The best UFO documentaries on Netflix, alongside those that tackle strange and unexplained phenomena both terrestrial and interstellar, offer scientific looks into the mysterious cases that fascinate the world. The very first UFO and space documentary to make it into the public sphere was Winston Jones’ UFO, a 1956 indie film that included various interviews, re-creations, and documentary footage, chronicling the conclusions of a government study. Winston Jones set the blueprint of what a solid UFO documentary is today — a torch that many weird mystery and UFO documentaries on Netflix still carry.
There’s definitely no shortage of UFO, alien encounter, and mystery-related documentary movies and docuseries on Netflix. Some UFO documentaries like John Was Trying to Contact Aliens seek to find proof of alien life, while others like Alien Worlds focus on the “what if’s” of extraterrestrial planets and how they would function. Meanwhile, Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know, and Ancient Apocalypse investigate the most mysterious scientific phenomena and historical evidence on record. For those looking for insight from beyond the stars, here are the best documentaries about UFOs and other unexplained phenomena on Netflix.
For more streaming recommendations, be sure to check out the best movies on Netflix and the best TV shows on Netflix.
10 Top Secret UFO Projects Declassified (2021)
One of the best UFO documentaries on Netflix right now, Top Secret UFO Projects Declassified lives up to its namesake by exploring UFO monitoring programs implemented by various government bodies, as well as their declassified findings. Government coverups and conspiracies run rampant in the UFO community, but it’s hard to deny some of the hard facts that this Netflix documentary uncovered. Top Secret UFO Projects Declassified is a six-episode miniseries, covering top secret government projects such as the organization MJ-12, Roswell, the involvement of the U.S. army in coverups, and alleged sightings and secrets in Russia.
9 Alien Worlds (2020)
Alien Worlds takes a very different approach to studying extraterrestrial life, and it’s currently one of the best alien documentaries on Netflix. It seeks to imagine what life would be like on other planets using a blend of science fact and science fiction. With stunning CGI visuals and an imaginative core, Alien Worlds is quite unique in its offerings as it takes an approach more akin to nature documentaries like that of David Attenborough’s Our Planet. Alien Worlds consists of four episodes, each around 40 minutes long, and proposes a study of the fictional worlds of Atlas, Janus, Eden, and Terra.
8 John Was Trying to Contact Aliens (2020)
The documentary John Was Trying to Contact Aliens follows the efforts of one John Shepherd, a technological genius living in an Arcadian community, who has spent the last three decades trying to contact extraterrestrials by sending music into outer space. After giving up on his quest, John manages to find love with a man named John Litrenta, making for a much more important story in his own world. One of the best UFO documentaries on Netflix, John Was Trying to Contact Aliens is part UFO exploration and part heartwarming LGBTQ+ Netflix love story. It’s decidedly one of the best UFO documentaries for viewers who want to meet a pioneer of extraterrestrial communication.
7 Connected (2020)
Also known as Connected: The Hidden Science of Everything, this 6-episode docuseries explores the unseen connections that dominate the laws of the universe. While the best UFO documentaries look outward to find answers to humanity’s questions about the cosmos, Connected looks everywhere for cosmic insight, from the tiniest creatures to the largest galactic bodies. From how the migration pattern of birds can more accurately predict hurricanes than modern meteorological methods and technologies, to the mathematical patterns that emerge upon studying the distances between galaxies, host and science reporter Latif Nasser investigates how everything is Connected.
6 Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know (2020)
Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know is technically not one of the best UFO documentaries on Netflix — but it is focused on the most unexplained object to ever be identified in space: the black holes which occur after the death of a star. Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know combines two main perspectives: theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking’s explanation of the phenomena, and the team of scientists who successfully took the first image of a black hole. Humanity still has a long way to go before fully understanding how black holes work, and this documentary is a must-watch for those interested in everything scientists know about the biggest unexplained phenomena in the known universe.
5 Unsolved Mysteries (2020 – )
While Unsolved Mysteries covers the unexplained by leaning more into the true-crime genre of documentary, Unsolved Mysteries season 3, episode 2, “Something in the Sky” brings the quality the show is known for and brings it to the world of extraterrestrial encounters and UFOs. One of the best UFO documentaries on Netflix right now, the episode covers the fateful night of March 8th, 1994, during which 911 dispatchers were overtaken by over 300 phone calls relating to mysterious lights seen over Lake Michigan. Interviewing various witnesses, Unsolved Mysteries says the lights were reportedly tracked by the National Weather Service for several hours, but no answers have come forth, even to this very day.
4 The Secret Of Skinwalker Ranch (2020 – )
Though technically classed as reality TV, The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch is among the best UFO documentaries for those interested in the history of confirmed UFO sightings in the U.S. The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch follows a group of experts and scientists as they explore the mysterious area of Skinwalker Ranch, a 512-acre ranch in Utah’s Uinta Basin that has been the site of a lot of UFO activity since the 1950s. Beginning the series by focusing on the strange cow mutilations that have occurred there, The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch seeks to explore the peculiar area known as “UFO Valley” and uncover 200 years of reported sightings.
3 Ancient Apocalypse (2022)
Graham Hancock’s investigations on lost civilizations are unraveled in Ancient Apocalypse, an 8-episode docuseries. From Gunung Padang in Indonesia and the Great Pyramid of Cholula in Mexico – the largest pyramids in the world – to the ancient neolithic archeological site Göbekli Tepe in Turkey and the Megalithic Temples of Malta, Hancock visits places that could potentially reveal the lost history of ancient humanity. Ancient Apocalypse will definitely interest viewers looking for the best UFO documentaries, as it also explores unexplained mysteries that could explain humanity’s role on the planet, with Graham Hancock being assisted by experts studying the locations he investigates.
2 MH370: The Plane That Disappeared (2023)
MH370: The Plane That Disappeared is a docuseries that seeks to explain the still-unresolved mystery of the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and its 239 passengers. Over three episodes, MH370: The Plane That Disappeared dissects all the known details regarding where the plane disappeared, and what could have happened. This includes deep dives into the investigations of local Malaysian and Vietnamese authorities into the matter, as well as the conspiracy theories that have been birthed by the incident. To this day, this mystery remains unsolved, and MH370 is yet to be found, which is what makes this docuseries all the more compelling.
1 The UnXplained (2019 – )
With the incomparable Star Trek star William Shatner acting as host, The UnXplained seeks to relay information about everything strange and unusual. From ancient monoliths to the Bermuda Triangle, if it’s an unexplained phenomenon, chances are The UnXplained has done an episode about it. While it’s not as high-budget as some of the other documentaries about UFOs and other space mysteries on Netflix, The UnXplained is the one most guaranteed to tick almost every weird mystery fan’s personal documentary bucket list. This includes several episodes about UFOs and possible alien life, which is why it’s one of the best UFO documentaries on Netflix right now. The UnXplained season 2, episode 4, “The Truth About UFOs” chronicles some of the most famous UFO mysteries that have plagued the U.S., exploring all sides of the debate, with William Shatner narrating all the way.
