3 fresh new Netflix documentaries to watch this weekend (August 14-16)

Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek Published Aug 14, 2026, 12:15 PM EDT Derek Malcolm has been covering the worlds of tech and entertainment for more than two decades. Before coming to How-To Geek in 2025, Derek was a contributing editor and writer for the A/V and Home Theater section at Digital Trends, where he wrangled and wrote everything from what to watch on Netflix to reviews, explainers, and guides on the latest Bluetooth speakers, turntables, projectors, and other A/V gear. Based in Toronto, Derek graduated from Humber College's Journalism program in 1999, after which he started covering the worlds of music, movies, TV, and celebrity for publications such as TV Guide, Hello! magazine, and Inside Entertainment. He then got the bug for covering tech and gadgets in 2006, when he served as editor-in-chief of Canadian tech magazine Connected for more than a decade. An avid skier, when all the snow's gone Derek can be found at home spinning vinyl with his daughter or cheering on his favorite F1 team, McLaren. Sign in to your How-To Geek account Netflix has got it going on in the documentary space in August, with the chilling The Idaho Murders: College Nightmares still holding strong in the streamer's top 3 TV shows on the U.S. charts, which says a lot about where subscriber attention is pointed right now. But the month is just getting warmed up, with three more documentary titles landing in the last few days. First up is a cool limited series about a swaggering football (read: soccer) manager, followed by another three-part true-crime profile of one of the most notorious killers ever, and my top pick this weekend, a totally bingeable and enlightening food series with an effervescent host. 3 Mourinho I know the World Cup has come and gone, but for those still hanging on, this new limited series will be well worth your time. From the folks behind the Emmy-winning Netflix series Beckham, and directed by the guy behind the streamer's Robbie Williams series, Mourinho delivers the same treatment to legendary football manager, José Mourinho. Filmed over two years, the three-parter traces the enigmatic and feisty manager's career, cleverly broken up in chunks of his life—2004, 2007, and 2010—meandering through his biggest moments, including his massive underdog Champions League victory with FC Porto, him declaring himself the "Special One" as he rocketed Chelsea into a powerhouse team, his incredible peak at Inter Milan, and his tumultuous time with Real Madrid. Told mostly in his own words, Mourinho stacks copious amounts of archival, gameplay, and press conference footage in each episode, but also includes some candid sit-down interviews with those in the know, like Sir Alex Ferguson, Frank Lampard, and John Terry, to name a few. Quiz8 Questions · Test Your KnowledgeSoccer documentaries and docuseriesTrivia challengeFrom Wrexham to Beckham — see how much you know about the best soccer docs on screen.DocuseriesPlayersClubsDirectorsDramaBeginIn 'Welcome to Wrexham', which two Hollywood actors purchased Wrexham AFC in 2020?ARyan Reynolds and Rob McElhenneyBWill Ferrell and John C. ReillyCRyan Reynolds and Justin TimberlakeDRob McElhenney and Charlie DayCorrect! Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney completed their takeover of Wrexham AFC in February 2021. Their unlikely friendship and shared vision for the club became the heart of the FX docuseries.Not quite. It was Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney who bought the Welsh club. Will Ferrell actually owns a stake in a different MLS team, which might be why that option seemed tempting!ContinueIn which English city is the club featured in 'Sunderland 'Til I Die' located?ANewcastleBLeedsCSunderlandDMiddlesbroughCorrect! Sunderland AFC is based in Sunderland, a city in northeast England. The Netflix series followed the club through its painful back-to-back relegations from the Premier League and beyond.Not quite — the club is actually in Sunderland, a city in northeast England. It's easy to mix up northeast English cities, especially since rivals Newcastle are just a short drive away!ContinueThe 2023 Netflix documentary 'Beckham' covers the life of David Beckham. Which club did he famously join from Manchester United in 2003?AAC MilanBReal MadridCLA GalaxyDParis Saint-GermainCorrect! David Beckham joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2003 in a deal worth around £25 million. His four seasons in Spain were a defining chapter in his career and global celebrity.Not quite. Beckham left Manchester United for Real Madrid in 2003. He did later join LA Galaxy and AC Milan, but the big headline move straight from United was to the Spanish giants.ContinueAmazon Prime Video's 'All or Nothing' docuseries has followed several top football clubs. Which of these clubs was NOT the subject of an 'All or Nothing' series?AManchester CityBTottenham HotspurCArsenalDChelseaCorrect! Chelsea have not been the subject of an 'All or Nothing' series. Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, and Juventus are among the clubs that have let Amazon's cameras in for the behind-the-scenes series.Not quite — Chelsea is the odd one out here. Amazon's 'All or Nothing' has covered Manchester City, Tottenham, and Arsenal, among others, but Chelsea haven't opened their doors for the series.ContinueThe documentary 'Diego Maradona' (2019), directed by Asif Kapadia, focuses heavily on Maradona's turbulent years at which Italian club?AJuventusBInter MilanCNapoliDAS RomaCorrect! Maradona's time at Napoli from 1984 to 1991 is considered one of football's greatest stories. He led the southern Italian club to their first-ever Serie A titles and became a near-religious figure in the city.Not quite — the documentary zeroes in on Maradona's legendary and chaotic years at Napoli. Director Asif Kapadia used over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage to tell that remarkable story.ContinueNetflix's 'Break Point' is a tennis docuseries, but which streaming platform aired the popular soccer docuseries 'FIFA Uncovered'?AHuluBApple TV+CNetflixDAmazon Prime VideoCorrect! 'FIFA Uncovered' is a Netflix docuseries that examines the corruption scandals within FIFA, soccer's world governing body. It premiered in 2022 and drew on the infamous FBI investigation that rocked the sport.Not quite — 'FIFA Uncovered' was a Netflix production. The four-part series explored decades of alleged bribery and corruption inside FIFA, making it a gripping watch even for viewers who don't follow the sport.ContinueDirector Asif Kapadia made a soccer documentary before his acclaimed 'Diego Maradona' film. Which legendary Brazilian player was the subject of his earlier 2016 documentary?ARonaldoBPeléCZicoDRonaldinhoCorrect! Asif Kapadia directed 'Ronaldo' in 2015 (released widely in 2016), a documentary about Cristiano Ronaldo. He later turned his lens to Maradona in 2019, cementing his reputation as the go-to director for soccer legends.Not quite. Asif Kapadia's earlier soccer documentary was about Cristiano Ronaldo, released in 2015. Kapadia is well known for intimate portrait documentaries, having also made the Oscar-winning 'Amy' about Amy Winehouse.ContinueIn 'Welcome to Wrexham', what league were Wrexham AFC playing in when Reynolds and McElhenney took over — making their underdog story even more remarkable?AThe Championship (second tier)BLeague One (third tier)CThe National League (fifth tier)DLeague Two (fourth tier)Correct! Wrexham were in the National League, the fifth tier of English football, when the two stars took over. Their goal of reaching the English Football League made the journey all the more dramatic and compelling.Not quite. Wrexham were actually in the National League, the fifth tier of the English football pyramid. That's what made the Hollywood takeover so surprising — and the eventual promotion so emotional for fans.See My ScoreChallenge CompleteYour Score/ 8Thanks for playing!Try Again 2 Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes Chilling unreleased audio tapes help profile the notorious killer Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger has a laundry list of incredible films with his name on them, including the stark and revealing Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, and is also no stranger to compelling, in-depth true-crime trilogies, with his Emmy-winning Paradise Lost trio about the West Memphis Three. In more recent years, Netflix has provided Berlinger a home for his latest series, Conversations with a Killer, the fifth and final chapter of which, The Charles Manson Tapes, is streaming as of August 12. After taking us through Conversations with Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Son of Sam, Berlinger caps it off with arguably the most notorious of them, Manson. The hook here is the three-part series' haunting and revealing prison phone calls with Manson, most never heard publicly before—some incoherent, some manic, some preachy—that are sprinkled throughout the series. Broken into three episodes—The Family, The Devil's Business, and Trial of the Century—The Charles Manson Tapes isn't so much about the tapes as it is a journey through his sordid life. It recounts how he recruited young, drifting women to follow him, through the 1969 Tate-LaBianca killings, and the chaos of the following trial in 1971. It's a well-produced and bingeable watch that includes compelling archival footage and first-hand accounts from many involved, including living former members of the Manson Family. Cast John Wayne Gacy, Sam Amirante, Greg Bedoe, Rafael Tovar, Mike Albrecht Creator(s) Joe Berlinger IMDb ID tt18970124 Seasons 1 TMDB User Rating 7 .4 1 What's Eating Dan? Forty snackable episodes on why food does what it does If you read these weekly roundups of Netflix docs regularly, you might know that I'm a big fan of capping them off with a nice palate cleanser when I can, so I'm happy to include, as my top pick this weekend, 40 gloriously snackable mini episodes of the James Beard Award-nominated YouTube series, What's Eating Dan? From the culinary experts at America's Test Kitchen, What's Eating Dan? is a brilliantly produced series hosted by ATK chief content officer and former editor-in-chief of Cook's Illustrated, Dan Souza. In the quick episodes—between five and 10 minutes each—Souza takes one ingredient or one cooking technique and clearly and succinctly details what it is and why it does the things it does, before handing you a recipe based on it. Episodes are fascinating and demystify the science and biology behind food staples like onions (the wonders of alliinase and why they make you cry), and things like why you shouldn't snap the ends off asparagus, how to shop for good olive oil, and how to make the best homemade burger. Souza's straightforward and cheerful presentation is combined with helpful illustrations that drive each point home. Apple TV 4K (2nd Generation) Keeping your watch list stocked An enigmatic soccer manager's career in three episodes, a notorious killer's creepy prison tapes, and a very serious conversation about onions—not a bad range for a weekend. But that's how documentaries on Netflix seem to roll these days. If you're also looking for more docs to watch on other streaming services, I run those down each week as well for Paramount+ and HBO Max. Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams Two or four Live TV No Price Starting at $8/month