The 40 most popular 2010s documentary TV shows, ranked. Click any show for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.


Bares für Rares
2013 · DE
In the show, selected applicants each present a curiosity, rarity or antique they have brought with them. Once they have received their expertise, they will have the opportunity on site to offer their exhibit to a changing five-person podium for sale and, ideally, to sell it to the highest bidder for „Bares“ ("cash").


Ancient Aliens
2010 · US
Did intelligent beings from outer space visit Earth thousands of years ago? From the age of the dinosaurs to ancient Egypt, from early cave drawings to continued mass sightings in the US, each episode gives historic depth to the questions, speculations, provocative controversies, first-hand accounts and grounded theories surrounding this age old debate.


Last Chance U
2016 · US
In a docuseries set at one of NCAA football's most fertile recruiting grounds, guys with red flags seek to prove their worth on the field and in class.


The Curse of Oak Island
2014 · US
Follow brothers Marty and Rick Lagina through their effort to find the speculated - and as of yet undiscovered - buried treasure believed to have been concealed through extraordinary means on Oak Island.


The World Heritage
2014 · JP
TBS’s ”World Heritage,” is a 30-minute weekly documentary series that is registered by UNESCO under Natural Heritage, Cultural Heritage and Cultural Sciences. The program started in spring, 1996, and over a span of 10 years has covered about 560 topics around the world. To better convey the grandeur of these treasures of the world, TBS has shot the series in High-Definition. High quality images, impeccable narrative, and beautiful music...the elements are simple and straightforward. The producers feel that this style of presentation works best to visually document and preserve the wonders of the world, and continue to do so to this day.


Portrait Artist of the Year
2013 · SG
Artists from the UK and Ireland compete by creating portraits of famous people.


Brave Son of India: Maharana Pratap
2013 · IN
Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap is an Indian television series produced by Abhimanyu Singh of Contiloe Entertainment, based on the life of 16th century Rajput ruler of Mewar, Maharana Pratap Singh. The series premiered on Sony TV on May 27, 2013. The series is introduced by Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan.


Being The Elite
2016 · US
The Young Bucks, Matt & Nick Jackson, along with Kenny "The Cleaner" Omega, make up The ELITE. Follow our adventures as WE RULE THE WORLD and dominate the professional wrestling business.


Formula 1: Drive to Survive
2019 · UK
Drivers, managers and team owners live life in the fast lane — both on and off the track — during each cutthroat season of Formula 1 racing.


Finding Your Roots
2012 · US
Noted Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has been helping people discover long-lost relatives hidden for generations within the branches of their family trees. Professor Gates utilizes a team of genealogists to reconstruct the paper trail left behind by our ancestors and the world’s leading geneticists to decode our DNA and help us travel thousands of years into the past to discover the origins of our earliest forebears.


Cosmos
2014 · US
Famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson provides clarity for the vision of the cosmos as he voyages across the universe with never-before-told stories that delve into the scientific concepts of the laws of gravity and the origins of space and time.


Dark Side of the Ring
2019 · US
Finding truth at the intersection of fantasy and reality in the veiled world of professional wrestling.


Invitation Au Voyage
2017 · FR
Invitation Au Voyage (titled *Stadt Land Kunst* in German) is a television program hosted by Linda Lorin; it has aired on Arte every weekday at 5:40 PM since March 13, 2017. It is a cultural travel show that explores various locations—both near and far—centered around three specific destinations. Additionally, a special Saturday edition at 4:30 PM offers a getaway to discover a particular city, region, or country.


RE: European Stories
2017 · DE
Discover Europe in all its diversity of viewpoints


Mitsuaki Iwago's World “Cats” Travelogue
2012 · JP
Prominent Japanese wildlife photographer and filmmaker Mitsuaki Iwago loves cats of all shapes and sizes. So he's set out on a journey to film cats all over the world as they live their lives. Join him in a cat's-eye view of many diverse cities spanning the globe in a unique program that perhaps even your own cat will enjoy as well!


Fatal Attraction
2013 · US
Each pulse-pounding hour-long episode centers around an incredible and dangerous romance. Shocking crime, kidnapping or even murder is only half of the story! In the end, the “true love” that draws these couples together isn’t the kind that celebrates silver anniversaries – instead it leads to cross-country manhunts, bizarre cover-ups and dramatic trials. Driven by powerful, real-life stories, Fatal Attraction weaves together intimate, first-person interviews, exclusive interrogation footage and rare archival material. Along the way, it gives you a glimpse into the dark heart of a dangerous romance. Listen as the key players, family of the survivors and those that investigated the horrific crimes reveal the secrets to each sordid tale. Fatal Attraction… because love doesn’t just hurt, it can kill!


DNA Journey
2019 · UK
Celebrities are given a unique insight into their lives using innovative DNA science and technology to trace their ancestors.


Mountain Men
2012 · US
Profiles of some of the men who choose to live off the grid in the unspoiled wilderness, where dangers like mudslides, falling trees and bears are all part of everyday life.


28 minutes
2012 · FR
No overview available


Basketball: A Love Story
2018 · US
'Basketball: A Love Story' is a series of 62 interconnected short stories that creates a vibrant mosaic of the game, featuring 165 exclusive interviews. The cast encompasses basketball's most prominent figures and explores the complex nature of love as it relates to the game.


Expedition Unknown
2015 · US
The adventures of Josh Gates as he investigates unsolved iconic stories across the globe.


Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell
2013 · DE
Kurzgesagt (German for "in a nutshell") is a Munich based design studio with a distinctive perspective on design and animation within the fields of education, science and commerce. Founded in 2012 by Philipp Dettmer & Stephan Rether, the studio engages in information design projects of all kinds. We love science, minimalism, colors and music. But most of all combining them to tell stories.


Sidemen
2016 · UK
Welcome to the official Sidemen channel. The home of #SidemenSundays - We post new Sidemen videos every single Sunday!


VICE
2013 · US
A documentary news series with a taboo-breaking team who deliver incredible news stories from around the world.


The UnXplained
2019 · US
Explore the world’s most fascinating, strange and inexplicable mysteries. Each episode features compelling contributions from scientists, historians, witnesses and experiencers—each seeking to shed light on how the seemingly impossible actually can happen.


Through the Wormhole
2010 · US
Hosted by Morgan Freeman, Through the Wormhole explores the deepest mysteries of existence - the questions that have puzzled mankind for eternity. What are we made of? What was there before the beginning? Are we really alone? Is there a creator? These questions have been pondered by the most exquisite minds of the human race. Now, science has evolved to the point where hard facts and evidence may be able to provide us with answers instead of philosophical theories. Through the Wormhole brings together the brightest minds and best ideas from the very edges of science - Astrophysics, Astrobiology, Quantum Mechanics, String Theory, and more - to reveal the extraordinary truth of our Universe.


Cosmic Disclosure
2015 · US
For the first time ever, a 30-year insider has come forward to reveal over 70 years of humanity's hidden history in space. Corey Goode joins David Wilcock in this inaugural presentation of Cosmic Disclosure to offer an overview of the history and extent of humanity's celestial presence.


Japanology Plus
2014 · JP
Host Peter Barakan delves into various aspects of Japanese culture; exploring practices, history, and modern innovations in such areas as ramen, rice, sushi, geisha, bonsai, and so much more. Local experts discuss their passions at fascinating length, and American Japanophile Matt Alt experiences the food, practices, and cultures in each episode in depth. Viewers will finish each half hour episode with a new understanding of an area of Japanese life through demonstrative videos and explanations, all delivered respectfully and true to the Japanese way of life.


Rock Legends
2013 · UK
Looking at these major artists, we discover the story of their lives and the impact they made on popular culture. Interviews with well known music critics, news archive and performance.


Fun Abroad: 3D2N
2014 · HK
Fun Abroad: 3D2N is a tourism project. In the early days, it was characterized by a tight schedule and a high degree of freedom to participate in impromptu activities. It's also focused on getting new owners to try and experience more "firsts."


Married to Medicine
2013 · US
Follows a group of successful and educated women who are connected to the world of medicine in Atlanta, including doctors and wives of doctors. Whether delivering babies in Louboutins or rushing off to galas in Buckhead, these women do everything with style, drama, and of course, southern flair.


Antiques Road Trip
2010 · UK
Antiques experts travel across the country, competing to make a profit at auction.


The Jumbo Jet: 50 Years in the Sky
2018 · UK
Based on archival footage, appreciates engineering genius and celebrates the long-term survival of the ‘jumbo jet’.


Mysteries at the Museum
2010 · US
Don Wildman unearths relics from the world's greatest institutions to reveal secrets from the past. He examines each artifact to illuminate history's most incredible triumphs, sensational crimes and bizarre encounters.


Who Do You Think You Are?
2010 · US
From roots in the Deep South to the slums of New Jersey, "Who Do You Think You Are?" follows the journeys of some of the most well-known names in American popular culture. Watch as celebrities discover unknown details about themselves and their families while researching their ancestry with the help of historians and genealogical experts.


Escape to the Chateau
2016 · UK
Dick Strawbridge and his partner (subsequently wife) Angel Adoree swap their two-bed flat in Essex for an abandoned French chateau. Can they bring its 45 rooms and acres of land back to life?


Salvage Hunters
2011 · UK
Meet modern-day treasure hunter Drew Pritchard. With demanding customers, high turnover, and one of the biggest decorative salvage yards in the UK, Drew is constantly on the road, crisscrossing the country in search of derelict gems and forgotten remnants. Drew loves the thrill of the hunt and while he gets his hands dirty in the country's architectural backwaters, his crack team of restorers is back at the shop giving old and rare finds a new lease on life.


World War Two
2018 · US
Follow the deadliest conflict in human history in real time, week by week, blow by blow.


Oddity Archive
2012 · US
The Oddity Archive is a web series that revolves around the "cultural dustbin", especially as it pertains to media. The Archive also functions as an actual archive of sorts, with a modest collection of off-air Betamax and VHS recordings (about 400 total as of June, 2014). There's also a decent collection of ephemeral video, "ripoff" and "drugstore" LP's/cassettes/8-tracks, as well as (working) obsolete technology.


Live PD
2016 · US
Dash cams capture footage from urban and rural police forces while on the job. A live look inside the everyday calls of police officers across the nation.
The 2010s were television's abundance decade — streaming originals arrived at scale, prestige drama went mainstream, and 'too much TV' became a genuine complaint.
Documentary series use length the way films can't — returning to subjects, following developments, and building cases across many hours. Streaming turned the format into a genuine cultural force.