The documentary series is in a boom period at the moment with more and more new ones released each week, to the extent that we now see multiple series covering the same incident or subject matter. Our top picks manage each have a compelling story to tell and do so in a way that was so engaging, we would happily binge the whole thing.
Here are our picks for the Best Documentary Series of 2023.
5. Pervert: Hunting the Strip Search Caller
I hadn’t heard about the case of the ‘Strip Search Caller,’ a true blizzard and horrifying crime spree that occurred in the early 2000s. A man would ring a fast food store pretending to be a cop and accuse some workers of a crime like stealing money and get the manager to strip search the employee. These events tormented their victims, and although this documentary only hears mostly from the police and some of the managers, you know these poor people were going to have trust issues for the rest of their lives. The doco series also had me thinking about how much power someone pretending to be working for the police has in the U.S, and also how much a job means to some of these people they’re willing to sit through this torture in hopes they’ll hold onto their jobs at the other end when proven innocent.
– Dylan
4. Welcome to Wrexham: Season 2
While by no means the underdog anymore given their purchase by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, there were plenty of hardships for Wrexham to overcome in their quest to finally earn promotion out of the National League. What sets Welcome to Wrexham apart from other sports documentaries is the focus on the community around the club, with an episode dedicated to autistic fan Millie who watches games from ‘The Quiet Zone’ and one to the tragedy at the Gresford Colliery in 1934 just two examples. This season also began following the Wrexham Women’s team with a bunch of wonderful players to get to know and support. By getting invested in the people in the town and how much this football club means to them, it makes the on-field events all the more special. The show to fill that Ted Lasso-filled hole in your heart.
– Ashley
3. Telemarketers
Two office workers at a call centre discover that they are actually used in a scam to trick people out of money they think is going to police officers and firefighters but is actually going to major telemarketing companies. The two set out to expose this to the world by making their own documentary about it. What starts as a story about two men trying to shine a light on a disgusting practice, soon turns into a tale of two men trying to make a documentary as the film takes place over the course of 20 years. A riveting series with interesting characters and companies that’ll make you sick to your stomach.
– Ashley
2. Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets
A doco-series about corruption within a religion wouldn’t be anything new, but the true story of the Duggar family is unique to the 21st century. The family’s ultra-Christian beliefs, built upon having as many children as possible, for one thing, were the catalyst for a documentary, which led to the creation of years of reality TV shows based on the family. And now, let’s go full circle back to this documentary about those shows and the family itself. This is a cautionary tale of certain religious groups, but also about reality TV and how everything on screen might not be as peachy as it seems.
– Dylan
1. Double Fine PsychOdyssey
Originally only available to those who backed the development of Psychonauts 2, Double Fine PsychOdyssey was released to the public earlier this year and was a fascinating and insightful look at the making of a video game. While Double Fine is not your average game studio, this documentary did a great job of showcasing how much blood, sweat and tear go in to our video games as well as being a riveting character drama with many unfortunate clashes in personalities and visions. A must-watch for all gamers, especially those complaining about games taking too long or being too expensive. Sure to instil a new found sense of appreciation for what game devs do.
– Ashley
