How is this list made?

Watchwalla asks TMDB for everything of this kind that streams in your country today, ranks it by rating (pulled toward the middle until enough people have rated a title), with a nudge for what's new and what people are watching now, and refreshes the list every day. Streaming availability comes from JustWatch, through TMDB.

Can it pick something for me?

Yes. The picker at watchwalla.com/tonight asks who's watching, how much time you have and what you're in the mood for, and gives three picks streaming where you are. Sign in and every title also gets a match score for your own taste.

What to watch

The best documentaries on HBO Max right now

Right now the best documentaries and docuseries on HBO Max in the United States are Planet Earth (2006), Planet Earth II (2016) and Blue Planet II (2017). This is the top 30 streaming there today, ranked by how well rated each one is, how many people have rated it, and what people are watching now.

Updated November 12, 2026 · streaming in the United States

Pick three for meAll Films Series

1. Planet Earth2006
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary★ 8.6
David Attenborough celebrates the amazing variety of the natural world in this epic documentary series, filmed over four years across 64 different countries.
Stream onHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery+YouTube TV+2
2. Planet Earth II2016
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary, Family★ 8.6
David Attenborough presents a documentary series exploring how animals meet the challenges of surviving in the most iconic habitats on earth.
Stream onHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery+YouTube TV+1
3. Blue Planet II2017
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary, Family★ 8.6
There is nowhere more powerful and unforgiving yet more beautiful and compelling than the ocean. Join us and explore the greatest yet least known parts of our planet.
Stream onHBO MaxDiscovery+Planet Earth
4. MythBusters2003
Series · 16 seasonsDocumentary★ 7.8
MythBusters is a science entertainment television program created and produced by Australia's Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel.
Stream onDisney+HuluHBO MaxPhilo+7
5. Life2009
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary★ 8.4
David Attenborough looks at the extraordinary ends to which animals and plants go in order to survive. Featuring epic spectacles, amazing TV firsts and examples of new wildlife behaviour.
Stream onHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery+Planet Earth
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6. The Jinx2015
Series · 2 seasonsDocumentary, Crime★ 8.0
Robert Durst, scion of NY's billionaire real-estate family, has been accused of three murders but has evaded justice for over 30 years. Durst speaks in this true crime series, revealing secrets of a case that has baffled authorities.
Stream onHBO Max
7. Nathan for You2013
Series · 4 seasonsComedy, Documentary★ 8.2
Nathan Fielder uses his business degree and life experiences to help real small businesses turn a profit.
Stream onHBO MaxParamount+Hoopla (free)Pluto TV (free)
8. Frozen Planet2011
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary★ 8.4
David Attenborough travels to the end of the earth, taking viewers on an extraordinary journey across the polar regions of our planet.
Stream onHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery+Planet Earth
9. Friends: The Reunion2021
Film · 1h 44mDocumentary, Comedy★ 7.8
The cast of Friends reunites for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the hit series, an unforgettable evening filled with iconic memories, uncontrollable laughter, happy tears, and special guests.
Stream onHBO Max
10. The Rehearsal2022
Series · 2 seasonsComedy, Documentary★ 8.0
With a construction crew, a legion of actors, and seemingly unlimited resources, Nathan Fielder allows ordinary people to prepare for life's biggest moments by "rehearsing" them in carefully crafted simulations of his own design.
Stream onHBO Max
11. Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts2022
Film · 1h 43mDocumentary★ 7.3
An enchanting making-of story told through all-new in-depth interviews and cast conversations, inviting fans on a magical first-person journey through one of the most beloved film franchises of all time.
Stream onHBO Max
12. How the Universe Works2010
Series · 11 seasonsDocumentary★ 8.3
A users' guide to the cosmos, from the Big Bang to galaxies, stars, planets and moons: where did it all come from and how does it all fit together? A primer for anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered.
Stream onHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery+Science Channel+1
13. Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV2024
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary, Crime★ 7.7
Discover the untold story of the toxic and abusive environment inside '90s kids' TV. Hear harrowing accounts from former child stars and crew who probe the balance of power in the industry and reveal an era that inflicted lasting wounds…
Stream onPhiloYouTube TVInvestigation DiscoveryHBO Max+2
14. How To with John Wilson2020
Series · 3 seasonsComedy, Documentary★ 8.1
In a uniquely hilarious odyssey of self-discovery and cultural observation, documentary filmmaker and self-described "anxious New Yorker" John Wilson covertly and obsessively films the lives of his fellow New Yorkers while attempting to…
Stream onHBO Max
15. How It's Made2001
Series · 32 seasonsDocumentary★ 7.7
Have you ever wondered how the products you use every day are made? How It's Made leads you through the process of how everyday products, such as apple juice, skateboards, engines, contact lenses, and many more objects are manufactured.
Stream onDisney+HuluHBO MaxPhilo+7
16. Dynasties2018
Series · 2 seasonsDocumentary, Family★ 8.3
Follow the true stories of five of the world's most celebrated, yet endangered animals; penguins, chimpanzees, lions, painted wolves and tigers.
Stream onHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery+YouTube TV+2
17. Seven Worlds, One Planet2019
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary, Family★ 8.5
Millions of years ago, incredible forces ripped apart the Earth’s crust creating seven extraordinary continents. This documentary series reveals how each distinct continent has shaped the unique animal life found there.
Stream onPhiloYouTube TVHBO MaxDiscovery+
18. Paris Is Burning1991
Film · 1h 18mDocumentary, History★ 8.0
Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City's African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene.
Stream onHBO MaxShout! Factory TV (free)YouTube Free (free)Plex (free)+1
19. Planet Earth III2023
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary, Family★ 8.6
Journeying to the far reaches of our planet, this eight part series follows some of the world's most amazing species, telling extraordinary stories that are dramatic, thrilling, funny and sometimes heart-breaking, but always full of hope.
Stream onHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery+YouTube TV+1
20. Jodorowsky's Dune2013
Film · 1h 27mDocumentary★ 7.8
In 1974, Chilean-French director Alejandro Jodorowsky embarked on the quixotic project of adapting Frank Herbert's influential novel Dune (1969) for the big screen.
Stream onHBO MaxYouTube Free (free)
21. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story2024
Film · 1h 44mDocumentary★ 8.1
Christopher Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him…
Stream onHBO Max
22. Africa2013
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary★ 8.3
Africa, the world's wildest continent. David Attenborough takes us on an awe-inspiring journey through one of the most diverse places in the world. We visit deserts, savannas, and jungles and meet up with some of Africa's amazing wildlife.
Stream onHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery+YouTube TV+1
23. The Green Planet2022
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary★ 8.8
This documentary series about plants is the first immersive portrayal of an unseen, inter-connected world, full of remarkable new behaviour, emotional stories and surprising heroes in the plant world.
Stream onHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery+Planet Earth+1
24. I'll Be Gone in the Dark2020
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary, Crime★ 7.0
An exploration of the case of the Golden State Killer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s, committing 50 sexual assaults and 10 murders, and true crime author Michelle McNamara's obsessive quest to find justice on behalf of…
Stream onHBO Max
25. Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos2024
Series · 1 seasonDocumentary★ 8.3
A portrait of celebrated filmmaker David Chase: his life, his career and his groundbreaking work on the HBO original series The Sopranos.
Stream onHBO Max
26. Cobain: Montage of Heck2015
Film · 2h 12mDocumentary, Music★ 7.6
Hailed as one of the most innovative and intimate documentaries of all time, experience Kurt Cobain like never before in the only ever fully authorized portrait of the famed music icon.
Stream onHBO MaxQello Concerts by Stingray
27. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief2015
Film · 2h 0mDocumentary★ 7.6
The film profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, shining a light on how they attract true believers and the things they do in the name of religion.
Stream onHBO MaxHowdyThe CW (free)Kanopy (free)+7
28. Night and Fog1956
Film · 32mDocumentary, History★ 8.3
Filmmaker Alain Resnais documents the atrocities behind the walls of Hitler's concentration camps.
Stream onHBO MaxCriterion Channel
29. Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind2018
Film · 1h 56mDocumentary★ 7.9
A funny, intimate and heartbreaking portrait of one of the world’s most beloved and inventive comedians, Robin Williams, told largely through his own words.
Stream onHBO Max
30. Diego Maradona2019
Film · 2h 10mDocumentary★ 7.4
Constructed from over 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, this documentary centers on the personal life and career of the controversial football player Diego Maradona who played for SSC Napoli and Argentina in the 1980s.
Stream onHBO Max

Questions

What are the best documentaries and docuseries on HBO Max right now?: In the United States, as of November 12, 2026: Planet Earth (2006), rated 8.6 out of 10 on TMDB, then Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II.
How is this list made?: Watchwalla asks TMDB for everything of this kind that streams in your country today, ranks it by rating (pulled toward the middle until enough people have rated a title), with a nudge for what's new and what people are watching now, and refreshes the list every day. Streaming availability comes from JustWatch, through TMDB.
Can it pick something for me?: Yes. The picker at watchwalla.com/tonight asks who's watching, how much time you have and what you're in the mood for, and gives three picks streaming where you are. Sign in and every title also gets a match score for your own taste.

The best documentaries on HBO Max right now

1. Planet Earth2006

2. Planet Earth II2016

3. Blue Planet II2017

4. MythBusters2003

5. Life2009

6. The Jinx2015

7. Nathan for You2013

8. Frozen Planet2011

9. Friends: The Reunion2021

10. The Rehearsal2022

11. Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts2022

12. How the Universe Works2010

13. Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV2024

14. How To with John Wilson2020

15. How It's Made2001

16. Dynasties2018

17. Seven Worlds, One Planet2019

18. Paris Is Burning1991

19. Planet Earth III2023

20. Jodorowsky's Dune2013

21. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story2024

22. Africa2013

23. The Green Planet2022

24. I'll Be Gone in the Dark2020

25. Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos2024

26. Cobain: Montage of Heck2015

27. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief2015

28. Night and Fog1956

29. Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind2018

30. Diego Maradona2019

Questions

More to choose from