Hulu has a huge selection of just about everything you’d ever want to watch. From reality TV to blockbuster films, the streaming service has it all. When it comes to documentary films and docuseries, Hulu is also totally stacked. Covering everything from true crime to music and even pieces of history, the selection of Hulu documentaries and docuseries is vast. Ahead, we’re breaking down some of the best documentaries on Hulu, as well as docuseries you can stream right now so you’ll have something to do on your next free night. If you aren’t already subscribed, find out all the deals and pricing info and then sign up for Hulu here.
How we rate Hulu documentaries
We took a look at a few things when determining the best Hulu documentaries and docuseries. Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer is the driving factor here with documentary films, though we also considered the Average Audience Score, just a little less heavily. But because we know Rotten Tomatoes isn’t everything, we also considered Hulu’s popularity recommendations, as well as overall bingeability and storytelling. Because documentaries can include so many different stories, we aimed for a variety that is compelling, as well as inspiring.
As for Hulu’s documentary TV shows and docuseries, it’s a little different. Hulu’s collection is huge and covers a lot of real stories from many TV networks, and these largely aren’t on Rotten Tomatoes. For this reason, we relied a little more on the binge factor and Hulu’s popularity. We also tried to offer a variety — so some are more lighthearted, whereas others might fall more into the darker categories, like true crime. There should be something for everyone — just like you’d find on Hulu and Hulu + Live TV!
Best Hulu documentary movies
RBG (2018)
- Average Tomatometer: 94%
- Average Audience Score: 78%
Synopsis: This documentary takes a look at the powerful life of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In particular, it gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at all the legal accomplishments during her tenure in court, specifically on behalf of women. You’ll hear from people who worked with her, people who admired her, and Ginsburg herself on her real life, her accomplishments, and the legacy she’s created.
Totally Under Control (2020)
- Average Tomatometer: 99%
- Average Audience Score: 93%
Synopsis: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of medical professionals and scientists came together to help film this documentary that takes a harsh look at the government and its so-called failures at containing the virus. These experts provide a raw take at what they attempted to do to help the American people and share how they were shut down by government officials.
Far From the Tree (2017)
- Average Tomatometer: 90%
- Average Audience Score: 95%
Synopsis: Based on the book by the same name, written by Arthur Solomon, this documentary takes you into the lives of several families with children who are different. Whether they have autism, dwarfism, or something else that makes them “other,” the message in the end is the same: their parents still love them, and their differences should be celebrated.
Whose Streets? (2017)
- Average Tomatometer: 98%
- Average Audience Score: 73%
Synopsis: Go inside the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, after the death of Michael Brown at the hands of police. As people came together to protest police brutality, the Black Lives Matter movement was thrust even more into the spotlight. This documentary takes a heartbreaking look at the lives of Black people not just in Missouri but in the United States and the inequalities they face simply because of the color of their skin.
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week — The Touring Years (2016)
- Average Tomatometer: 96%
- Average Audience Score: 89%
Synopsis: This Ron Howard-directed documentary cobbles together archival footage from The Beatles to take you on a journey of placing Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr into the band that changed the music industry forever. You’ll see the inner workings of the group through exclusive footage and see just how special their heyday truly was.
Best Hulu docuseries
The Most Dangerous Animal of All (2020)
- Average Tomatometer: 73%
- Average Audience Score: 75%
Synopsis: In this docuseries, watch as one man searches for the parents who abandoned him, only to find that his father could quite possibly be one of the most notorious serial killers in American history: the Zodiac Killer. This true crime series is based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name, written by Gary L. Stewart and Susan Mustafa and published in 2014.
Hillary (2020)
- Average Tomatometer: 80%
- Average Audience Score: 46%
Synopsis: Join Hillary Clinton on her historic run for president of the United States in 2016. Go behind the scenes while on the campaign trail and hear from Clinton herself, as well as her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and their daughter, Chelsea Clinton. This miniseries will open your eyes to all the ways Clinton won over voters everywhere while simultaneously being ripped apart by haters.
90 Day Fiance (2014)
- Average Tomatometer: NA
- Average Audience Score: NA
Synopsis: This ultra-bingeable show offers several seasons of everyday people who have just three months to decide if they want to go through with a wedding or not. Each couple shares their story on how they met from such a distance and what drew them together in wanting to get a fiance visa and spend their lives together. Some make it, some don’t, and you won’t be able to tear your eyes away from the drama, the heartbreak, and the love stories.
Catfish: The TV Show (2012)
- Average Tomatometer: NA
- Average Audience Score: NA
Synopsis: Based on the 2010 documentary film, this TV show dedicates each episode to tracking down someone catfishing someone else on the internet. Over the several seasons of the show, you’ll hear heartbreaking stories of people who have been scammed by someone they thought was someone else, as well as hear from the catfish themselves on why they’ve done what they’ve done. In some cases, you’ll even see a happy ending. And if you’re not familiar with catfishing, it’s when someone pretends to be someone else on the internet and gets a stranger to fall in love or send them gifts, etc. The person doing the deceiving is the catfish, meaning the person who falls for it has been “catfished.”
Taken at Birth (2019)
- Average Tomatometer: NA
- Average Audience Score: NA
Synopsis: In this miniseries, you’ll be taken back to the 1990s, where a Georgia doctor allegedly stole babies and sold them for profit. Watch as the pieces of the puzzle are finally put together as investigators get to the bottom of this unbelievable crime and bring closure for the families involved. In just three episodes, your heart will ache for the babies who were taken and want justice for them just as badly as the investigators working on the case.
*Current as of November 2020