20 Best Documentary TV Shows on Paramount Plus 2026
Find the best documentary TV shows on Paramount Plus, from 60 Minutes and Couples Therapy to crime, history, sport, and travel docuseries for every mood.
If you’re searching for the best documentary TV shows on Paramount Plus, this list gives you a mix of true crime, personal stories, history, sports, and offbeat reality TV. You’ll find well-known picks like 60 Minutes, Couples Therapy, Nathan for You, and Inside the Factory alongside tense docuseries such as Never Seen Again, Outcry, and Murderous History. There’s also plenty for viewers who like curiosity-driven travel and investigation, including Searching for Secrets and Britain in Color. Whether you want something serious, strange, or surprisingly funny, these titles make it easy to find a documentary series that matches your mood.
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01
Nathan for You
documentary · comedy
Self-proclaimed business expert, writer, director and comedian Nathan Fielder helps real small businesses turn a profit with marketing tactics that no ordinary consultant would dare to attempt. From driving foot traffic to an off-the-strip souvenir shop by using Hollywood flair and a Johnny Depp impersonator, to creating a rebate that can only be redeemed by climbing a mountain, to founding a coffee shop called "Dumb Starbucks,” Nathan has always gone to the limit to make his ideas come to life. With his unorthodox approach to problem solving, Nathan’s genuine efforts to do good often draw the real people he encounters into an experience far beyond what they signed up for.
Why watch: If you like documentary series with a comic edge, this is a strong pick. Its mix of business, problem-solving, and comedy makes it stand out from more straightforward nonfiction shows.
Directed by Nathan Fielder, Jason WolinerCast Nathan Fielder, Anthony Armentano, Kevin Carmony, Vicki Jo Costanzo, Amy GoddardParamount PlusMaxMore details on IMDb → -
02
A Course Called Ireland
comedy · documentary · sport
Hollywood icon Bill Murray tours Ireland, blending golf with a quest to uncover his Irish ancestry.
Why watch: If you enjoy travel, sport, and a lighter documentary tone, this may fit well. The premise combines golf with a search for Irish ancestry, which gives it a personal angle.
Paramount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
03
Couples Therapy
documentary · reality tv
Far from reality-show caricatures, this is true documentary filmmaking that brings viewers into the authentic and visceral experience of weekly therapy with four couples. World-class therapist Dr. Orna Guralnik deftly guides the couples through the minefield of honest confrontation with each other and with themselves, revealing the real-life struggles — and extraordinary breakthroughs — typically hidden behind closed doors.
Why watch: If you want a more intimate documentary experience, this is a great choice. Its focus on weekly therapy sessions makes it especially suited to viewers interested in real relationship struggles.
Directed by Kim Roberts, Josh Kriegman, Pax Wassermann, Bennett Elliott, Eli B. DespresCast Orna Guralnik, Dr. Virginia GoldnerAmazon Prime VideoParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
04
Harlan Coben's Final Twist
documentary · crime
The official show description from CBS is as follows: “Harlan Coben’s Final Twist brings the world’s best-selling mystery author into the true-crime television genre for the first time.
Why watch: If true crime and mystery-author appeal both interest you, this may be worth a look. It brings Harlan Coben into the documentary crime space for the first time.
Directed by Jeff ZimbalistCast Peter Luecke, Jennifer Peckham-Arundale, Evan FeistParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
05
Handsome Devil: Charming Killer
documentary · crime
A captivating three-part docuseries that unravels how Wade Wilson — a 25-year-old Florida man arrested for the brutal murders of two women — unexpectedly became a social media fixation
Why watch: If you follow true-crime docuseries with a social-media angle, this one should grab your attention. Its three-part format suggests a compact, case-focused watch.
Directed by Brian Ross, Rhonda SchwartzParamount PlusMore details on IMDb →
Not quite it? Ask WattaWatch for documentary on Paramount Plus →
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06
Devotion: Obedience or Betrayal
documentary
For over 50 years, daily life in Gloriavale has been governed by rigid beliefs and hierarchies as men rule over their wives. Shocking allegations of sexual abuse and a cover-up threaten their way of life.
Why watch: If you prefer documentaries about closed communities and difficult allegations, this may suit you. The focus on Gloriavale and its strict hierarchy points to a serious, issue-driven watch.
Directed by Nicole RittenmeyerParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
07
60 Minutes
Won 1 ATAS Broadcast Journalism Award
documentary
America's popular television News magazine in which an ever changing team of CBS News correspondents contribute segments ranging from hard news coverage to politics to lifestyle and pop culture.
Why watch: If you like long-running news and current-affairs programming, this is an easy recommendation. Its mix of hard news, politics, lifestyle, and pop culture gives it broad appeal.
Directed by Arthur Bloom, Rob Klug, Alicia Tanz-Flaum, Allen Mack, Karyn J. TaylorCast Bryan Stevenson, Hughes Rudd, Christine Gosden, Jamie Dimon, Meghan FinnParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
08
Searching for Secrets
documentary
Journey back in time to uncover buried tales in cities across the globe, following local guides and historians on a journey that is both travel exposé and urban mystery.
Why watch: If you enjoy travel documentaries with a mystery element, this should fit nicely. The series follows local guides and historians as they explore hidden stories in cities around the world.
Directed by Louisiana KreutzCast Tom Leefarr Smith, Anna Westford, Alice RobinsonParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
09
Never Seen Again
documentary · drama
Docuseries told from the point of view of those left behind after a loved one vanishes without a trace.
Why watch: If missing-person cases and personal perspectives interest you, this is a strong option. The story is told through the people left behind, which gives it a direct emotional angle.
Directed by Anthony Cantor, James Ellis, Christopher Landon, Jessica Joy Wise, Christopher Scott McClureCast Katie Kaplan, Lorena Keepness, Cole Keepness, Tanis Keepness, Chad DiehlParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
10
The Real Wolf of Wall Street
documentary
A three-part docuseries, revealing the true story of Jordan Belfort and his boiler room brokers at Stratton Oakmont, which is even darker and more debauched than previously known.
Why watch: If you want a deeper look at a famous Wall Street scandal, this may be the one for you. Its three-part structure and crime focus suggest a detailed retelling.
Cast Jordan BelfortParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
11
Outcry
documentary · crime
An exploration to the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley who was arrested, convicted and jailed for sexual assault of a 4-year-old boy, and his supporters' quest for truth and justice.
Why watch: If wrongful-conviction stories and legal documentaries appeal to you, this one is a good fit. It follows a high-profile case and the search for truth around it.
Directed by Pat KondelisCast Greg KelleyParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
12
11 Minutes
documentary
A four-part documentary that takes viewers inside the heart-stopping stories of terror and survival experienced by those who were at the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas.
Why watch: If survival stories and large-scale real-life events draw you in, this series should work well. It centers on the experiences of people caught up in the Route 91 Harvest Festival attack.
Directed by Jeff ZimbalistCast Lincoln BrownParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
13
My Killer Father: The Green Hollow Murders
documentary · crime
Small-town rumors of a local serial killer become national news when a woman alleges her father killed dozens of women, including three of his wives, and forced her and her siblings to help bury bodies in an old well when they were children.
Why watch: If you like true-crime stories built around family claims and community rumor, this may interest you. Its crime focus and serial-killer allegations point to a dark, case-driven watch.
Paramount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
14
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team
documentary · reality tv · sport
Reality show following the auditioning process and making of the annual Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading Squad.
Why watch: If reality TV with a sports angle is your thing, this is a natural pick. It follows the auditioning process for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading Squad, so it suits viewers who like competition and behind-the-scenes pressure.
Directed by Peter Zasuly, David WechterCast Kalyssa Alynn Dawn Singleton, Kahlyn Larke, Alexis Leigh Durocher, Lexie Smith, Gabriella CaponiParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
15
You Don't Know Where I'm From, Dawg
documentary
A comprehensive look at the life and career of American soccer legend Clint Dempsey.
Why watch: If you enjoy sports biographies and athlete profiles, this could be a good match. It takes a comprehensive look at Clint Dempsey’s life and career.
Directed by Peter RadovichCast Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, Gareth Bale, Bobby Zamora, Jürgen KlinsmannParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
16
Murder in Big Horn
crime · documentary
A powerful portrait of tribal members and their communities within Big Horn County, Montana battling an epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) that has been prevalent since colonization. This docuseries examines the circumstances surrounding many of these cases, told solely through the perspectives of those involved: Native families, Native journalists, and local law enforcement officers.
Why watch: If you want a serious crime documentary with a strong social context, this one stands out. It focuses on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Big Horn County through local voices.
Directed by Razelle Benally, Matthew GalkinParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
17
#Cybersleuths: The Idaho Murders
documentary · crime
Four college students are murdered in Idaho. A group of amateur detectives obsessed with true crime try to solve the case by examining evidence and pursuing leads.
Why watch: If internet sleuthing and modern true crime interest you, this may be a fit. The premise centers on amateur detectives trying to solve a case, which will appeal to viewers who like online investigation stories.
Directed by Lucie JourdanCast Jenna Cannella, Riley LivelyParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
18
Inside the Factory
documentary · history
Paddy McGuinness and Cherry Healey get exclusive access to some of the largest factories in Britain to reveal the secrets behind production on an epic scale.
Why watch: If you enjoy how-things-are-made documentaries, this is a solid choice. Its access to major factories in Britain gives it a practical, process-focused angle.
Directed by Michael Rees, Sam Bailey, Gavin Ahern, Steve Bonser, Chris ParkinCast Phillip Lucas, Adam Francis, Oliver JonesParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
19
Murderous History
crime · documentary · history
At the scene of every crime is a story of a time, the place, and its people. This six-part series steps back in time to examine the most gruesome and compelling murder mysteries of the past 200 years, viewed through the lens of the eras and cities in which they took place. Through cinematic reenactments, we follow the determined investigators and complex perpetrators while revealing how each case made its own mark on history.
Why watch: If you like crime stories with a historical lens, this series is a strong option. It blends murder mysteries, reenactments, and historical context across different eras and cities.
Directed by Steven Perring, Ben MoleCast Jon Birkbeck, Steve LangleyParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
20
Britain in Color
documentary · biography · history
Britain in Color showcases key moments in 20th century Britain seen for the first time in color.
Why watch: If history documentaries appeal to you, this one offers a distinctive visual hook. It presents key moments in 20th century Britain in color, which should interest viewers who like historical perspective.
Directed by Tom BrisleyCast Stephen ManganParamount PlusMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
From long-running news magazine storytelling to crime-focused docuseries and lighter, personality-driven picks, this lineup covers a wide range of documentary viewing. If you want more than one kind of story, this is a useful place to compare style, subject matter, and tone before you press play. Bookmark this page and come back when you want a fresh option, since it’s updated regularly. That makes it easier to keep track of what’s worth watching now without starting from scratch each time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is this list updated?
We refresh this list regularly as titles are added or removed from streaming catalogs, so rankings and availability stay current.
Do I need a Paramount Plus subscription to watch these?
Yes. Every title on this list is currently available on Paramount Plus. Availability can change, so we recommend checking the streaming link on each title before you start watching.
How are these documentary shows ranked?
We rank by a combination of audience rating and current popularity, so you're seeing the documentary titles people are actually watching right now, not just an old fixed list.