Let’s face it, most documentaries are not exactly thrilling. Plenty of them are just a constant stream of very specialized images that are only really interesting to people with nothing to do or to experts in a very particular field of research or work. Many more are far too detailed, or far too tedious, they just drag on and on beyond what you want to see. Ultimately, however informative a documentary may be, however much we want to be educated and informed, most of us do not want our education to feel like… well… like education. We had enough school when we were in school last, whether it was an hour ago or twenty years ago. So even though we want to learn new and interesting things, or to gawk at the strangeness of life, we also want to have fun. But there are actually still some options out there! Here are fifteen documentaries that prove education does not have to be boring.
1: Life Of A Kumari Goddess.
What is it?
A short single episode documentary exploring the life of a young girl whose role in life is the chosen representative of a goddess. Her life is one of honour, but also isolation and a lack of education. A current Kumari goddess is met, as well as her family, and a former Kumari goddess’s life is explored.
How long?
Eight minutes in a single episode.
Best part?
Meeting the former Kumari goddess and seeing how down to earth and ambitious she is.
2: Fast Food Babies.
What is it?
A documentary exploring the consequences of children being raised on poor diets. Different children are seen who have been growing up on fast food for different reasons, and their progress is followed as they adjust to normal life.
How long?
Fifty five minutes in a single episode.
Best part?
Seeing the children trying new foods for the first time and learning to love them. Also the terrible diets they were on in the first place.
3: Beautiful Faces.
What is it?
A documentary following the lives of people who are born with facial deformities. The stigmas surrounding being distinctively physically different to others, especially as children, are exposed. Some people are considered too ugly for work. Some are abused for their deformities. Life is harsh for them and many seek cosmetic surgery to better their lives.
How long?
An hour and a quarter in one episode.
Best part?
Hearing the psychologists and surgeons explain the common life experiences of these people.
4: Panadero: Life of a Galician Bread Man.
What is it?
A pretty short documentary, and probably the most common type of documentary on this list. However what it portrays, with the music and cut scenes and different people, is somehow still fascinating. It follows a traditional Spanish baker’s day as he goes through preparing, cooking and delivering bread around the village, as has been done for dozens of years.
How long?
Just over fifteen minutes long in a single episode.
Best part?
When people get their bread and seem so happy to get fresh bread, which is a key part of their diet.
5: Children of Leningradsky.
What is it?
Many children growing up in Russia grow up on the streets. This documentary follows the lives of orphans as they sleep on the railroads and beg on the streets for money with which to buy food, clothes… and drugs.
How long?
Thirty five minutes in one episode.
Best part?
Seeing the contrast between the children playing like children and desperately seeking alcohol and drugs.
6: I Escaped A Cult.
What is it?
A National Geographic documentary exploring the lives of people who have been inside cults. They were in the cult for different reasons. Different cults have had different effects on the people in them. And they left for different reasons. But all in all, cultish behaviour is similar across all communities.
How long?
Forty five minutes in one single episode.
Best part?
Hearing how such different experiences and differently motivated cults can be so close to each other.
7: My Skin Could Kill Me.
What is it?
A documentary about people born with harlequin disease. Harlequin disease causes a thickening of the skin which is painful, unattractive, causes illness, and can even be deadly. It follows the parents of children with the disease, their treatment routines, and the concerns of teenagers who risk dying before they reach twenty.
How long?
Forty five minutes in a single episode.
Best part?
Hearing about the outlooks of a young girl who is the oldest harlequin disease sufferer in the world and mature beyond her years.
8: Bizarre ER.
What is it?
A documentary series which stops by British Emergency Rooms to discover the strangest accidents people have suffered and explore how they came to be. It is gory, pretty horrific, has many re-enactments and some nasty and comical commentary.
How long?
Half an hour each episode.
Best part?
Seeing re-enactments and digital imagery of how the accidents came to be… and still not believing it. How do people even do this?
9: Chosen.
What is it?
This BAFTA winning documentary follows the reports of adult men who were sexually abused in the British public -that is, private- school system. Now adult and often beyond help, these men recount their experiences, their trauma, and the threats posed against them by both abusers and the system, allowing them and other young boys to suffer.
How long?
Over an hour and a half long, but worth it.
Best part?
Finding out about the few abusers who have actually been caught and put behind bars.
10: My 600 Pound Life.
What is it?
A show that follows the lives of people weighing over six hundred pounds who want surgery to help them lose weight. It follows their medical check ups, records their conditions, illustrates their diet and weight loss efforts and brings to the light the hard work some people have to put in before even qualifying for surgery.
http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/my-600-lb-life/
How long?
Around forty minutes each episode.
Best part?
However mean it is, it’s hard not to watch it for the bizarre rationalizations, meltdowns and other emotionally intense moments.
11: Bad Behaviour.
What is it?
A documentary following the life of parents of a girl who is particularly badly behaved. They had reached for every answer to her behaviour, finding nothing psychologically or physically wrong with her. But they are at their wits end, hate their child, and don’t know where to go next, even considering placing her in adoption. When a child behaviour specialist steps in and suggests that perhaps the problem is… them.
How long?
50 minutes, just one episode.
Best part?
The first time the mother hugs the girl.
12: Japanology.
What is it?
A documentary series exploring life across Japan. Much less a weeaboo thing and much more a genuine cultural documentary, every aspect of Japanese life is explored, from the history and clothes, to the food and habits of the Japanese population. A great show for a realistic portrayal of a very different, yet strikingly similar culture to ours.
How long?
30 minutes an episode.
Best part?
By and large the episodes on technology and how the Japanese are perfecting literally everything to make life easier.
13: Secret Eaters.
What is it?
A documentary series where people suffering from weight gain are challenged on their claims about diet. If you know someone who "never eats anything" but is always gaining weight, then this show may amuse you. Hidden cameras and detectives, even friends and relatives, are used as evidence against the ridiculous claims put forward in the food diaries of overweight subjects.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/secret-eaters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Eaters
How long?
Forty five minutes each episode.
Best part?
The food reveals.
14: Misbehaving Mums To Be.
What is it?
A documentary series about pregnant women who are eating rubbish, drinking and smoking through their pregnancies, contrary to all sane advice. They are followed in their everyday lives and as they make the effort to fix their habits, for their sake and their babies’ sake.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misbehaving_Mums_To_Be
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010fqcc
How long?
Fifty five minutes each episode.
Best part?
When they finally reach goals and hit targets.
15: Soul Food History.
What is it?
A documentary about the history and effects of soul food on the African American community. From the sources and spiritual meanings of soul food, to the health implications of eating it, to healthier soul food options and the community impact of diet, this documentary asks how and why the African American community loves this food so much.
How long?
One hour, a single episode.
Best part?
Seeing all the amazing foods.
So there we have it. Fifteen documentaries that are not boring, too specialized or simply too badly made to be enjoyed. They make proper use of background music and commentary, cover just the right bits of the topics to inform you without requiring you to first read twelve books on the subject, are exactly the right length for what they are, and are genuinely enjoyable. Let the education begin!