Shows Like The Real History of Science Fiction
If you liked The Real History of Science Fiction (2014), a documentary series, here are 20 shows with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.
- 1
Eli Roth's History of Horror (2018)
★ 6.4/10Also documentaryAn in-depth look at the history and pop cultural significance of horror films.
- 2
History 101 (2020)
★ 7.1/10Also documentaryInfographics and archival footage deliver bite-size history lessons on scientific breakthroughs, social movements and world-changing discoveries.
- 3
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction (2018)
★ 6.8/10Also documentaryExplore the evolution of sci-fi from its origins as a small genre with a cult following to the blockbuster pop-cultural phenomenon we know today. In each episode, James Cameron introduces one of the “Big Questions”…
- 4
The Walking Dead: Origins (2021)
★ 7.7/10Also documentaryThe Walking Dead: Origins is a series of specials exploring the journeys of the series' most celebrated characters. Each episode charts the story of the zombie apocalypse from the point of view of a single character…
- 5
American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden (2025)
★ 7.7/10Also documentaryFeaturing rare footage and interviews with CIA insiders, this edge-of-your-seat documentary series traces the epic hunt for Osama bin Laden.
- 6
Cursed Films (2020)
★ 7.1/10Also documentaryA documentary series exploring the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously “cursed” horror film productions. From plane accidents and bombings during the making of The Omen, to the rumored use of real…
- 7
The New York Times Presents (2020)
★ 7/10Also documentaryA series of standalone documentaries powered by the unparalleled journalism and insight of The New York Times, bringing viewers close to the essential stories of our time.
- 8
World War II with Tom Hanks (2026)
★ 8.3/10Also documentaryExplores WWII from Germany's invasion of Poland through the atomic age, examining pivotal battles, wartime leaders like Churchill and Roosevelt, and the human cost of total war.
- 9
1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything (2021)
★ 7.6/10Also documentaryIn a tumultuous era, 1971 was a year of musical innovation and rebirth fueled by the political and cultural upheaval of the time. Stars reached new heights, fresh talent exploded onto the scene, and boundaries expanded…
- 10
Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (2022)
★ 7.8/10Also documentarySerial killer Jeffrey Dahmer confesses to his gruesome crimes in unguarded interviews, offering an unsettling view into a disturbed mind.
- 11
Attack on London: Hunting the 7/7 Bombers (2025)
★ 7.7/10Also documentaryInsider accounts and never-seen-before footage tell the story of the 7/7 bombings on London's transport network in 2005 — and its explosive aftermath.
- 12
Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God (2023)
★ 7/10Also documentaryChronicles the life and death of Amy Carlson, also known as Mother God, a self-proclaimed spiritual savior who built a cult through her online manifestos and live-streaming sessions. As Amy's health declined, her…
- 13
Last Chance U (2016)
★ 7.2/10Also documentaryIn a docuseries set at one of NCAA football's most fertile recruiting grounds, guys with red flags seek to prove their worth on the field and in class.
- 14
Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos (2024)
★ 8.3/10Also documentaryA portrait of celebrated filmmaker David Chase: his life, his career and his groundbreaking work on the HBO original series The Sopranos.
- 15
Mind Field (2017)
★ 8.2/10Also documentaryExplore the surprising things we know (and don’t know) about why people are the way they are through expert interviews, rare footage from historical experiments, and brand-new, ground-breaking demonstrations of human…
- 16
Drug Lords (2018)
★ 7.3/10Also documentaryWitness the stories of history's most notorious kingpins, their terrifying enforcers, and the men and women who've sworn to bring them down.
- 17
Trust Me: The False Prophet (2026)
★ 7.5/10Also documentaryIn this true-crime documentary, a cult expert and filmmaker infiltrate a polygamist sect to expose a self-proclaimed prophet and bring him to justice.
- 18
Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial (2024)
★ 7.5/10Also documentaryThis gripping docuseries examines Adolf Hitler and the Nazis' rise, rule and reckoning from pre-WWII to the Holocaust to the Nuremberg trials.
- 19
Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story (2023)
★ 7.8/10Also documentaryKeanu Reeves tells one of the greatest sagas in Formula 1 history. Through the insights of Ross Brawn and revered racing icons like Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, all is revealed in this gripping four-part…
- 20
Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields (2022)
★ 6.5/10Also documentaryAn overgrown field and a stretch of highway connect a series of grisly murders spanning several decades as grieving families search for answers.