Netflix Documentaries have been taking over the internet, causing controversy and bringing attention to the world’s circumstances. Documentaries and story remakes with actors provide such detail and real-life information from the stories that they are educational. Many of these shows have helped bring attention to the dangers of the world while keeping it interesting for teens and young adults. The TV industry usually focuses on fictional stories when it comes to making content for young people, but creating these documentaries and remakes gives the industry a real-life aspect, making television not only entertaining, but also educational and even life-changing.
“The Menendez Brothers,” a documentary on Netflix, received an excessive amount of popularity online and in courts. The show featured a remake of the 1989 murder of the Menendez parents, captivating viewers. This story is well known to most parents, but the attention it got from teens and young adults was unimaginable. Many who watched learned about Hollywood and the situations people faced. This show not only educated watchers, but also changed the course of the family members’ lives. With new evidence coming to light and arguments from the public, the brothers’ previous life sentence was questioned. Recently, on May 13, 2025, a Los Angeles judge reduced their sentences from life without parole to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole.
“American Murder,” a popular program on Netflix, centers around solving murder mysteries. Many find these unsettling or cruel, but the amount of education they can provide is quite large. The American Murder story on Gabby Petito recently got lots of online attention. The three-part show uses footage and interviews from the Petito family and the Laundrie family to share the riveting story of how Gabby was killed. This story targets the dangers of families having online YouTube accounts, and how they may not always be what they seem. Documentaries like this one bring justice to the families and victims, all while educating the public. Stories like Gabby’s not only bring attention to her case, but can help people in similar situations learn how to see warning signs from a family member or partner.
These documentaries increase the educational aspect of TV and also bring to light issues that were formerly unknown. The release of “Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing” exposes famous YouTuber Piper Rockelle’s mother, Tiffany Smith, for her abuse. Rockelle’s YouTube channel featuring her large friend group had some of the most-watched videos for kids of ages ranging from 7-15. This documentary shared the stories from members of the group, exposing the behind-the-scenes work they did. Although something like this can be difficult for people to watch, especially those who grew up watching these kids, it is necessary for children and adults to learn that what they see online is often far from the actual story. This documentary exposed the dangers of child exploitation online and brought much-needed attention to the dangers that many social media active kids are exposed to. Releasing documentaries like this one are essential for education on the dangers of the media and the false reality that many show.
Many streaming platforms, specifically Netflix, have been producing more and more documentaries about murder mysteries, famous cases, current controversies or even just trending topics. While many see these shows are commonly viewed as pure forms of entertainment, they are so much more than that. Depending on what they are about, they can help spread awareness about violence and dangers as well as bring the public’s concerns to life, all while keeping the younger generations engaged and interested.
Many of these documentaries have sparked numerous conversations in the online world, and their contribution to the TV industry has not gone unnoticed.
