I don’t know about you, but I enjoy documentaries. All kinds of them. I love my true crime documentaries like Snapped. My husband is forever saying I watch them just to learn how to kill him and get away with it. I especially love ones about myths and legends. It is primarily what makes up my podcast selections on Spotify. What I haven’t heard before was the docuseries term. Yeah, I know, it’s been out for a while, I am a little behind the curve in that one. However, I have been stuck on them lately, and I mean that in the best of ways. Today, we are sticking with only Netflix. Amazon Prime, Hulu, and the like all have great offerings too but I am just doing one at a time. Here are some of the ones I really enjoy.
The Toys That Made Us~ Here is a Netflix Original that premiered in 2017. There are three seasons but only twelve episodes. This docuseries focuses on classic toys. Many are from the 80s and 90s. We see toys like G.I. Joe and My Little Pony. There are episodes like Barbie and Hello Kitty that came out before the 80s. The Toys That Made Us explains the histories, bumps in the road, and how the toys fit into the media surrounding it like cartoons and movies and such.
The Movies That Made Us~ This is a Netflix Original that premiered in 2019. It has three seasons but only sixteen total episodes. Like its predecessor, The Toys That Made Us, this docuseries focuses on classic movies, mostly from the 1980sto 1990s. There are such classics as Forrest Gump and Pretty Woman. You can also see episodes that are later movies like Elf that came out in 2003. The series tells us all about different movies, what went into making them, and more. It is a whole lot of fun.
The History Of Swear Words~ This premiered in 2021 and has six episodes. This is probably the funniest on the list here. Nicolas Cage host this circus and just makes it so much the better for him being there. I am sure it helps that he is one of my favorite actors. F*ck is the first episode in the series. You have to trust me.
Explained~ Explained premiered in 2018. It also has three seasons but many more episodes than the That Made Us series. It has fascinating episodes like Monogamy, K-Pop, Dance Crazes, and Fairy Tales. I haven’t gotten through the whole series but I am working on it. This is a show that you will want to pay attention to. You will miss neat information that helps later if you don’t.
Midnight Asia~ The series just aired recently, like this month (2022). It only has one season so far. Unfortunately, there are only six episodes. The series takes you on a tour of Asia and tells of the hottest spots in a city in the late night and wee hours of the morning. They also explain how it fits into the culture. We get to see Tokyo, Mumbai, and Taipei, among other places. I have only watched the first two episodes but Wow! Check this out. They have some placed that wild. It’s so cool.
Myths & Monsters~ Having premiered in 2017, it sadly only has one season and only six episodes. In this series, instead of focusing on one myth or monster, each episode pinpoints a topic such as and pulls myths that tie in. Thankfully it isn’t only about one area of the world. I have seen that many times. I like learning it all. This is in my top three on this list.
Unsolved Mysteries~ Ok, so there is a Netflix Original with the Same name as the old show With Robert Stack. The one on Netflix currently, premiered in 2020. Instead of seasons, it has volumes and it has two volumes of six episodes each. I can find the first one on streaming services like Hulu and Peacock. It still has the same music as before, just lighter. In this, however, the “host” does not join us. We dig right into the story, we aren’t led to it. The cases are still unsolved at the time of airing just like before.
Haunted~ Last, but not least, Haunted. Premiering in I think 2019, is another that only has three seasons but eighteen episodes. This one is much creepier than Unsolved Mysteries. This is specifically about people who have lived through paranormal experiences and the story of said experience. I am certainly glad I haven’t lived through those terrifying situations.
These docuseries are some of my favorites on Netflix. I have quite a few more on my watch list. If you are interested in more, I can do another article, just let me know in the comments below. My top three on this list are Myths & Monsters, Haunted, and The History Of Swear Words. Have you watched any of these? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below. Until next week.
