iRankMovies

Best Documentary TV Series

These are the 5 best documentary series, ranked by the iRank Score — our composite of IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and TMDb ratings, weighted by each source's reliability. No single-critic bias: the order reflects broad critical and audience consensus. Pick any title to see its full breakdown and similar recommendations.

Best documentary series: from the 2000s and 2010s

  1. Planet Earth

    Planet Earth (2006)

    iRank86Tom Hugh-JonesDocumentary

    David Attenborough's 2006 landmark documentary series captures the planet's wildlife and wild places in unprecedented, breathtaking detail, filmed across years and continents. Awe-inspiring and serene, it set a new benchmark for natural-history filmmaking. If its grandeur and wonder moved you, seek out sweeping nature documentaries that reveal the beauty and fragility of the living world.

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  2. Cosmos

    Cosmos (2014)

    iRank85Documentary

    This 2014 documentary series, hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, journeys across the universe and the history of science to reveal how we came to understand the cosmos. Awe-inspiring, lucid and beautifully produced, it makes vast ideas feel intimate. If its wonder and clarity moved you, seek out sweeping science documentaries that turn the story of the universe into a stirring human adventure.

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  3. MythBusters

    MythBusters (2003)

    iRank78Documentary

    MythBusters is a science entertainment television program created and produced by Australia's Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The show's hosts, special effects experts Adam Sa

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Best documentary series: recent

  1. Formula 1: Drive to Survive

    Formula 1: Drive to Survive (2019)

    iRank82Paul MartinDocumentary

    Drivers, managers and team owners live life in the fast lane — both on and off the track — during each cutthroat season of Formula 1 racing.

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  2. Marvel Studios Legends

    Marvel Studios Legends (2021)

    iRank74Action & AdventureDocumentarySci-Fi & Fantasy

    Revisit the epic heroes, villains and moments from across the MCU in preparation for the stories still to come. Each dynamic segment feeds directly into the upcoming series — setting the stage for fut

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Ranked by the iRankMovies editorial teamUpdated August 2026MethodologyData sources

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