Dear friends,
In this list, I tried to pick docuseries that are rich in substance on four different topics. Two (1994 and The Keepers) have already been featured in the newsletter, while the other two are completely new.
This list does not have Tiger Kings, Netflix’s popular new show, which I also recommend if you’re looking for a more entertaining binge.
4 documentary mini-series: 3 on Netflix and 1 on Amazon Prime.
1994
In Spanish. Streaming on Netflix everywhere. 🍅 rating: - (no score available).
There probably hasn’t been another docuseries as worthy of a binge since the Netflix production Wild Wild Country. 1994 might be even more gripping since its modest episode count (five) doesn’t delay any revelations.
The show starts with Mexico’s soon-to-be-elected presidential candidate being shot during a nationally televised political rally. What follows is a breakdown of one year in Mexican politics, a gateway to understanding the current landscape of a complicated country.
Five Came Back
Streaming on Netflix everywhere. 🍅 rating: 97%.
This miniseries narrated by Meryl Streep is about five prominent filmmakers who served in the frontlines of the Second World War: John Ford, William Wyler, John Huston, Frank Capra, and George Stevens.
Throughout three episodes, each of their revolutionary work is explained by five famous modern directors: Steven Spielberg (Wyler), Francis Ford Coppola (Huston), Guillermo del Toro (Capra), Paul Greengrass (Ford), and Lawrence Kasdan (Stevens).
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts
Streaming on Amazon Prime. 🍅 rating: 97%.
This forgotten Spike Lee docuseries was the recipient of a Peabody Award and three Emmys. It’s about a topic which you might feel like you’ve already been exposed to enough, the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina, but its runtime (four hours) and the number of people Lee interviewed (100!) offer a deeper experience than anything made on the tragedy, before or since.
The Keepers
Streaming on Netflix everywhere. 🍅 rating: 97%.
This great seven-episode mini-series was marketed as similar to the Netflix hit show Making a Murderer. While the two share some defining characteristics, The Keepers, in my opinion, is much more interesting.
It’s an absorbing tale of injustice, sexual abuse, and corruption. If you so much as like true crime shows (or movies like Spotlight), you’re going to love The Keepers.
That’s it for today, I hope one of these is for you.
A second thank you to everyone who responded to yesterday’s e-mail letting me know that you approve of the new frequency of e-mails.
Tomorrow, the mid-week pick.
Best,
Bilal
Thankyou for the suggestions....writing from Canada...New Netflix movie Extraction...not available in Canada Netflix...am asking why and is there a chance it will be available? Thankyou.