Best HBO Documentary Shows

These are the best HBO documentary shows of all time. This list is constantly updated as HBO or Max produces more shows. You will find most of the titles on (HBO) Max, but some of the content may have been re-distributed to other platforms of available only in selected regions.

#	Name	Year	Genre	Country	IMDb
1	Stax: Soulsville USA	2024	Documentary	USA	90%
	The story of an underdog, interracial record label that ushered in groundbreaking music.	Trailer
2	The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst	2015	Documentary	USA	86%
	Robert Durst, scion of NY's billionaire real-estate family, has been accused of three murders but has evaded justice for over 30 years. Durst speaks in this true crime series, revealing secrets of a case that has baffled authorities.	Trailer	Watch
3	When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts	2006	Documentary	USA	85%
	In August 2005, the American city of New Orleans was struck by the powerful Hurricane Katrina. Although the storm was damaging by itself, that was not the true disaster. That happened when the city's flooding safeguards like levees failed and put most of the city, which is largely below sea level, underwater. This film covers that disastrous series of events that devastated the city and its people. Furthermore, the gross incompetence of the various governments and the powerful from the local to the federal level is examined to show how the poor and underprivileged of New Orleans were mistreated in this grand calamity and still ignored today.	Trailer	Watch
4	The Defiant Ones	2017	Documentary	USA	85%
	A four-part documentary series that tells the stories of Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre -- one the son of a Brooklyn longshoreman, the other straight out of Compton?- -- and their improbable partnership and surprising leading roles in a series of transformative events in contemporary culture.	Trailer
5	Hard Knocks	2001	Documentary	USA	85%
	An inside look at NFL training camps. From the top coaches to the rookies trying to make the team, Hard Knocks showcases what it takes to be in the NFL.	Trailer
6	Wise Guy David Chase and The Sopranos	2024	Documentary	USA	85%
	A two-part documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Alex Gibney that delves deep into renowned director David Chase's life, career, and creative process into his groundbreaking work on the HBO Original series The Sopranos.	Trailer
7	The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling	2018	Documentary	USA	84%
	The story of legendary comedian Garry Shandling, featuring interviews from nearly four dozen friends, family and colleagues; four decades’ worth of television appearances; and a lifetime of personal journals, private letters and home audio and video footage.	Trailer	Watch
8	George Carlin's American Dream	2022	Documentary	USA	83%
	This two-part documentary chronicles the life and work of the legendary comedian, tracking George Carlin’s rise to fame and opens an intimate window into Carlin’s personal life, including his childhood in New York City, his long struggle with drugs that took its toll on his health, his brushes with the law, his loving relationship with Brenda, his wife of 36 years, and his second marriage to Sally Wade. Intimate interviews with Carlin and Brenda’s daughter, Kelly Carlin, offer unique insight into her family’s story and her parents enduring love and partnership.	Trailer	Watch
9	Hard Knocks: Arizona Cardinals	2022	Documentary	USA	82%
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10	Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants	2024	Documentary	USA	82%
	Chronicles the New York Giants' preparations for the 2024 NFL season.	Trailer
11	The Crime of the Century	2021	Documentary	USA	81%
	A searing indictment of Big Pharma and the political operatives and government regulations that enable over-production, reckless distribution and abuse of synthetic opiates.	Trailer	Watch
12	100 Foot Wave	2021	Documentary	USA	81%
	The decade-long odyssey of surfing pioneer Garrett McNamara, who, after visiting Nazaré, Portugal in hopes of conquering a 100-foot wave, pushed the sport to ever-greater heights and alongside locals helped transform the small fishing village into the world’s preeminent big-wave surfing destination.	Trailer	Watch
13	Hostages	2022	Documentary	USA	80%
	On November 4, 1979, Iranian student activists stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking over 60 Americans hostage. What was planned as a 48-hour sit-in to protest American imperialism, ballooned into an international crisis and 24/7 media event that would last 444 days. With never-before-seen archival footage and revelatory new interviews with the American hostages and Iranian hostage-takers alike, the series is a gripping chronicle of one of the most dramatic international deadlocks in American history, a deep dive into the geo-political history that led to the crisis, and an exploration of the political fallout that reverberates today.	Trailer	Watch
14	The Movies	2019	Documentary	USA	78%
	Explore American cinema through the decades and the cultural, societal and political shifts that framed its evolution.	Trailer
15	Music Box	2021	Documentary	USA	78%
	Signature music acts, labels, albums, eras, or trends.	Trailer	Watch
16	The Alzheimer's Project	2009	Documentary	USA	77%
	Alzheimer's disease is the second-most-feared illness in America, after cancer. Is our anxiety justified? HBO presents this multi-part campaign that looks at the causes, symptoms, treatments and possible cures for this insidious disease.	Trailer	Watch
17	Painting With John	2021	Documentary	USA	77%
	Part meditative tutorial, part fireside chat, each episode finds artist John Lurie ensconced at his worktable, where he hones his intricate watercolor techniques and shares his reflections on what he’s learned about life.	Trailer	Watch
18	Justice, USA	2024	Documentary	USA	77%
	A compelling 360-degree insider's view of Nashville's criminal justice system, offering unprecedented access to the men's, women's, and juvenile jails, as we watch inmates, deputies, lawyers, and judges confront issues of incarceration, mental illness, and addiction.	Trailer
19	Charlie Hustle & the Matter of Pete Rose	2024	Documentary	USA	76%
	A retrospective journey, spanning more than 60 years, to tell the story of Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader whose on-field achievements and off-field transgressions have made him one of the most polarizing figures in all of sports.	Trailer
20	I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter	2019	Documentary	USA	75%
	Teen Michelle Carter’s actions shocked a nation — but what really happened behind closed doors?	Trailer	Watch
21	Q: Into the Storm	2021	Documentary	USA	75%
	A three-year investigation chronicles the evolution of “Q” in real time, with access to key players, along with an examination of how the anonymous character uses conspiracy theories and information warfare to influence politics.	Trailer	Watch
22	I'll Be Gone in the Dark	2020	Documentary	USA	74%
	Gripping examination of the unsolved crimes of the Golden State Killer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s.	Trailer	Watch
23	Murder on Middle Beach	2020	Documentary	USA	74%
	A four-part documentary series revolving around the case of single mother Barbara Hamburg, who was brutally murdered in 2010 near her home in the upper-middle class enclave of Madison, Connecticut. The series presents first-time filmmaker Madison Hamburg’s complicated journey as a young man determined to solve an unspeakable crime and absolve the people he loves, while looking for answers within his fractured family and community.	Trailer	Watch
24	NYC Epicenters 9/11➔2021½	2021	Documentary	USA	74%
	An unprecedented, sweeping portrait of New Yorkers as they rebuild and rebound, from a devastating terrorist attack through the ongoing global pandemic, weaving together visual imagery and first-hand accounts from a variety of New Yorkers.	Trailer	Watch
25	Edge of the Earth	2022	Documentary	USA	74%
	Follow four groups of elite action-adventure athletes on four unique, never-before-accomplished missions taking place around the globe, within awe-inspiring, undiscovered realms of nature.	Trailer	Watch
26	One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit	2024	Documentary	USA	74%
	One South is an inpatient psychiatric unit at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Queens, NY, specializing in treating young adults. It may look more like a college dorm than a psychiatric hospital, but patients arrive every day in acute crisis. They are dealing with a variety of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and psychosis, and many have contemplated or attempted suicide. A team of doctors, social workers, and nurses work together to stabilize the patients and prepare them to return to the outside world	Trailer
27	Project Greenlight	2001	Documentary	USA	73%
	Project Greenlight is a television series focusing on first-time filmmakers being given the chance to direct a feature film. It was created by Alex Keledjian, developed by Eli Holzman and produced by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Sean Bailey, and Chris Moore through their production company LivePlanet, along with Miramax Films. Project Greenlight first aired on HBO for two seasons before moving to Bravo for season three.	Trailer	Watch
28	On Freddie Roach	2012	Documentary	USA	73%
	On Freddie Roach is a documentary series about boxer and trainer Freddie Roach, produced by Jim Lampley. The six-part series began airing on HBO on January 20, 2012.	Trailer
29	Agents of Chaos	2020	Documentary	USA	73%
	This two-part documentary pulls back the curtain on Russian collusion in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.	Trailer	Watch
30	McMillion$	2020	Documentary	USA	72%
	A detailed account of the McDonald's Monopoly game scam during the 1990s as told by the participants in the case, including the prizewinners and the FBI agents who caught the security officer who orchestrated the entire scheme.	Trailer	Watch
31	Expecting Amy	2020	Documentary	USA	72%
	Behind-the-scenes as Schumer goes through an extraordinarily difficult pregnancy while touring to prepare for a stand-up special.	Trailer	Watch
32	The Vow	2020	Documentary	USA	72%
	The docuseries follows people deeply involved in the group NXIVM — which is faced with various charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy — over the course of several years.	Trailer	Watch
33	Exterminate All the Brutes	2021	Documentary	United Kingdom	72%
	Hybrid docuseries offering an expansive exploration of the exploitative and genocidal aspects of European colonialism, from America to Africa, and its impact on society today.	Trailer	Watch
34	Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes	2021	Documentary	USA	72%
	An expansion of the hit podcast and bestselling book, Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes brings to life the intimate interviews that broke Hollywood's most infamous story.	Trailer	Watch
35	Nuclear Family	2021	Documentary	USA	72%
	Ry Russo-Young turns the camera on her own past to explore the meaning of family. In the late 70s/early 80s, when the concept of a gay family was inconceivable to most, Ry and her sister Cade were born to two lesbian mothers through sperm donors. Ry’s idyllic childhood was threatened by an unexpected lawsuit which sent shockwaves through her family’s lives and continues to reverberate today.	Trailer	Watch
36	Phoenix Rising	2022	Documentary	USA	72%
	Actress and activist Evan Rachel Wood takes her experience as a survivor of domestic violence and pursues justice, heals generational wounds, and reclaims her story. Almost a decade after escaping a dangerous relationship, Wood co-authors and successfully lobbies for passage of The Phoenix Act, legislation that extends the statute of limitations for domestic violence cases in California.	Trailer	Watch
37	Mind Over Murder	2022	Documentary	USA	72%
	Chronicles the bizarre and psychologically complex story of six individuals who were convicted for the 1985 murder of a beloved 68- year-old grandmother, Helen Wilson, in Beatrice, Nebraska.	Trailer	Watch
38	Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York	2023	Documentary	USA	71%
	In the early 1990s, with homophobia and hate crimes on the rise as the AIDS crisis worsens, a serial killer preys upon gay men in New York City, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims.	Trailer	Watch
39	Leaving Neverland	2019	Documentary	USA	70%
	Explores the experiences of James Safechuck and Wade Robson, who were both befriended and sexually abused by singer Michael Jackson, and the complicated feelings that led them both to confront their experiences.	Trailer
40	Breath of Fire	2024	Documentary	USA	70%
	This series explores the culture of modern spirituality through the rise of Kundalini yoga in the West, from its origins with Yogi Bhajan to its presence today.	Trailer
41	Real Sex	1990	Documentary	USA	69%
	Real Sex is a documentary television series broadcast on and a production of HBO. As its name implies, Real Sex is a sexually explicit magazine which explores sex '90s style. Real Sex explores human sexuality, from the latest sexual fads to casual sex festivals and home production of pornographic movies. The show typically explores three to four topics each episode. Segments are separated by street interviews with random people, relating to the episode's topics. Episodes of the show investigate RealDolls, Swingstock, a cunnilingus seminar, a perpetual sex machine for women, and lovemaking in chocolate. The last Real Sex episode aired in 2009. Older episodes as well as best-of episodes are frequently re-aired during late nights on HBO. It spawned a spin-off series called Pornucopia.	Trailer
42	The Shop	2018	Talk Show	USA	69%
	A one-of-a-kind barbershop experience with unfiltered conversation and debate from the biggest names in sports and entertainment.	Trailer	Watch
43	The Lady and the Dale	2021	Documentary	USA	69%
	This documentary series explores an audacious 1970s auto scam centered around mysterious transgender entrepreneur Elizabeth Carmichael, who rose to prominence when she released the Dale, a fuel-efficient three-wheeled vehicle during the 1970s gas crisis.	Trailer	Watch
44	Black and Missing	2021	Documentary	USA	69%
	Sisters-in-law and Black and Missing Foundation founders Derrica and Natalie Wilson fight an uphill battle to bring awareness to the Black missing persons cases that are marginalized by law enforcement and national media.	Trailer	Watch
45	Back on the Record with Bob Costas	2021	Documentary	USA	68%
	In-depth interviews with the biggest names in sports, entertainment, and popular culture, and discussions led by Bob Costas that addresses the most topical issues in sports.	Trailer	Watch
46	The Case Against Adnan Syed	2019	Documentary	USA	67%
	Explore the 1999 disappearance and murder of 18-year-old Baltimore County high school student Hae Min Lee, and the subsequent conviction of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, a case brought to global attention by the hugely popular Serial podcast.	Trailer	Watch
47	Allen v. Farrow	2021	Documentary	USA	67%
	The story of one Hollywood's most notorious and public scandals: the accusation of sexual abuse against Woody Allen involving Dylan, his then 7-year-old daughter with Mia Farrow; their subsequent custody trial, the revelation of Allen’s relationship with Farrow’s daughter, Soon-Yi; and the controversial aftermath in the years that followed.	Trailer	Watch
48	Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union	2021	Documentary	USA	67%
	Six-hour documentary series focused on the President’s personal story and his vision for America, set against the backdrop of the country’s racial history. It traces his own search for identity and his role shaping a more inclusive American identity that has been under attack since he left office. Through the words of some of the people who knew him best, and through some of his sharpest critics, the film ultimately reveals the fallacy of America as a post-racial society, and confronts the work still needed to achieve a more perfect union as the work of a country, not just one man.	Trailer	Watch
49	Murder in Boston: Roots, Rampage & Reckoning	2023	Documentary	USA	67%
	On October 23, 1989, Charles Stuart places a frantic 911 call reporting that he and his pregnant wife — a white couple — have been shot by a Black man. The ensuing investigation ignites decades-old tensions and brutal racial profiling amidst a media firestorm and skepticism about Stuart's story.	Trailer
50	Axios	2018	Documentary	USA	66%
	Leading Axios journalists highlight the week ahead in politics, business and technology – and the big topics shaping the future. Each edition features coverage of a timely big issue, followed by documentary shorts, illuminating interviews with major newsmakers and trustworthy insights delivered with Axios’ signature “Smart Brevity” in a succinct, shareable format.	Trailer	Watch