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The best documentaries on Prime Video right now

Right now the best documentaries and docuseries on Prime Video in the United States are Mayday (2003), Baraka (1992) and Blackfish (2013). 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. Mayday2003

    Series · 26 seasonsDocumentary, Drama, Crime★ 8.2

    Major real-life air disasters are depicted in this series. Each episode features a detailed dramatized reconstruction of the incident based on cockpit voice recorders and air traffic control transcripts, as well as eyewitnesses recounts…

    Stream onPrime VideofuboTVPeacockPhilo+5

  2. 4. The Universe2007

    Series · 9 seasonsDocumentary★ 8.0

    From the planets to the stars and out to the edge of the unknown, history and science collide in a wondrous yet deadly adventure through space and time.

    Stream onPrime VideoPhiloHISTORY VaultHistory+1

  3. 5. De viaje con los Derbez2019

    Series · 5 seasonsDocumentary★ 7.5

    The series follows the fun and endearing Derbez family as they discover new cultures in foreign lands and for the first time – all together and unfiltered.

    Stream onPrime VideoVIXViX Premium

  4. 6. Ancient Aliens2010

    Series · 22 seasonsDocumentary, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy★ 7.1

    Did intelligent beings from outer space visit Earth thousands of years ago? From the age of the dinosaurs to ancient Egypt, from early cave drawings to continued mass sightings in the US, each episode gives historic depth to the questions,…

    Stream onNetflixPrime VideoDisney+Hulu+9

  5. 7. NOVA1974

    Series · 53 seasonsDocumentary★ 7.1

    PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA demystifies science and technology, and highlights the people involved in scientific pursuits.

    Stream onPrime VideoYouTube TVPBSPBS America+2

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  7. 8. The Men Who Built America2012

    Series · 1 seasonDocumentary★ 8.0

    Influential builders, dreamers and believers whose feats transformed the United States, a nation decaying from the inside after the Civil War, into the greatest economic and technological superpower the world had ever seen.

    Stream onPrime VideoDisney+HuluHISTORY Vault+6

  8. 10. The First 482004

    Series · 30 seasonsDocumentary, Drama, Crime★ 7.9

    The First 48 follows detectives from around the country during these first critical hours as they race against time to find the suspect.

    Stream onNetflixPrime VideoDisney+Hulu+10

  9. 11. Forensic Files1996

    Series · 14 seasonsCrime, Documentary★ 7.9

    Real crimes, disease outbreaks and accidents around the world are solved by experts using scientific laboratory analysis which helps them find previously undetectable evidence.

    Stream onPrime VideoHulufuboTVPeacock+12

  10. 13. World War II in Colour2009

    Series · 1 seasonDocumentary, War & Politics★ 7.6

    World War II In Colour is a 13-episode television documentary miniseries recounting the events of World War II narrated by Robert Powell. The show covers the Western Front, Eastern Front, and the Pacific War.

    Stream onPrime VideoWonder ProjectTubi (free)

  11. 14. The Joy of Painting1983

    Series · 31 seasonsFamily, Documentary★ 8.4

    The Joy of Painting was an American television show hosted by painter Bob Ross that taught its viewers techniques for landscape oil painting.

    Stream onPrime VideoHulufuboTVMidnight Pulp+6

  12. 15. Modern Marvels1993

    Series · 23 seasonsDocumentary★ 8.1

    HISTORY’s longest-running series moves to H2. Modern Marvels celebrates the ingenuity, invention and imagination found in the world around us.

    Stream onPrime VideoPhiloHISTORY VaultHistory+4

  13. 20. The Food That Built America2019

    Series · 7 seasonsDocumentary★ 8.0

    The fascinating stories of the families behind the food that built America, those who used brains, muscle, blood, sweat and tears to get to America's heart through its stomach, those who invented new technologies and helped win wars.

    Stream onPrime VideoDisney+HuluPhilo+6

  14. 21. History's Greatest Mysteries2020

    Series · 7 seasonsDocumentary, Mystery★ 7.7

    Investigates a wide range of historically compelling topics and the mysteries surrounding each including the Titanic, D.B. Cooper, Roswell, John Wilkes Booth, and more.

    Stream onPrime VideoDisney+HuluPhilo+5

  15. 24. James May: Our Man in…2020

    Series · 3 seasonsDocumentary, Comedy, Action & Adventure★ 7.6

    James May embarks on a remarkable journey across Japan, from its icy north to its balmy south. He’ll see the sights, meet the locals, and eat the noodles in a bid to truly understand the Land of the Rising Sun.

    Stream onPrime Video

  16. 25. A Haunting2005

    Series · 12 seasonsDocumentary, Mystery, Drama★ 7.5

    These are the true stories of the innocent and the unimaginable. Based on true events, A Haunting dramatises some of the scariest stories, revealing a world in which tragedy, suicide and murder have left psychic impressions so powerful…

    Stream onPrime VideoHBO MaxPeacockPhilo+13

  17. 26. Deadly Women2005

    Series · 14 seasonsDocumentary★ 7.9

    This compelling series investigates the motives and m.o. of female murderers. While males are often driven by anger, impulse and destruction, women usually have more complex, long-term reasons to kill.

    Stream onPrime VideoDisney+HuluHBO Max+9

  18. 27. Cold Case Files2017

    Series · 4 seasonsCrime, Mystery, Documentary★ 7.9

    There are over 100,000 cold cases in America, and only about 1% are ever solved. With recent advancements in technology and the methods used to solve these cases, as well as the unwavering dedication of victims’ families, law enforcement…

    Stream onPrime VideoDisney+HuluPhilo+6

  19. 28. How Do They Do It?2006

    Series · 17 seasonsDocumentary★ 7.5

    An insider's look at the engineering and scientific miracles behind the things that form the modern world.

    Stream onPrime VideoHBO MaxPhiloDiscovery++7

  20. 29. All or Nothing: Arsenal2022

    Series · 1 seasonDocumentary★ 8.1

    Follow the iconic football club during an unforgettable season. As fans return to stadiums, the 2021-22 football season puts pressure on Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta and his young team to get back to their former glories and back into…

    Stream onPrime Video

Questions

What are the best documentaries and docuseries on Prime Video right now?
In the United States, as of November 12, 2026: Mayday (2003), rated 8.2 out of 10 on TMDB, then Baraka and Blackfish.
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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