Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Sure, we all know that Netflix is a useful antidote for that toxic state of bleh we call boredom, but there’s also a variety of captivating documentaries and specials currently available on the platform that will broaden your intellectual horizons while you stream.
Thanks to Netflix’s extensive curriculum, learning doesn’t have to be a snooze-fest! Would you like to be well-versed on the majesty of volcanos? Try Werner Herzog’s Into the Inferno. Want to learn everything there is to know about rats? Okay. I mean, they’re horrifically disgusting, but knowledge is power and power thwarts rats so, sure, let’s study up on some rodents with Morgan Spurlock’s Rats.
No notes. No exams. Just pure streaming fun. From forensic science to world history, you won’t become a scholarly streamer in one night, but you’ll be well on your way with these five programs that educate and entertain.
Class dismissed!
'13th'
Nominated for Best Documentary Feature at this year’s Academy Awards, Ava DuVernay’s brilliant film 13th is as must-see as it gets. The documentary takes an in-depth look at our prison system and how it relates to our nation’s history of racial inequality.
If you’ve already seen 13th, Netflix also released an exclusive 36-minute-long conversation between Oprah Winfrey and director Ava DuVernay.
'Forensic Files'
Want to learn about the intricacies of forensic science without having to obtain a pesky ol’ college degree? Enter Forensic Files!
The perfect mystery program for people queasy about the unknown, Forensic Files utilizes the intellectual crime fighter known as science to solve difficult to crack criminal cases. Without science, criminals would evidently be running amok as the investigators on this addicting series are often able to apprehend the lowlife du jour due to a single hair follicle or muddy footprint.
As I previously stated, I love Forensic Files more than any rational person should love a television show about murder. The best part? There are literally 100s of episodes now streaming on Netfilx!
'Inside Job'
Ready for a lesson in economics? The documentary Inside Job, which won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, takes an in-depth look at the 2008 financial meltdown.
Directed by Charles Ferguson and narrated by Matt Damon, the film features a trove of interviews with notable economic figures as it shines the brightest of lights on what exactly led to the collapse of the global economy.
'Oliver Stone's Untold History of the United States'
Bias? Sure. Interesting? You bet!
Originally airing on Showtime, Oliver Stone’s Untold History of the United States covers a tremendous amount of history — from World War I to the presidency of John F. Kennedy to the atomic bombing of Japan — in twelve episodes.
The always controversial Stone directs and narrates the entire series as he offers viewers a different glimpse into our nation’s fascinating past.
Where to stream 'Oliver Stone's Untold History of the United States'
'The Eighties'
Walkmans! I want my MTV! Howard the Duck!
CNN explores the insanity of the 1980s in their enthralling eight-part miniseries The Eighties. Brush up on your history with a look back at the Cold War, the tech boom, and the presidency of Ronald Reagan as a group of knowledgeable talking heads recount the wild decade known as the ’80s.
If you enjoy The Eighties, you can also stream The Sixties and The Seventies on Netflix.
