A good documentary or docuseries can be educational, informative, and thought-provoking. Also referred to as documentary series, docuseries tell a story just like a two-hour documentary, but they do so over a series of episodes. This allows them to either delve deeper into a particular topic or touch on different topics or angles in every episode.
Netflix has been home to some fantastic docuseries in 2020, including ones about everything from food to travel, babies to pandemics, wildlife, and even cheerleading. But which have been the best?
Carmel: Who Killed Maria Marta? – 7.5
Impressively, while this docuseries only premiered in November, it has already jumped right to the top 10 list of best-reviewed Netflix original docuseries. The death of Maria Marta Garcia Belsunce is considered to be one of Argentina’s most controversial criminal cases.
Found dead in her bathtub with a pool of her blood nearby, Maria Marta’s husband claims she had an accident, but the autopsy suggests otherwise.
Chef’s Table: BBQ – 7.8
Chef’s Table was Netflix’s first original docuseries and has consistently received rave reviews for its captivating journeys into the culinary world of some of the world’s most renowned chefs. Each episode takes viewers on a ride to learn not only about the chef’s philosophies on food but also their personal lives and, in some cases, struggles.
This year, the franchise expanded with the spin-off Chef’s Table: BBQ that shifts the attention to four chefs who have mastered the world of barbecue, each in their own unique way.
Challenger: The Final Flight – 7.9
A limited docuseries with just four episodes, this one was about the 1986 NASA Space Shuttle Challenger accident. Released in September, it has garnered almost universal praise.
It’s not a shocking or revealing piece, and it does leave out some facts. But it includes interviews with those who were involved and lived through it, recalling the heartbreaking stories of what became a national tragedy.
Move – 7.9
Released in October, this docuseries sheds light on the people behind the scenes of musical acts – the dancers and choreographers who help favorite headliners craft their amazing acts, or, in some cases, participate in them.
There are five episodes in the first season, starting with Jon Boogz and Lil Buck talking about the elevation of street dance, and ending with Akram Khan who uses magic and memory to create his eye-catching and intense visual productions.
Street Food: Latin America – 8.0
It’s obvious that series highlighting delicious, mouth-watering food tend to do well, and this one is no exception. Premiering in April, it follows the exploration of street food from around the world and how it differs from country to country, region to region.
Exploring Asia in the first season, which was released in 2019, season 2 focuses on Latin America, visiting Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia to see what street food looks like there.
Bad Boy Billionaires: India – 8.0
Four prominent businessmen in India are accused of corruption, but this docuseries chronicles their lives before things came to a head. Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Subrata Roy, and Ramalinga Raju are the four men at the center of the stories, all involved in various alleged financial and money laundering scams.
Released in October, only three of the four planned episodes were released, with the one about Raju held back due to legal issues and allegations by Raju that it only includes “half-truths” and would “tarnish his reputation and privacy in an unlawful way.” Nevertheless, the three episodes that did stream were very well received by viewers.
Down to Earth with Zac Efron – 8.1
From singing and dancing in teen musicals to playing one of the world’s most notorious serial killers in a movie, Zac Efron has done it all. And now, he hosts his own docuseries following his travels around the world as he explores life, nature, and concepts of sustainable living.
While the series, which premiered its first eight episodes in July, has been questioned for presenting a lot of pseudoscience, its light and airy tone is appreciated by viewers looking for a vicarious escape from reality that can satisfy their thirst for wanderlust.
Cheer – 8.2
Taking the small screen by storm, who would ever think that viewers would want to see behind-the-scenes of a nationally ranked cheer team? That is what Cheer, which launched in January and quickly made its way to lists of the best docuseries of the year, provides.
Sure, there have been lots of TV shows and movies about cheerleading in the past. But this one takes a different perspective. It pulls back the curtain so viewers can see not just the end result productions, but get insight into how the 40-member Navarro College Bulldogs Cheer Team from Texas prepares for competitions, and see the talented direction of their fearless leader and coach, Monica Aldama.
Izzy’s Koala World – 8.7
It’s no surprise that a docuseries featuring adorable koala bears would rank among the top two for the year. Released in September, the series follows Izzy Bee, a young girl who, together with her family, rescues koalas in need of help and aids them in getting back to the wild.
Set on Magnetic Island in Australia, Izzy and her parents Ali and Tim have captured the hearts of viewers who can’t get enough of the cuddly creatures. There are eight episodes in the first season.
Lenox Hill – 8.7
Topping the list is this series that follows the intense lives of a team of medical professionals, including those working in neurosurgery, emergency medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology at the Lenox Hill Hospital.
Released in June, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no surprise that viewers turned to a show about medicine for comfort. Shows and movies about pandemics have been topping the charts and watch lists of late. And this series, in particular, which contains nine episodes for season one, is rated the top new Netflix original docuseries overall for 2020.
