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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 meAllFilmsSeries

  1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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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  7. 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

  8. 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)

  9. 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

  10. 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. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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+

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

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.

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