYour Score/ 8Thanks for playing!Try Again The 95-minute doc gives the stage to Yach Rock's biggest architects to reflect on the musical movement they had no idea they were creating.McDonald, Cross, Kenny Loggins, as well as Toto's Steve Lukather, David Paich, and Steve Porcaro, all sit for the camera and reminisce, laugh, tell stories, and even poke fun at themselves and the monster they created.The doc also brings in some modern fans of the genre to talk, including Questlove, Thundercat, Mac DeMarco, and Fred Armisen, who share storied and memories of what the music meant for them, too.
is a fun, fascinating watch full of great music that will for sure strike a nostalgic chord.It currently has a 91% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary Like Documentary Music Release Date November 14, 2024 Runtime 95 minutes Director Garret Price Producers Bill Simmons, Jody Gerson, Adam Gibbs, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Marc Cimino, Sean Fennessey, Tina Nguyen Cast See All Christopher Cross Self Kenny Loggins Michael McDonald Steve Porcaro Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming Powered by Expand Collapse 1 Andre the Giant (2018) The beautiful life of The Eighth Wonder of the World "And from Grenoble, in the French Alps, weighing 477 pounds, the Eighth Wonder of the World, Andre the Giant!" In lieu of the recent release of Hulk Hogan's much more sensationalized Netflix documentary, , I felt like I needed a wrestling legend palate cleanser.
So I turned to one of the best sports documentaries I've ever seen for a rewatch, and I wasn't disappointed.HBO's 2018 documentary, , is an astonishing profile of an astonishing human being, who was one of the legends of the wrestling world, not just for his enormous stature but for his enormous heart (quite literally, it turns out).HBO Max doc picks - subscribe for curated recommendations Subscribe to the newsletter for curated HBO Max documentary picks, insightful context on standout titles like Andre the Giant and Yacht Rock, and smart streaming recommendations - plus more great doc and series suggestions across platforms.
Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.You can unsubscribe anytime.Before Hogan, before Wrestlemania, and before Inigo Montoya and Westly needed him to rescue a princess, André René Roussimoff was a little French kid with gigantism and acromegaly, a hormonal disorder that would cause him to grow to 6'3" and 240 pounds by the time he was 12, and 7'4" and more than 500 pounds at his peak.
The gentle Roussimoff would make the most of his condition, rising to global fame in the ring as Andre the Giant, on screen in movies like and in popular culture.But his condition was also his downfall, and while director Jason Hehir paints a picture of the legendary figure's highs, he also delves into the chronic pain and loneliness Roussimoff endured as his body ceased growing—his heart simply couldn't support his massive body, and he eventually died of a cardiac arrest in 1993.is a beautiful and tragic profile of the enigmatic superstar and human being.
Not that it matters, but the film was a critical giant, too, scoring a 92% critics rating and 90% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.Like the man, it's incredible, and you should watch it.Andre the Giant Documentary Release Date April 10, 2018 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming Cast André Roussimoff, Hulk Hogan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vince McMahon, Ric Flair, Gene Okerlund, Billy Crystal, Rob Reiner, Robin Wright, Jerry Lawler, Cary Elwes, Shane McMahon, Rick Blood Sr., Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, Randy Poffo, Pat Patterson, Robert Marella, Gordon Solie, Sylvester Ritter, Dave Meltzer, Khosrow Vaziri, Big John Studd, Ken Patera, Morley Safer Runtime 85 minutes Director Jason Hehir Producers Kevin Dunn, Rick Bernstein, Bill Simmons Powered by Expand Collapse There you go, three excellent documentaries on HBO Max to get into this weekend or next week, or whenever you like.
If you're looking for more on HBO Max, we also offer regular suggestions for great TV series to watch on the service each week.HBO Max Subscription with ads Yes, $10.99/month Simultaneous streams 2 or 4 HBO Max is a subscription-based streaming service offering content from HBO, Warner Bros., DC, and more.In 2025, the service re-branded itself as HBO Max after having previously cut "HBO" from its name.
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