20 Of The Best Documentaries About The Paranormal On Netflix

Sept. 2, 2021, 4:30 p.m.

Movies

20 Of The Best Documentaries About The Paranormal On Netflix

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Summary There are a wide range of documentaries about the paranormal on Netflix, covering everything from demonic possession through to haunted houses.

Some of the best paranormal Netflix documentaries try their best to be rooted in scientific accuracy, whereas others lean more towards creating as much entertainment value as possible.

Some Netflix documentaries on the unexplained are anthology based, covering a wide variety of incidents, whereas others focus on one specific event.

Skeptics widely regard the paranormal as unreal, fanciful, or simply fake — but the best paranormal documentaries on Netflix might convince non-believers otherwise. The streamer offers titles that force viewers to question what may lie beyond what people understand. The great thing about the paranormal genre is that it contains a variety of intriguing topics, as "paranormal" means anything beyond the scope of scientific understanding. This includes ghosts and demons to Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster. Netflix has a documentary on nearly all of it.

For the best paranormal documentaries currently available on Netflix, there is truly something for everyone. Some focus on spooky stories, while others take a more realistic look into paranormal concepts. Some documentaries chronicle what life could be like on alien planets, while others delve into experiences with ghosts and demons. Each of these documentaries leaves belief or unbelief up to the viewer. Whether audiences want to get scared or learn more about supernatural forces, Netflix has titles worth a watch.

For more streaming recommendations, be sure to check out the best movies on Netflix and the best TV shows on Netflix.

Related The 25 Best Documentaries On Netflix Right Now Netflix has many critically lauded documentaries to check out but the sheer number is overwhelming. Which are the best to check out first?

20 Ghost Hunters (2004- )

A Team Of Paranormal Investigators Visit Famous Haunted Locations

Ghost Hunters is arguably the most popular and successful of the ghost-hunting documentary series on TV. The show premiered in 2004, following Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS). They began exploring famous haunted locations across the United States before finally branching out and hitting haunted spots in Ireland, The United Kingdom, and Canada. The show even spun off with an international version in 2008. When it comes to Netflix, there are limited episodes to enjoy.

Netflix subscribers can watch a few of the scariest Ghost Hunters episodes

There are only two seasons of Ghost Hunters on Netflix, with the streaming giant offering seasons eight and nine, for a total of 52 episodes. This means Netflix subscribers can watch a few of the scariest Ghost Hunters episodes, including the 10th episode of season 8, which focuses on a haunted military ship called the USS Yorktown.

This means Netflix subscribers can watch a few of the scariest Ghost Hunters episodes, including the 10th episode of season 8.

19 Alien Worlds (2020)

A Hypothetical Look At Alien Life

Alien Worlds Cast Sophie Okonedo Release Date December 2, 2020 Seasons 1 Creator(s) Tim Lambert , Jeremy Dear

Alien Worlds is an incredible and visually striking limited series, and it's one of the best paranormal documentaries on Netflix. It merges scientific ideas with fictitious creations to imagine what aliens of the universe could realistically look and act like. The show is driven by a calming narration that guides audiences through beautifully imaginative worlds. It is a more than ideal watch for fantasy enjoyers, and perhaps the perfect amalgamation of science-fiction and science-non-fiction.

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The weekend after Alien Worlds' release, it made it into the Netflix Top Ten for the UK and the series uses its Earth-bound science to create extraordinary worlds. The four-episode series starts with "Atlas," a planet larger than Earth with higher gravity and a thicker atmosphere. They also discuss exoplanets and their place in the universe. They next explore "Janus," a planet that orbits a red dwarf star and becomes tidally locked. The third episode is "Eden," an ideal star system. Finally, "Terra" contains an advanced alien civilization terraforming other planets.

John Was Trying to Contact Aliens Release Date August 20, 2020 Director Matthew Killip Cast John Shepherd Runtime 16 Minutes

This quick 16-minute short film is a must-watch for documentary lovers. John Was Trying to Contact Aliens is an intimate dive into one man's extreme interest in wanting to make a connection with something otherworldly. The film tells a touching story through vintage and psychedelic footage. Although it does ultimately veer away from its paranormal aspect, this film will bring audiences back down to earth in a thought-provoking way and includes a heartwarming LGBTQ+ storyline.

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Matthew Killip directs this short documentary which features John Shepherd in the lead. His goal is to try to make contact with aliens through the use of broadcasting music into space using state-of-the-art equipment. Not only did he take on this labor of love, but he did it for over 30 years. The movie premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival before Netflix picked it up. It is easily one of the best paranormal documentaries and also one of the best UFO documentaries on Netflix.

17 The UnXplained With William Shatner (2019)

A Look At The World's Most Notorious Unanswered Questions

The UnXplained with William Shatner Release Date July 19, 2019 Cast William Shatner Seasons 5 Writers Kevin Burns , Brian Leff , Erik Pinkston , Rob O'Brien

The UnXplained with William Shatner is now six seasons strong and worth seeking out. With the incomparable Star Trek star narrating, The UnXplained follows several different paranormal cases per episode and is the perfect program for those looking to explore the full breadth of the supernatural. Using a mixture of interviews and dramatic reenactments, The UnXplained features tales on everything from the full roster of American cryptids to extreme weather mysteries.

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The series reportedly brought more tourism to the Lake Shawnee Amusement Park (via Bluefield Daily Telegraph) after the episode focusing on it, and two new seasons premiered in 2023, adding up to 83 episodes so far. While this is a great series to watch on Netflix, it is actually a HISTORY Channel series, so keeping up with new episodes means watching that cable network while catching up on the older seasons can be done on Netflix.

16 Surviving Death (2021)

An Examination Of Death And What Comes After

Based on the book of the same name by Leslie Kean, Surviving Death is a wonderfully existential documentary series with a high production value. Though it is more informative rather than scary, the show grounds supernatural experiences that are usually exaggerated for dramatic effect back in reality. Each episode covers spiritual and emotional experiences that people all over the world have had with death and explores topics like reincarnation and near-death experiences.

This specific series has also been criticized for exploiting the plight of grieving and vulnerable people, but others praise it for its balanced treatment of a difficult topic of discussion.

It merges inexplicable phenomena with what the human species can scientifically and rationally comprehend. There were only six episodes in its sole season, all directed by Ricki Stern, who is best known for the true-crime documentary The Trials of Darryl Hunt and the 2020 documentary Surviving Jeffrey Epstein. This specific series has also been criticized for exploiting the plight of grieving and vulnerable people, but others praise it for its balanced treatment of a difficult topic of discussion.

Related 10 Best Space Documentaries On Netflix Right Now There are thousands of documentaries about space exploration, but these can be found on Netflix and offer some compelling and chilling narratives.

15 Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel (2021)

An Investigation To A Seemingly Impossible Disappearance

This limited series takes a deep dive into a true crime case that took place at the Cecil Hotel, the real-life inspiration for the terrifying setting of American Horror Story: Hotel and supposedly one of the most haunted places in America. Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel looks at the frightening disappearance of Elisa Lam and the apparent supernatural elements of the story.

The series checked in at four episodes, making it a quick watch for anyone who wants to learn more about the supernatural that might surround this hotel.

The documentary is told mostly through interviews that dive into many strange happenings revolving around the hotel that will surely leave viewers on the edge of their seats. The series checked in at four episodes, making it a quick watch for anyone who wants to learn more about the supernatural that might surround this hotel, although the mysteries of what really happened to Lam are not quite as cut and dried as the documentary paints them out to be. It also paints the hotel in a poor light, considering the tragedy.

14 Ancient Apocalypse (2022)

A Controversial Look At Civilizations Of The Past And Their Secrets

Ancient Apocalypse Release Date November 10, 2022 Cast Graham Hancock Seasons 1 Creator(s) Bruce Kennedy

Ancient Apocalypse is hosted by British writer Graham Hancock. This paranormal documentary on Netflix combines history and the unknown. Audiences should take what's presented on Ancient Apocalypse with a grain of salt, as it uses pseudo-archaeological theory and several controversial hypotheses to entertain the idea that there's a cover-up happening when it comes to history, and it involves the fact that there were civilizations in the past as advanced - or more so - than the one today.

The series proposes that there was once an ancient intelligent civilization during the Ice Age that was wiped out in a cataclysmic event. Its few survivors were responsible for bringing farming, architecture, and astronomy to the new world. Ancient Apocalypse is not all that different from Ancient Aliens in terms of its credibility, but it remains entertaining. There are eight episodes, starting with a great flood and ending with the cataclysmic event and the rebirth of society.

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13 MH370 The Plane That Disappeared (2023)

An Unexplained Disappearance That Baffled The World

MH370: The Plane That Disappeared (2023) Release Date March 8, 2023 Seasons 1 Creator(s) Fiona Stourton , Sam Maynard Directors Louise Malkinson

One of the most mystifying true stories of recent memory is that of the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. The event inspired the hit Netflix series Manifest, and it's also the subject of one of the best paranormal documentaries on Netflix. The three-episode docuseries recounts the bizarre story of Flight 370, a plane containing 227 passengers and 12 crew members that disappeared 38 minutes after take-off and has never been found.

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However, what this documentary does differently is that each episode focuses on a particular theory about what could've happened to the plane. It premiered on the ninth anniversary of the incident, March 8, 2023. While the basis of this series is conspiracy theories about what happened to the missing plane, it remains an entertaining watch on the streaming service and offers up several ideas on what could have happened, even if none of the theories were ever proven true - or even considered by authorities.

12 Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified (2021)

The Extensive Documentary Exploring Various UFO Reports And Investigations

Top Secret UFO Projects Declassified Release Date August 3, 2021 Cast Robert Polo Seasons 1 Creator(s) Peter Vachler

The six-part docuseries Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified uses a mixture of interviews with former government employees and experts in the field as well as dramatic reenactments and historical news stories to detail the US government's most salacious alien cover-ups. Famous documents like Project Blue Book are covered in exhaustive detail, while other installments focus on alleged alien autopsies and the possibility of the government using advanced alien technology in weaponry.

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Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified suggests that extraterrestrials have been on planet Earth for quite a long time, and the government doesn't want anyone to know about it. For any fan who believes aliens are not only real but that UFOs have been visiting Earth for many years while the government hides this fact, this is an entertaining and often fascinating watch. The one downfall is that the series relies mostly on stock footage and basic CGI reenactments to tell its story.

Related 25 Genuinely Scary Crime Documentaries On Netflix Netflix has proven time and time again its good at making true-crime documentaries. But which ones are the scariest?

11 28 Days Haunted (2022)

A Competition Series About Paranormal Investigators

28 Days Haunted is possibly one of the most unique shows about the supernatural on Netflix. The series follows three different teams of paranormal researchers and investigators as they spend 28 days in some of the most haunted locations in the U.S. to test an experiment laid out by famed couple Ed and Lorraine Warren. The teams are each made up of three people; a skeptic, a psychic, and a tech aficionado.

These teams are then sent to different kinds of locations. They go to one that's well-documented as haunted, one with no history of a haunting, and one that has a storied history but little investigation. Unlike shows like Ghost Hunters, this is a show that attempts to prove a theory that it only takes 28 days to break through the veil and prove that a location is haunted. The three locations are in Colorado, North Carolina, and Connecticut, and the entire setup is so over-the-top that it should win over any ghost-hunting fan.

10 The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch (2020)

A Docuseries About The Sight Of Various Paranormal Events

The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Release Date March 31, 2020 Cast Robert Clotworthy , Travis S. Taylor , Erik Bard , Bryant Arnold , Tom Winterton , Jim Segala Seasons 4

A 500-acre ranch in the heart of Utah is host to some of the strangest UFO and paranormal activity that's ever been seen, and now it's the subject of one of the best paranormal documentaries on Netflix. The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch follows a small team of scientists as they investigate the strange goings-on at Skinwalker Ranch such as the inexplicable cow mutilations, ionizing radiation, and sightings of both UFOs and dire wolves.

There's no denying that Skinwalker Ranch is a strange place, featuring phenomena like highly conductive soil and an underground cavern system.

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The team uses some interesting technology on the show, such as ground-penetrating radar and advanced drone technology. There's no denying that Skinwalker Ranch is a strange place, featuring phenomena like highly conductive soil and an underground cavern system. It ended up as a huge success, with the fifth season dropping onto Netflix in April 2024. The show also spawned a spin-off series called Beyond Skinwalker Ranch, which premiered in 2023. Both shows have new seasons also planned for 2025.

9 The Secrets of Saqqara Tomb (2020)

An Exploration Of Ancient Egyptian Beliefs Of The Afterlife

One of the most significant finds in half a century was the tomb of Wahtye, and it's the subject of The Secrets of Saqqara Tomb. Discovered by Egyptologist Mohammad Yousef, the tomb hasn't been touched in over 4,400 years and the documentary chronicles the archaeologists exploring its many passageways, tombs, and treasures. The excavation of the tomb and the exploration of the surrounding areas provide an epic watch for fans of Egyptian history and culture, especially with all the interesting discoveries along the way.

On top of the discoveries, the documentary details the life and death of the man and his family and the discovery of countless mummified ancient Egyptians

Wahtye was a high priest during the Fifth Dynasty, and buried with him were his family and various possessions, including statues and a mummified lion cub. The documentary also goes into Ancient Egyptians' beliefs surrounding death and the afterlife, making for a creepy yet informative dive into history. On top of the discoveries, the documentary details the life and death of the man and his family and the discovery of countless mummified ancient Egyptians — and their animals, including the famed lion cub discovery.

8 My Encounter With Evil (2022)

A Look At Real-Life Exorcism Cases

My Encounter with Evil covers three tales of demonic possession and exorcism. The four-episode docuseries chronicles the experiences of Mexican women Florencia, Coni, and Jessica and their separate battles with the paranormal. The series uses a blend of personal interviews, real video footage of exorcisms, and reenactments based on their subjects' recollections to chronicle these chilling tales. The resulting documentary series is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

Geared toward horror movie fans and those who love their demonic stories with plenty of over-the-top moments.

There are plenty of jump-scares in My Encounter with Evil, and the exorcism footage certainly isn't for the faint of heart. This isn't one of the more serious supernatural documentaries on Netflix, though. It is more geared toward horror movie fans and those who love their demonic stories with plenty of over-the-top moments. The series proves to be scary, but this is more of a series that uses demonic possessions to thrill the viewers rather than to teach them something about the phenomenon.

Related Best True Crime Shows On Netflix Right Now From seasoned favorites to new hits and hidden gems, here’s a rundown of the best Netflix true crime shows fans of the genre can stream.

7 Haunted: Latin America (2021)

Various Supernatural Experiences From South Of The Border

One of the best paranormal documentaries, Haunted has proven to be so successful that it got a Latin American spinoff that rivals its predecessor. Like Haunted, the Latin American rendition tells five separate stories of people who have had close and personal encounters with ghosts and spirits using a mixture of interviews and terrifying reenactments. Each person gets their own episode, and they check it at between 27 and 47 minutes each to tell their stories.

While it is very similar to the original Haunted series, it also adds in reenactments, which might remind viewers of the classic Unsolved Mysteries.

Haunted: Latin America explores a single mother moving into a demon-infested home with her children, a cursed doll that grows inexplicably attached to its owner, a police officer who is haunted by a long-dead woman, a man being haunted by his dead neighbor, and a young boy dealing with a formidable evil force. While it is very similar to the original Haunted series, it also adds in reenactments, which might remind viewers of the classic Unsolved Mysteries. Its not as scary as others, but it still tells fascinating stories.

6 House Of Secrets: The Burari Deaths (2021)

Netflix Investigates The Mysterious Death Of An Entire Family

Sometimes a true crime case is so bizarre that it causes many to question if there's supernatural involvement. This was the case with the Burari deaths and House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths. On July 1, 2018, in India, all 11 members of the Chundawat family were found dead in their home. Ten of them were hanged while the eldest member of the family, the grandmother, was strangled. Police ruled their deaths as a mass suicide due to group psychosis.

However, House Of Secrets: The Burari Deaths looks into that explanation and sees if there is something deeper to the story. The show attempts to leave no stone un-turned and presents every possible theory behind the strange and tragic case. The documentary speaks to members of the Buran Police as well as a journalist, a reporter from The Hindu, and a clinical hypnotherapist and seeks to discover what caused the deaths of this entire family.

5 Dark Tourist (2018)

A Travel Show Focused On Supernatural Destinations

With traveling the world being so inaccessible for many, Dark Tourist is a series that could be a fun watch for those who love both travel and the paranormal. Every episode is set in a different location around the globe, in which host David Farrier explores some of the most twisted and terrifying places to visit. Throughout the series, Farrier goes out of his way to encounter paranormal happenings such as exorcisms, haunted forests, vampires, and more.

Throughout the eight-episode series, Farrier visited Latin America to witness an exorcism.

Dark Tourist is a great option for anyone who wants to learn a bit more about the supernatural side of various cultures worldwide. Throughout the eight-episode series, Farrier visited Latin America to witness an exorcism, Japan to explore the site of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the United States to learn more about Jeffrey Dahmer, The Manson Family, and the JFK assassination, Kazakhstan to see a variety of Soviet historical landmarks, Africa to see voodoo rites and much more.

4 Life After Death With Tyler Henry (2022)

A Medium Communicates With Loved Ones In The Afterlife

Tyler Henry is a famous Hollywood clairvoyant medium who seeks to bring healing and closure for those who have suffered losses in one of the best paranormal documentaries, Life After Death with Tyler Henry. In the nine-episode docuseries, Tyler seeks to help everyone he can on his wait list, assisting people by providing messages from loved ones from beyond the grave, helping with cold cases, and all the while investigating his own family's strange past.

Tyler acts as both host and occasionally the subject, as he delves into the great beyond and provides hope and closure for those looking for answers about the possibility of life after death. This sounds very similar to the Theresa Caputo TLC show Long Island Medium. However, while that show fits into the realm of reality television, Henry's show on Netflix takes things a little more seriously, although critics claim that he uses "cold reading and hot reading" techniques rather than psychic powers.

Related 25 Best Serial Killer TV Shows On Netflix, Ranked Netflix is a source of tons of amazing true crime content, and there are some enthralling shows that focus on serial killers, both real and fictional.

3 Haunted (2018)

Retellings And Reenactments Of Supernatural Encounters

Haunted is a Netflix series that features intimate retellings of true, terrifying stories told by those who experienced them first-hand. Interviewers pick one subject per episode (though this is usually a family) and they recount horrific experiences with the paranormal — namely ghosts and demons. The accounts are dramatically reenacted as they are narrated, amping up the scariness with intense cinematic visuals. It doesn't hurt that Haunted is modestly budgeted, making the reenactments that much scarier.

One of the best episodes came in the premiere, "The Woman in White."

Haunted provides a wide range of stories from episode to episode and currently has three seasons and 18 episodes. One of the best episodes came in the premiere, "The Woman in White," which tells the very familiar story of the famed urban legend as it deals with a boy who claims the Woman in White is haunting him and wants him dead. Other highlights include the season 2 episodes, "Born Cursed" and "Spirits from Below" and the season 3 episodes "Haunted by Henry" and "Gift of Evil."

2 Unsolved Mysteries (2020)

A Reboot Of The Docuseries Exploring The Unknown

Unsolved Mysteries Release Date January 20, 1987 Cast Raymond Burr , Karl Malden , Robert Stack , Virginia Madsen , Dennis Farina Seasons 19 Directors Kabir Akhtar

The recent Netflix reboot of the classic series Unsolved Mysteries takes an in-depth look mostly into true crime and devastating events, but sometimes delves into cases with supernatural qualities such as the "Tsunami Spirits" episode in season 2. The series has delved into everything from UFOs to the haunting of the Queen Mary. The show consists of talking head interviews that make it easy for audiences to connect with the chilling stories on a personal level.

The original series had 14 seasons and 581 episodes and eventually ended in 2002 when the original host, Robert Stack, died. That original series also featured some big-name actors in the reenactments, including Matthew McConaughey and Bill Moseley. Though this Netflix reboot does not have a host as the previous installments did, there are some reenactments involved just like the original series to keep viewers engaged. There have been two seasons with 21 episodes so far on Netflix, with more coming in 2024.

1 Until Dawn (2020)

Comedians Visit Haunted Houses

A more light-hearted spooky series is Until Dawn (no relation to the popular video game of the same name), a show about French comedians who must spend the late hours of the night in various haunted places. Audiences may find themself both scared and laughing. However, this is a show in which the contestants on the screen will likely get more scared than the audience. It consists of mostly gags that the participants play on each other in attempts to spook each other.

In contrast to most other paranormal documentaries on Netflix, Until Dawn is hilariously entertaining and a good choice for skeptics who just want to laugh at the absurdity of possible supernatural situations. The comedians are Omella Fleury, Alban Ivonov, and Ahmed Sylla, and they spend as much time trying to avoid ghosts and spirits as they do trying to prank each other, seeing if they can scare their co-stars as much as the creepy monasteries, crypts, and abandoned hospitals do.