Above all the other streaming services out there, Netflix has a penchant for delivering a consistent stream of compelling and interesting documentaries and docuseries.And U.S.subscribers to the service keep eating them up, proving they'd rather watch something true than something invented—, which we covered last week, is still in the Top 10, and , my top pick this week, sits at No.
2 as I type this.Everything below arrived on Netflix this month, all three within the past couple of weeks.My current obsessions, however, include another tantalizing food show from the folks at America's Test Kitchen, the unique telling of a controversial Mexican scandal that rocked a nation, and, as mentioned above, a new installment in Netflix's popular series.
Happy weekend, everyone.3 On the Road America's Test Kitchen brings its road trip exclusively to Netflix I've been absolutely loving all the new America's Test Kitchen content making its way to Netflix recently.The multi-platform media company has been a public television fixture since 2001, and this latest ATK addition to the streamer is its first video series exclusively produced for Netflix , which takes its name from host Bryan Roof's long-running column/show, is eight all-new episodes of travel and American food culture, in which ATK's resident road-tripper, Roof, sits down with the farmers, fishermen, artisans, cheesemakers, BBQ pit masters, and home cooks behind some of America's most delicious dishes.
The beautifully shot and produced 25-ish-minute episodes aren't bloated with talking heads—Roof instead hangs with the creators in their kitchens, counters, and backyards, letting them explain their dishes.Standout episodes include South Texas barbecue, New Orleans po'boys, and Oregon's wood-fired cooking masters.You'll be hungry afterward, guaranteed.
2 A Child of My Own A notorious Mexican fake-pregnancy scandal, told two different ways Chilean director Maite Alberdi already has two Oscar nominations under her belt—for her documentaries and a heart-wrenching study of Alzheimer's.But her latest, a Mexican production that landed on Netflix on August 13 with an 81% Tomatometer rating, is a drama-documentary hybrid that tells the story of a notorious abduction case in a unique way.retraces the story of Eleonor Alejandra "Ale" Marín Mendoza, a hospital worker in Mexico City who, after a string of miscarriages and relentless pressure from her husband and family, fakes her own pregnancy.
The lie quickly spirals out of control as her due date approaches, resulting in the desperate kidnapping of a newborn from her hospital's maternity ward, sparking a scandal that consumed the country.Alberdi interestingly splits the film's 96-minute runtime in two—the first 50 minutes is a dramatized telenovela-style telling of Ale's anxiety-ridden side of the story, with actress Ana Celeste Montalvo as Ale.The second half flips on a dime to a more formal, documentary-style format, with archival footage and the camera turned on real people in present-day interviews—including Ale, her husband, Arturo, and the baby's real mother, Mayra Navarro Vega, who tells a very different version of the story.
Quiz 8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge Best true-crime documentaries on NetflixTrivia challenge Think you know your cold cases from your con artists? Test your knowledge of Netflix's most gripping true-crime stories. DocumentariesCold CasesCon ArtistsMurdersDocuseries Begin 01 / 8 Docuseries Which Netflix docuseries follows the story of Steven Avery, a man who was exonerated after 18 years in prison only to be charged with murder shortly after? AThe KeepersBThe StaircaseCMaking a MurdererDEvil Genius Correct! Making a Murderer, released in 2015, became a cultural phenomenon and sparked widespread debate about wrongful convictions and the American justice system. Filmmakers Laura Ricciardi and Monika Chai spent ten years documenting Steven Avery's case in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Not quite — the answer is Making a Murderer.Released in 2015, it follows Steven Avery, who was exonerated of sexual assault after 18 years only to be charged with the murder of Teresa Halbach.The series raised serious questions about police misconduct and evidence tampering. Continue 02 / 8 Con Artists The Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler focuses on a con man who posed as a wealthy heir to which real-world business dynasty? AThe Rothschild familyBThe Murdoch familyCThe Lauder familyDThe Leviev diamond family Correct! Simon Leviev falsely claimed to be the son of Lev Leviev, a real Israeli billionaire diamond mogul.
He used this fabricated identity to romance women on Tinder and manipulate them into lending him hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not quite — the answer is the Leviev diamond family.Simon Leviev, whose real name is Shimon Hayut, posed as the son of Israeli diamond billionaire Lev Leviev to gain the trust of women he met on Tinder.He then swindled them out of large sums of money under the guise of being in danger. Continue 03 / 8 Cold Cases The Keepers, a 2017 Netflix docuseries, investigates the unsolved murder of which victim? AA Baltimore schoolteacher named Sister Cathy CesnikBA New York journalist named Kathleen DurstCA Chicago nurse named Pamela MossDA Washington D.C.
librarian named Anne Marie Fahey Correct! Sister Cathy Cesnik was a beloved Catholic nun and high school teacher in Baltimore whose 1969 murder remains officially unsolved.The Keepers digs into allegations that her death was connected to a cover-up of sexual abuse at Archbishop Keough High School. Not quite — the answer is Sister Cathy Cesnik, a Catholic nun and teacher from Baltimore.The Keepers examines her mysterious 1969 murder alongside disturbing allegations of institutional abuse at the Catholic school where she worked, suggesting the two may be deeply connected. Continue 04 / 8 Murders Which Netflix documentary features Robert Durst, a real estate heir, who made a stunning apparent confession while wearing a hot mic? AThe JinxBDon't F**k with CatsCI Care a LotDThe Vow Correct! The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst is an HBO production that is widely available and referenced on Netflix platforms.
In the final episode, Durst was caught on a bathroom microphone muttering, 'What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.' He was later convicted of murder in 2021. Not quite — the answer is The Jinx.Robert Durst, a wealthy New York real estate heir, was the subject of this explosive docuseries.In a bathroom he thought was private, he was caught on a live microphone apparently confessing to multiple killings, leading to his eventual arrest and 2021 murder conviction. Continue 05 / 8 Docuseries Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer centers on the online manhunt for a killer who first gained notoriety by posting what kind of videos online? AVideos threatening public figuresBVideos of himself committing arsonCVideos showing the torture and killing of catsDVideos of staged kidnappings Correct! Luka Magnotta first drew internet attention by posting videos of himself killing cats, which prompted a massive online community to try to unmask him before he escalated.
The series shows how amateur internet sleuths tracked him long before he committed murder. Not quite — the answer is videos showing the torture and killing of cats.Luka Magnotta posted these videos online, which prompted a group of internet users to attempt to identify him.Tragically, their investigation came too late to prevent him from murdering Jun Lin in 2012. Continue 06 / 8 Con Artists Bad Vegan: Fame.
Fraud.Fugitives.tells the story of Sarma Melngailis, a celebrity restaurateur who was manipulated into committing financial fraud by a man who claimed he could do what? AMake her the world's most famous chefBMake her dog immortalCGive her access to a secret vegan research networkDHelp her open a restaurant empire in Europe Correct! Anthony Strangis, the man Sarma married, convinced her that he had mystical powers and could make her beloved dog Leon immortal if she proved her loyalty — which she did by funneling money and going on the run with him.
The story is as bizarre as it sounds. Not quite — the answer is that he claimed he could make her dog immortal.Anthony Strangis used this outlandish promise, along with psychological manipulation, to convince Sarma Melngailis to embezzle money from her own acclaimed New York restaurant, Pure Food and Wine, and eventually flee with him as fugitives. Continue 07 / 8 Cults Which Netflix true-crime docuseries examines NXIVM, the organization accused of being a cult that recruited women as 'slaves' and branded them? AThe VowBEscaping Twin FlamesCThe FamilyDHoly Hell Correct! The Vow is an in-depth docuseries about NXIVM, a self-improvement organization led by Keith Raniere that prosecutors proved was actually a criminal enterprise.Former members describe how they were manipulated into a secret sorority called DOS, where women were branded with Raniere's initials. Not quite — the answer is The Vow.
This multi-part Netflix docuseries examines NXIVM and its leader Keith Raniere, who was ultimately convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering in 2019.Several high-profile members, including Smallville actress Allison Mack, were also charged in connection with the organization. Continue 08 / 8 Murders The Staircase, one of the earliest true-crime docuseries on Netflix, follows the trial of Michael Peterson, who was accused of murdering his wife at the bottom of what? AA swimming poolBA staircase in their Durham, North Carolina homeCA staircase in a French chateauDA hotel fire escape Correct! Michael Peterson was accused of killing his wife Kathleen at the bottom of a staircase in their Durham, North Carolina home in 2001.The case became famous for the bizarre 'owl theory' defense and was later adapted into a scripted HBO drama series of the same name. Not quite — the answer is a staircase in their Durham, North Carolina home.
Michael Peterson claimed his wife Kathleen fell accidentally, but prosecutors argued she was beaten to death.The case is also famous for the unusual 'owl theory,' which suggested an owl attack may have caused her injuries before she fell. See My Score Challenge Complete Your Score / 8 Thanks for playing! Try Again 1 Untold: The Testimony of Vince Young A football legend comes clean in this raw documentary Netflix continues mining the messiest stories and candid revelations of some of the sports world's biggest names in its popular series of documentaries.is the latest of the series and is the first of three that will roll out into early September—followed by a film about Aussie Olympic breakdancer Rachael Gunn, on September 1, and on September 8.
The 78-minute documentary puts the spotlight squarely on troubled former quarterback Vince Young, who, as the title suggests, gives his own candid testimony on his life, football career, and struggles.Directed by John Henion (showrunner of FX's ), the revealing doc traces Young's storied rise to football fame, revisiting the iconic 2006 Rose Bowl in which his Texas Longhorns beat USC to win the national title, and his 2006 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year season in Tennessee that followed.But things take a downward turn for Young as his highly public feud with Titans head coach Jeff Fisher spirals, followed by anger, drinking, bankruptcy, rehab, and the tragic murder of his NFL mentor Steve McNair.
Henion builds the documentary largely from archival footage and first-person interviews with Young supporters like his wife, Candice, former USC quarterback Matt Leinart, and Texas coach Mack Brown, as well as honest words from Fisher himself.But, ultimately, it's Young's own on-camera reckoning that makes this such a compelling watch.Fire TV Stick 4K Operating System FireOS Resolution 4K $50 at Amazon Expand Collapse Netflix's docs just keep coming You have to hand it to Netflix for keeping the documentary machine moving ever-forward.
Documentaries are rarely a hard sell, but if you like having someone else find the best ones for you, How-To Geek's streaming section wades through new arrivals every week.Netflix Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams Two or four Live TV No Price Starting at $8/month Stream licensed and original programming with a monthly Netflix subscription.Visit Netflix Expand Collapse
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