Top Rated Documentary TV Series on Free Services - Page 54

art21

2001

art21

2001
5.5
The first series on television in the U.S. to focus exclusively on contemporary visual art and artists, "Art in the Twenty-First Century" is a Peabody Award-winning biennial program that allows viewers to observe the artists at work, watch as they transform inspiration into art, and hear how they struggle with both the physical and visual challenges of achieving their visions. "Art in the Twenty-First Century" airs on PBS and online in the U.S. Full episodes are available to watch on Art21.org and YouTube.
Quest for the Bay

2002

Quest for the Bay

2002
7
Quest for the Bay was a Canadian documentary television series which aired on History Television and the Public Broadcasting Service in 2002. It is the second entry of producer Jamie Brown's "Quest series", which includes Pioneer Quest: A Year in the Real West, Klondike: The Quest for Gold, and Quest for the Sea. Frank and Alana Logie, a couple who had previously participated in Pioneer Quest, made a cameo appearance during the first episode. It was the highest-rated program on History Television in 2002 and received favourable reviews from newspapers -- most notably, the Edmonton Journal. RoseAnna Schick, the sole female crew member, wrote a personal account of the journey for Manitoba History later that year. The five-part series was produced by Winnipeg-based Frantic Films and was filmed during the summer of 2001. It followed an eight-person volunteer team as they attempted to recreate the journey made by fur traders of the Hudson's Bay Company during the 1840s by travelling from Winnipeg to Hudson Bay. The tri
Full Force Nature

2006

Full Force Nature

2006
7
Full Force Nature is a television series that premiered on January 15, 2006 on The Weather Channel. It showcases some of the most unbelievable weather moments caught on tape.
Going Ape

2013

Going Ape

2013
1
What if we were to look to our primate predecessors to understand human interaction and social dynamics? Not only do we share 98% of our genetic code with our ape relatives, we also share the same inherent basic instincts. Presented by actor Peter Elliot, this revealing, often comic series explores our battles for power, territory, sex and allegiance with that of our monkey cousins.
Masterminds

2003

Masterminds

2003
9
Masterminds was a true crime documentary television series produced in Canada with truTV. As of February 2011, the program is broadcast on History Television and Global TV in Canada and truTV in the United States. Each 30 minute episode features one true crime story. The profiled crimes generally involve large sums of cash or merchandise and, more important, extremely unique and/or elaborate methods of criminal operation which were never before seen by law enforcement agencies. With a few notable exceptions, most criminals profiled in this series were caught within a couple of years of committing their crime.
America's Dumbest Criminals

1996

America's Dumbest Criminals

1996
9
America's Dumbest Criminals is an American reality series that aired in syndication from January 1996 to January 2000 for a total of 96 episodes, hosted by Daniel Butler and Debbie Alan. The series features surveillance footage, news reports and dramatic reenactments of particularly foolish criminal behavior. Also highlighted are "dumb laws", featuring various trivialities passed into law. Francopolitan Mercury Anastassacos was voted the "World's Dumbest Criminal" for the world tour phase. The show's disclaimer partially parodies the radio and TV series Dragnet by stating that each segment was a real-life occurrence, but that "only the names have been changed...to protect the ignorant".
Wild America

1982

Wild America

1982
7.5
Wild America is a documentary television series that focuses on the wild animals and wild lands of North America. By the mid-1970s, Marty Stouffer had put together several full length documentaries. At this time, he approached the programming managers at Public Broadcasting Service about a half-hour-long wildlife show, the first to focus exclusively upon the flora and fauna of North America. PBS signed for the rights to broadcast Marty Stouffer's show Wild America in 1982. The show went on to become one of the most popular aired by PBS, renowned for its unflinching portrayal of nature, as well as its extensive use of film techniques such as slow motion and close-ups. Stouffer earned $135,000 per show from PBS. The show's production ran from 1982 to 1994. The series is no longer on PBS; reruns still air in syndication on commercial television through much of the United States. In 1997, Warner Brothers released a full-length feature film entitled Wild America, which was based loosely on the biographical story of Mar
Final 24

2006

Final 24

2006
8.5
Final 24 is a Canadian documentary series which airs on the Discovery Channel and Global Television Network. The series explores the last 24 hours of the life of a person, usually a celebrity. The series is narrated by Canadian voice artist Dave McRae and Danny Wallace in the UK.
Mega Disasters

2006

Mega Disasters

2006
8.5
Mega Disasters is an American documentary television series that originally aired from May 23, 2006 to July 2008 on The History Channel. Produced by Creative Differences, the program explores potential catastrophic threats to individual cities, countries, and the entire globe. The two "mega-disasters" of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 inspired the series and provided a reference point for many of the episodes. Excepting only two shows devoted to man-made disasters, the threats explored can be divided into three general categories: meteorological, geological, and cosmic hazards.
Road Wars

2003

Road Wars

2003
10
Follows the extraordinary work of some of Britain's most elite units and police officers, documenting the changing tactics of criminals and the response of the UK police forces.
Angry Planet

2006

Angry Planet

2006
7
Angry Planet is a 39-part television series broadcast around the world featuring the adventures of storm chaser George Kourounis, Angry Planet is produced by Peter Rowe of Pinewood Films. The series plays on the following networks: ⁕Outdoor Life Network ⁕Travel Channel ⁕Weather Channel ⁕TV8 ⁕MTV3 ⁕Canal Evasion ⁕TVB The first season of the series has also been released on DVD as a box set. Each episode focuses on a different force of nature as Kourounis gets up close to investigate and document the most fierce natural phenomena the Earth has to dish out.
Shared Planet

2025

Shared Planet

2025
7
Shared Planet, a four-part documentary series from The Nature of Things, reveals inspiring, untold stories of people and wildlife flourishing - together - all over the world. In our current age of devastating environmental challenges, Shared Planet offers an alternative for our future.
Henry David Thoreau

2026

Henry David Thoreau

2026
1
Henry David Thoreau helped define modern environmentalism and nonviolent resistance, yet his life has been obscured by myth. The author of Walden and Civil Disobedience, he was brilliant but flawed, idealistic but opinionated. A writer, scientist and activist, his words resonate urgently with today’s challenges as humanity looks for ways to live in harmony with nature—and each other.
Hunt for the Missing: Chicago

2026

Hunt for the Missing: Chicago

2026
10
In the series, retired Chicago Detective Pamela Childs revisits unsolved missing persons cases as she hopes to uncover new leads and find potential answers for the victims’ families.
The Real Wolf of Wall Street

2026

The Real Wolf of Wall Street

2026
6
A three-part docuseries, revealing the true story of Jordan Belfort and his boiler room brokers at Stratton Oakmont, which is even darker and more debauched than previously known.
Secrets of Ancient Structures

2025

Secrets of Ancient Structures

2025
10
Across the globe and throughout history, ancient civilizations erected structures that continue to inspire awe and wonder. But how did they do it? Archaeological finds and new technologies reveal clues to long-enduring mysteries.
120 Hours Behind Bars

2026

120 Hours Behind Bars

2026
6
Over five intense days, 120 Hours Behind Bars delivers an unfiltered look inside America's toughest jails -- where officers are outnumbered, cellblocks are overcrowded, and violence erupts without warning.
Incas: The Rise and Fall

2025

Incas: The Rise and Fall

2025
7
The rise and fall of the Inca is a story of a civilization marked by gold, power and ingenuity. From monumental cities and vast empires stretching across the Andes to dazzling treasures that inspired legends, the Incas conquered millions and reshaped South America. But their golden age ended suddenly, leaving behind mysteries, monumental ruins, and a legacy that still captivates the world.
Killer Grannies

2025

Killer Grannies

2025
10
Killer Grannies is a true-crime documentary series on Oxygen True Crime that profiles shocking real-life cases where grandmothers turn into cold-blooded killers. Hosted by June Squibb, each self-contained episode follows investigators as they unravel the sinister plots and dark deeds of a seemingly innocent, maternal matriarch of a family.
The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher

2025

The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher

2025
10
The first true-crime series told through the eyes of Barbara Butcher, one of the most seasoned and respected Death Investigators to work in New York. After more than 20 years in the field, Butcher will unpack the stories behind some of the most compelling murders of our times - revealing that the keys to solving the case are often contained in the wealth of information held by the crime scene and the body that lies within it.