Remember when documentaries were only a thing you watched when you had a substitute teacher in high school? Or when you flipped to PBS for a few seconds on a Sunday? Now they’re everywhere… and that’s kind of awesome, right?
Seriously, pick one of the dozen or so streaming apps that you forgot you still have a subscription for, and you’ll find at least a handful of docs that you’ll probably enjoy. There’s a doc you can watch about almost everything nowadays—from nostalgic pop culture rewinds to true crime deep dives. Videos by VICE
The numbers tell the story. The demand for documentaries grew a staggering 142 percent from 2018 through 2021, making them the fastest-growing genre on streaming. And sure, the pandemic (and the success of Tiger King) had a lot to do with that boom. But that number is growing every year and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
So, what exactly happened? And why are documentaries bigger now than ever? Let’s chat. It’s a Streaming World—And Streamers Love Documentaries
We’re still very much in the heat of the streaming wars. And pretty much every major studio and network has its own streaming service. And those streaming services need content—a lot of content.
That’s where documentaries come into play. You don’t have to be the owner of a major studio in Hollywood to understand that documentaries are cheaper to produce than those huge sci-fi movies or series. It’s just common sense.
You don’t need A-list actors. Or elaborate sets. Or CGI. You just need a good story, some old footage, a few interesting talking heads, and some moody background music. Throw all that together and you’ve got a 6-part series the entire world will watch.
So yeah, executives love them because they’re super low-risk but can still pack a punch. And viewers love them because they’re addictive and oftentimes extremely bingeable. Everyone wins, right?
If you’re like me and you love documentaries, you realize that we’re living in the golden age of docs. Perhaps the biggest benefit to come from this is just how niche the documentary genre has become.
You could always find a doc or two about the odd subjects that you find interesting. But most were about war and politics. Now? You can find a doc about literally any random thing that you want to know an ungodly amount about.
Sure, big-name celebrities like Taylor Swift and Beyonce getting doc-style concert films isn’t anything new or revolutionary. But we got not one but two big-budget docs about the disaster that was Woodstock 99. And one about the Beanie Babies craze from the 90s. What a time to be alive, am I right?
Perhaps the craziest thing is that many of these docs are some of the most talked-about films and TV shows of the year. Projects like The Last Dance, Making a Murder, and Don’t F***k With Cats were some of the biggest shows released in their respective years. Docs aren’t just being released, they’re dominating the conversation about TV and film. Why Are So Many Documentaries Coming Out Now?
A huge incentive for streaming networks to make docs is anniversaries. Odds are, if you’ve paid close enough attention, you’ve noticed that streamers tend to drop a ton of new docs around big milestone anniversaries.
For example, we got a handful of new docs for the 20th anniversary of 9/11 a few years ago. Earlier this year, the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing brought with it two new documentaries about the tragedy. This calendar-based content makes it even easier to green-light more docs… especially since people can’t stop watching them.
Also, let’s be honest with each other here…. people are really, really nosey. We all love knowing something about someone that we probably shouldn’t. That includes celebrities, athletes, serial killers, or just some random guy who beat a murder case because he could prove he was at a baseball game at the time of the crime.
Documentaries let us in on secrets, scandals, and personal stories we wouldn’t otherwise hear. Whether we watch to watch, watch to judge, or watch to learn, we’re going to tune in.
And we’re not going to look away, either.
