3 must-watch Netflix documentaries about real American tragedies
The streaming platform is home to thousands of powerful documentaries
Netflix's documentaries are often popular with viewers, but it can be difficult to choose the best of the bunch.
A few new releases are already populating the streamer's library, including one show that is already being hailed as the 'best docu-series of 2025.' Below, we have curated a short list of must-watch documentaries, based on events that devastated not just the US, but the globe.
From weather disasters to the death of an LGBTQ+ icon, you can stream these shows now on Netflix.
The Twister: Caught in the Storm
Released back in March, The Twister: Caught in the Storm explores a devastating tornado that rocked Joplin, Missouri, in 2011. The storm struck Joplin on May 22 and killed 158 people, making it one of the deadliest in American history.
Directed by Alexandra Lacey, the documentary revisits the natural disaster, with first person accounts from weather forecasters and a group of survivors who found themselves in the eye of the storm.
Although the tragedy occurred 14 years ago, this Netflix series offers viewers an immersive account of the event. According to a Rotten Tomatoes reviewer, it is "immersive, thrilling and frightening."
The review adds: "This documentary very well shows the vulnerability of all us humans when confronted with the mighty force of nature."
The Twister: Caught in the Storm is streaming now on Netflix
Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer
Another recent release, Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer has been hailed by viewers as the 'best docu-series of 2025.' The three-part show examines the hunt and eventual arrest of an alleged serial killer after a string of murders happened spanning years - and all without law enforcement catching on.
Police eventually caught wind of a killer on the loose in 2010, when working escort Shannan Gilbert made a frantic 911 call claiming that someone was after her. The 23-year-old vanished after the call, which led to an in-depth search in the area where she was last seen.
This investigation led to the discovery of four victims, now known as the Gilgo Beach Four, and sparked the beginning of this haunting case. Shannan's remains would be found in December 2011.
Directed by Liz Garbus, the series delves into the events leading up to the 2023 arrest of an architect who is due to go on trial later this year, charged with the murders of seven women. He maintains he is not guilty.
Despite landing on the streamer just two months ago, viewers are already claiming it is the finest docu-series of this year.
Taking to Rotten Tomatoes, where it boasts a rare 100 percent score, one viewer penned: "Netflix Delivers the Best Docu-Series of 2025. ‘Gone Girls’ does something unexpected with its empathetic approach to true crime as director Liz Garbus gives a voice to the voiceless [...]."
Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer is streaming now on Netflix
The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson
A prominent figure in the gay rights movement, Marsha P. Johnson tragically died in July 1992. The transgender activist was a member of the Gay Liberation Front, formed in New York in the late 1960s.
At the time of her death, she was believed to have committed suicide. However, this documentary examines the widely-held belief that she was murdered.
As described by the synopsis: "Filmmakers re-examine the 1992 death of transgender legend Marsha P. Johnson, who was found floating in the Hudson River. Originally ruled a suicide, many in the community believe she was murdered."
Speaking to the importance of this documentary, one IMDb user penned: "I was originally going to say that this should be required viewing for young LGBTQ people, in order for them to have a better understanding of our history.
"But correct that to say that EVERYONE should watch this in order to better understand a segment of our society that has been brutally mistreated since...well, since forever."
The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson is streaming now on Netflix