4 mostly-new Netflix documentaries to stream this weekend (May 15-17)

Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek Published May 15, 2026, 10:30 AM 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 This weekend, while everyone is basking in Netflix's Top 10 with scripted shows like Lord of the Flies and the new season of Devil May Cry that I recently recommended, why not refocus your gaze on something a little more real and compelling, like a gripping documentary? Netflix has tons of them, and they just keep coming, making it a lot easier for me to round them up each week. For U.S. subscribers this weekend, I've pulled a few that arrived recently, and one I just stumbled on. They include a much-anticipated bio-doc about one of the funniest people alive, a head-shaking car crash mystery, a tale of children lost in the Colombian jungle, and a look at the notorious 2000s Portland Trail Blazers. 4 Marty, Life is Short I'm so excited, I must say As a Canadian, I grew up watching Martin Short just kill on SCTV, and later on Saturday Night Live, with iconic characters such as Ed Grimley, sweaty lawyer Nathan Thurm, and (my favorite) men's synchronized swimming Olympic hopeful, Lawrence Orbach. The legendary comedian and comic actor has perhaps made me laugh more than any other, ever, so watching his lifelong friend, Lawrence Kasdan's (The Big Chill, Raiders of the Lost Ark) bio-doc, Marty, Life Is Short, was a joy. While it is a joyful, though pretty standard, documentation of Short's career—tracing it from his youth in Toronto, through his TV and movie triumphs (and failures), Broadway success, Jiminy Glick, stand-up comedy, and his more recent success with Only Murders in the Building—Life Is Short also takes time and care delving into the tragedies that have fallen on Short, including losing his brother in a car accident when he young, the. loss of his parents by the time he was 20, and the death of his beloved wife, Nancy Dolman, in 2010. The 101-minute love letter uses beautiful archival footage and home video and features interviews from those who love Marty most, including Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Eugene Levy, and John Mulaney. Marty, Life Is Short Release Date May 12, 2026 Runtime 99 minutes Director Lawrence Kasdan 3 The Crash A teen, a violent car crash, and shifting stories The Crash is one of those raw true-crime documentaries that you'll watch at least a few minutes of through your fingers as they cover your eyes. It tells the tragic and unbelievable story of MacKenzie Shirilla, a 17-year-old Ohio girl who, on July 31, 2022, slammed her car into a brick wall at 100 mph, killing her boyfriend, 20-year-old Dominic Russo, and his best friend, Davion Flanagan. Shirilla miraculously survived. But as the details of the horrific crash unfolded, evidence emerged that it wasn't an accident at all, ultimately leading to Shirilla's murder conviction and sentence to 15 years to life in prison. Take a deep breath. The Crash dives deep into the story, which paints a picture of a toxic relationship and a pretty damning, narcissistic portrait of Shirilla. The film reconstructs the case using archival footage, CCTV and bodycam video, black box evidence, social media posts, and tearful interviews with friends and family of Russo, Flanagan, and Shirilla. Buckle up for this crazy ride. Quiz 8 Questions · Test Your KnowledgeNetflix documentariesTrivia challengeFrom true crime to nature — see how well you know Netflix's most gripping documentary films and series.True CrimeNatureSportsCultureBiographyBegin Which Netflix documentary series follows the story of Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey, who were convicted of murder in Wisconsin?AThe KeepersBMaking a MurdererCEvil GeniusDDon't F**k with CatsCorrect! Making a Murderer, released in 2015, became a cultural phenomenon and sparked widespread debate about wrongful convictions and the U.S. justice system. It was directed by Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, who spent a decade documenting the case.Not quite — the answer is Making a Murderer. Released in 2015, this groundbreaking Netflix series followed Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey through their controversial murder convictions. It ignited a massive public conversation about wrongful convictions and legal fairness.Continue Which Netflix nature documentary series is narrated by David Attenborough and explores the deepest parts of the world's oceans?AOur PlanetBNight on EarthCSeaspiracyDOur OceansCorrect! Our Oceans is a stunning Netflix nature documentary narrated by the legendary David Attenborough, diving into the mysteries of ocean ecosystems around the globe. It showcases some of the most breathtaking and rarely seen underwater environments on Earth.Not quite — the answer is Our Oceans. While Our Planet is also a beloved Attenborough Netflix series focused on land and sea habitats broadly, Our Oceans specifically dives deep into the world's ocean environments. Both are worth watching if you love nature documentaries.Continue The Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive follows which motorsport?ANASCARBMotoGPCFormula 1DIndyCarCorrect! Drive to Survive offers an behind-the-scenes look at the Formula 1 racing season, giving viewers access to drivers, team principals, and the high-stakes drama of the sport. It's widely credited with massively growing F1's fanbase, especially in the United States.Not quite — the answer is Formula 1. Drive to Survive has been a huge hit for Netflix since its debut in 2019, pulling back the curtain on the glamour, pressure, and politics of the F1 world. The series is often credited with introducing a whole new generation of fans to the sport.Continue Which Netflix documentary covers the infamous Fyre Festival, a luxury music festival that catastrophically failed in the Bahamas in 2017?AFyre FraudBThe InventorCFyre: The Greatest Party That Never HappenedDBad VeganCorrect! Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened was released on Netflix in January 2019 and quickly became a viral sensation. It detailed how entrepreneur Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule sold thousands of tickets to a luxury festival that was entirely unprepared to host guests.Not quite — the answer is Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened. Fyre Fraud was a competing documentary released on Hulu around the same time, which actually featured an interview with Billy McFarland himself. Both covered the disaster, but Netflix's version became the more widely seen of the two.Continue Which pop star is the subject of the 2021 Netflix documentary Miss Americana?AAriana GrandeBTaylor SwiftCBillie EilishDKaty PerryCorrect! Miss Americana is a deeply personal documentary about Taylor Swift, directed by Lana Wilson. It explores Swift's journey to find her voice, her political awakening, and the intense pressures of being one of the world's biggest pop stars.Not quite — the answer is Taylor Swift. Miss Americana offers a rare, candid look at Swift's life behind the scenes, including her decision to speak out politically for the first time. It debuted at the Sundance Film Festival before arriving on Netflix in early 2020.Continue The Netflix documentary series The Last Dance primarily focuses on which NBA player's final season with the Chicago Bulls?AScottie PippenBDennis RodmanCPhil JacksonDMichael JordanCorrect! The Last Dance chronicles Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls during their legendary 1997–98 season, widely considered one of the greatest sports documentaries ever made. It features never-before-seen footage and interviews that reveal the drama and genius behind the dynasty.Not quite — the answer is Michael Jordan. While The Last Dance features extensive coverage of Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and coach Phil Jackson, it centers squarely on Jordan's legacy and the tension-filled final championship run of the Bulls dynasty. It was released in 2020 and became a global phenomenon.Continue Which Netflix documentary tells the story of Robert Lund and his operation of the Dirty Bird chicken restaurant while secretly running a drug empire?ACocaine CowboysBThe PharmacistCHow to Become a TyrantDDirty MoneyCorrect! Dirty Money is a Netflix documentary series that exposes financial crimes and corruption across multiple episodes, with one episode focusing on a fast-food drug empire. The series covers a wide range of real-world financial scandals involving corporations and powerful individuals.Not quite — the answer is Dirty Money. This Netflix docuseries examines financial crimes and corporate wrongdoing in gripping detail across its episodes. Produced by Alex Gibney, it has been praised for its investigative depth and compelling storytelling.Continue Which Netflix documentary, released in 2021, follows conservationist Ric O'Barry and exposes the controversial dolphin hunting practices in Taiji, Japan?ASeaspiracyBMy Octopus TeacherCThe CoveDBrave Blue WorldCorrect! The Cove is a powerful and award-winning documentary that exposes the annual dolphin drive hunt in Taiji, Japan. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2010 and brought international attention to the controversial practice.Not quite — the answer is The Cove. This critically acclaimed documentary follows activist Ric O'Barry, who helped capture the dolphins used in the original Flipper TV series and later dedicated his life to protecting them. It won an Oscar for Best Documentary and remains one of the most impactful environmental films ever made.See My Score Challenge CompleteYour Score/ 8Thanks for playing!Try Again 2 The Lost Children Forty days alone in the Colombian Amazon This true story of survival against the odds has been on Netflix since last November, but it's new to me, and it hooked me immediately, especially since I've been watching the new Netflix series, Lord of the Flies. Produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Documentaries, The Lost Children is a survival story like no other. It recreates the tragic 2023 crash of a single-engine passenger plane in the Colombian Amazon rainforest that killed all three adults on board, including Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia, a mother of four who was fleeing her village with her children due to threats from a local criminal group. Somehow, Magdalena’s Indigenous children—Lesly (13), Soleiny (9), Tien (4), and 11-month-old Cristin—survived the crash, and survived alone in the jungle for 40 days, using their ancestral knowledge of the rainforest, while everyone from the Colombian Army and Indigenous volunteer groups to the children's family and friends searched for them. The Spanish-language documentary uses news footage, reenactments, and interviews with family members and the searchers involved to tell the story. 1 Untold: Jail Blazers The Trail Blazers' crazy 2000s, told by the guys who lived it Netflix has a good thing going with its solid Untold series of quick and compelling doc series, and Jail Blazers is another fun one recently added. The 70-minute movie is a fun and salacious revisiting of the early-2000s Portland Trailblazers, a team that, while insanely talented and of championship caliber, was completely overshadowed by scandal, on and off the court, causing the media to the public to brand them the "Jail Blazers." What makes the doc so compelling is its central interviews with three of the team's core players, Rasheed Wallace, Bonzi Wells, and Damon Stoudamire, and former general manager Bob Whitsitt, who recall some of the era's wildest moments on and off the court—including Wallace's still-standing NBA record of 41-technical fouls, racial friction, several marijuana possession charges, locker-room blowups, legal troubles, and more. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max Integrations Alexa Storage 16GB Stranger than fiction Made-up stories are great, sure, but nothing quite drops your jaw like discovering that the unbelievable thing you just watched is actually true. A good doc can hit harder than any fiction, but if the Netflix docs I've curated above aren't cutting it, check out our other roundups of documentaries on HBO Max and Paramount+, too. Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams Two or four Live TV No Price Starting at $8/month