Popular Documentary TV Series on Free Services

This Old House

1979

This Old House

1979
5.6
TV's original home-improvement show, following one whole-house renovation over several episodes.
Frontline

1983

Frontline

1983
7.3
Since it began in 1983, Frontline has been airing public-affairs documentaries that explore a wide scope of the complex human experience. Frontline's goal is to extend the impact of the documentary beyond its initial broadcast by serving as a catalyst for change.
Dateline

1992

Dateline

1992
6.3
Dateline NBC, or simply Dateline, is a weekly American television newsmagazine series. It was previously the network's flagship newsmagazine, but now focuses mainly on true crime stories with only occasional editions that focus on other topics.
Mayday

2003

Mayday

2003
8.2
Major real-life air disasters are depicted in this series. Each episode features a detailed dramatized reconstruction of the incident based on cockpit voice recorders and air traffic control transcripts, as well as eyewitnesses recounts and interviews with aviation experts.
Nature

1982

Nature

1982
8.1
Consistently stunning documentaries transport viewers to far-flung locations ranging from the torrid African plains to the chilly splendours of icy Antarctica. The show's primary focus is on animals and ecosystems around the world. A comic book based on the show, meant to be used an as educational tool for kids, was briefly distributed to museums and schools at no cost in the mid-2000s.
The Curse of Oak Island

2014

The Curse of Oak Island

2014
7.3
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.
Great Performances

1971

Great Performances

1971
5.3
The best in the performing arts from across America and around the world including a diverse programming portfolio of classical music, opera, popular song, musical theater, dance, drama, and performance documentaries.
Mountain Men

2012

Mountain Men

2012
6.4
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.
American Experience

1988

American Experience

1988
7.4
TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
Fear Thy Neighbor

2014

Fear Thy Neighbor

2014
8
These are the terrifying tales of the unwanted neighbors who turn home sweet home into home sweet hell. A look inside the lives of horrific neighborly disputes and what happens when a simple issue turns into the worst night of a family's life. Do you really know who lives next door? This true-crime series tells the chilling tales of those with the misfortune to unwittingly take up residence within a stone’s throw of a psycho or killer.
Independent Lens

1999

Independent Lens

1999
6.5
This acclaimed Emmy Award-winning anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of fiction films united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions of their independent producers and featuring unforgettable stories about a unique individual, community or moment in history.
MythBusters

2003

MythBusters

2003
7.8
MythBusters is a science entertainment television program created and produced by Australia's Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The show's hosts, special effects experts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, use elements of the scientific method to test the validity of rumors, myths, movie scenes, adages, Internet videos, and news stories.
Forensic Files

1996

Forensic Files

1996
8
Real crimes, disease outbreaks and accidents around the world are solved by experts using scientific laboratory analysis which helps them find previously undetectable evidence. Brilliant scientific work helps convict the guilty and free the innocent.
The Dead Files

2011

The Dead Files

2011
6.8
Psychic medium Amy Allan and former NYPD homicide detective Steve DiSchiavi investigate locations that are reported to be haunted.
For My Man

2015

For My Man

2015
7.7
A true crime series featuring the salacious and shocking stories of women who have been arrested for a crime they did in the name of love. From a killing spree across the mid-west to being an inside informant at the DEA and from murdering an unsupportive mother to robbing fifteen banks in under a year, these women have no limits as to how far they’ll go for their men.
Homicide Hunter: Lt Joe Kenda

2011

Homicide Hunter: Lt Joe Kenda

2011
8.9
A non-fiction investigative series of murder cases told through the personal experience of retired detective, Lieutenant Joe Kenda. Through re-enactments, discussions with investigation teams, and interviews with victims' families and other involved persons, the show highlights Kenda's successes with his 400 homicide case history and 92 percent solution rate.
NOVA

1974

NOVA

1974
7
PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA demystifies science and technology, and highlights the people involved in scientific pursuits.
Border Security: Australia's Front Line

2004

Border Security: Australia's Front Line

2004
7.3
Border Security: Australia's Front Line is an Australian television program that airs on the Seven Network. The show follows the work of officers of Australian Customs and Border Protection, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship as they enforce Australian customs, quarantine, immigration and finance laws. Most of the programme is filmed at Sydney and Melbourne airports. Occasionally, the program features other locations such as Brisbane Airport, Perth Airport, seaports, international mail centres, raids on workplaces suspected of employing persons contrary to the restrictions of their visa or immigrant status and the work of Customs vessels and aircraft in the waters of Northern Australia.
Fatal Attraction

2013

Fatal Attraction

2013
6.9
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!
Ancient Aliens

2010

Ancient Aliens

2010
6.9
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.