4 new Netflix documentaries to watch in October

Published Oct 4, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT T.M. Amrita is a writer and tech enthusiast with experience as a news reporter covering technology, artificial intelligence, and gadgets. A journalist at heart, she found a soft spot for technology reporting during her tenure as a reporter at The Hindu Businessline, where she covered topics like the economy, data, and personal finance. She has published more than 250 news stories, tech guides, and opinion articles. Outside of technology, she is a passionate poet and brings her interest in learning new things to her work as a writer. Amrita is also a student of design and interface development, and likes to take on passion projects in her free time. Netflix's documentary collection is a rich place to explore titles for your watch list. Whether you are digging for a documentary on your niche interests or just looking for an entertaining watch for a night in, the streamer has quite a lot to offer. This October, Netflix U.S. is bringing a new, exciting lineup, from licensed, classic movies to its string of exclusive releases. Among these are its documentaries, of which these four look very promising. Here is all you need to know. TYSON Life beyond the ring Mike Tyson has spent most of his life in the public eye, but Netflix's docuseries TYSON takes us all the way back to the beginning of his story. The four-part documentary traces his childhood in Brooklyn, his climb through professional boxing, and the moment he became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at just 20 years old. From there, the story moves through the fame and turmoil as Tyson becomes one of the most recognizable yet controversial figures in sport. Tyson himself sits down for the documentary, along with people who have worked with him throughout his career. The series also covers the incarceration, personal struggles, and controversies that became a part of his public story. Each of the four episodes runs for roughly an hour, so this is also the biggest time commitment on the list. TYSON begins streaming on Netflix on October 13. TYSON Release Date October 13, 2026 Network Netflix Directors Floyd Russ Cast Mike Tyson Main Genre Documentary Producers Jenna Millman, Alexa Ginsburg, Jacob Miller Seasons 1 Executive Producer(s) Amanda Spain, Bill Simmons, Douglas Banker, Floyd Russ, Greg C. Lake, Ian Orefice, Jim Gray, Jonna McLaughlin, Michael Hughes Who is Martin Mull? A study in versatility If you know Martin Mull mostly through shows like Arrested Development and Roseanne, Who Is Martin Mull? fills in a few blanks about his story. Mull spent decades moving between comedy, acting, music, and painting, never really sticking to just one version of himself. The documentary follows this career trajectory from his early days performing in folk clubs to television and, eventually, the art world. The film was directed by Mull’s longtime friend Bob Saget alongside Neil Berkeley, and Mull himself weaves a chunk of his tale. Friends and fellow performers, including Steve Martin, Tom Waits, and David Alan Grier, also look back at the different sides of his career. This sounds like a nice watch even if you don't know much about Mull, since his acting is only one part in the grander scheme of things. Who Is Martin Mull? begins streaming on Netflix on October 7. Who Is Martin Mull? Release Date October 7, 2026 Runtime 94 minutes Director Bob Saget, Neil Berkeley Cast Martin Mull, Bob Saget, Fred Willard, Steve Martin, Tom Waits, David Alan Grier, Paul Feig, Penn Jillette, Kerri Kenney, Patton Oswalt, Andrea Savage, Ted Sarandos Producers Neil Berkeley, Sean Bradley, Tara Billik Main Genre Documentary Executive Producer(s) Bob Saget, Caitrin Rogers, Kevin S. Bright, Morgan Neville The One About Mathew Perry The larger story of the man behind the sitcom ​​​​​​​ For millions of people, Matthew Perry will always be Chandler Bing, but The One About Matthew Perry focuses on the personality outside those 10 seasons of Friends. The three-part documentary traces Perry’s rise as a comedian and actor while also looking at the addiction he spoke openly about and the advocacy that eventually became an important part of his legacy. This docuseries gets particularly personal through Perry’s sister, Mia Perry Bowick, who shares memories of her brother alongside his lifelong friends and creative collaborators. The series also uses previously unreleased photographs and videos from the Perry family archive, giving us glimpses of the parts of his life that were never part of the big screen. Perry died in October 2023 at the age of 54, and the documentary looks back at his life, the humor he brought to his writing and personal life, and even the harder parts that did not make the headlines. The One About Matthew Perry begins streaming on Netflix on October 27. The One About Matthew Perry Release Date 2026 - 2026-00-00 Network Netflix Directors Mary Robertson Cast Matthew Perry Main Genre Documentary Producers Jessica Call Seasons 1 Executive Producer(s) Aaron Saidman, Eli Holzman, Lisa Kalikow, Mary Robertson Free Leonard Peltier An examination of a controversial case Credit: Netflix Free Leonard Peltier covers one of the longest-running and most disputed criminal cases involving the American Indian Movement. Peltier was convicted for the deaths of two FBI agents during a 1975 shootout on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and spent nearly five decades in prison. His conviction has remained controversial, with supporters challenging aspects of the prosecution and campaigning for his release for years. Directors Jesse Short Bull and David France place Peltier’s case within the wider history of the American Indian Movement, using archival material and interviews to retrace both the events surrounding his conviction and the activists who continued fighting on his behalf. The documentary gets an unusual ending: Joe Biden commuted Peltier’s sentence to home confinement shortly before the film premiered at Sundance in 2025, leading the filmmakers to update the documentary at the last minute.​​​​​​​ Free Leonard Peltier begins streaming on Netflix on October 12. Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams Two or four Discover more documentaries If these documentaries have you hooked, Netflix's documentary section is a good place to keep digging. I find it more useful to search by subject or genre than to scroll through the homepage, especially if you want more biographies, sports documentaries, or science documentaries.