Thanks to the streaming era, the best shows on HBO and even the best movies on HBO are readily available on Max. But those aren’t the only originals that Home Box Office has released over the last four decades. HBO is also the producer of numerous award-winning documentaries, and that legacy continues to this day.
There are HBO documentaries on a wide variety of topics from true crime to modern scandals. About the only things that HBO documentaries don’t cover are nature specials. But with so many to choose from, it can be difficult to find something great to watch. That’s why we’re giving you a helping hand with our guide to the best HBO documentaries of all time.
The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (2019)
66%
7.2/10As an inventor, Elizabeth Holmes was a bust. As a con woman, she may be one of the best ever. And it would be hard to put together a script that’s as wild as this story. The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley recounts Holmes’ story as she founded Theranos with the promise of a revolutionary blood testing technology that would have been game-changing… if her claims had been true.
The documentary follows the rise and fall of Holmes, and features interviews with the whistleblowers that helped bring her down.
Leaving Neverland (2019)
85%
7.0/10Michael Jackson was the King of Pop and one of the greatest rock stars of all-time. However, he was plagued by accusations of child molestation for years, and seemed to live his life as if he was in a fantasy land. Leaving Neverland is a documentary that brings out two of Jackson’s alleged victims, who not only identify themselves, they also graphically recount their experiences at Jackson’s hands.
It makes for some disturbing viewing, and it may change the way you see Jackson forever. This documentary is one of the reasons why Jackson’s legacy is no longer as beloved as it once was.
Beware the Slenderman (2016)
78%
6.2/10The Slenderman isn’t real, but Beware the Slenderman is an all-too real horror story that includes an attempted murder by two 12-year old girls who tried to kill their friend to appease the made-up monster.
All monsters are man-made, but Slenderman may be the first creation of the internet age to spill out into the real world with dire consequences. The documentary explores Slenderman’s origins as a creepypasta story and details the impact that the would-be murders had on the families of the two girls who committed the crime.
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015)
80%
8.0/10For decades, Scientology was almost untouchable and the organization was feared because of its reputation for going after its foes through strenuous litigation. It would have been unlikely that anyone could have made a movie like Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief before HBO backed the project in 2015.
This documentary features several former Scientologists who share their stories about how they were indoctrinated into the religion created by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. The history of the group is also covered, as are disturbing allegations of abuses of power, false imprisonment, and even blackmail.
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (2021)
81%
8.2/10After the unrelenting darkness of HBO’s other documentaries on this list, Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is a welcome respite of wholesomeness that chronicles the origins of the long-running educational series, Sesame Street.
The late Jim Henson features prominently in this documentary, as his puppet creations were one of the keys to the show’s success. But it took more than just Muppets to make Sesame Street a reality as it blazed its own trail of racial diversity, tolerance, and a commitment teaching young children the tools they would need to succeed at reading and math. Sesame Street is still going today, decades after it started, and it’s still chasing the clouds away for generations of fans who grew up with it.
Class Action Park (2020)
60%
7.0/10Have you ever been to a theme park that was so dangerous that you literally could have died? Residents of New Jersey from 1978 to 1996 didn’t have to imagine it. Action Park was real, and its extremely loose safety measures was part of the appeal of the park.
Class Action Park recounts the glory days of its subject, as well as some of the most infamous incidents in the history of Action Park. Some residents didn’t get to come home at all, thanks to some fatal accidents. Against that kind of backdrop, it’s amazing that Action Park survived as long as it did. Now, its story can finally be told.
Andre the Giant (2018)
78%
7.8/10When he was alive, the WWF — now known as WWE — billed Andre the Giant as “the eighth wonder of the world.” He was all of that and more. But he was also André René Roussimoff, a man whose life was dominated by his massive size. That allowed Andre to become a legend in the wrestling industry, but made his life a struggle.
The Andre the Giant documentary offers a comprehensive look back at his time on Earth and his legacy. Many of Andre’s contemporaries, including Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Billy Crystal also share stories about their larger-than-life friend.
