Five of the best sports documentaries to stream during lockdown. Photo / Netflix
Five of the best sports documentaries to stream during lockdown. Photo / Netflix
Lockdown boredom is well and truly upon us – and for those of us in the Auckland area, we're going to be stuck here for at least another two weeks, as the Government announced today.
With only international live sport still happening at the moment, often at timesthat aren't particularly suited to our schedules in New Zealand, here are five of the best documentary series streaming right now that will hopefully make lockdown slightly more bearable.
Cheer (Netflix)
Cheer. Photo / Netflix
'Cheer' is a six-part series following the Navarro College Bulldogs cheerleading team, under the tutelage of their charismatic and influential coach Monica Aldama, as they prepare to compete in the National Cheerleading Championship.
You may not believe cheerleading is a sport, and it probably borders on that title in our traditional understanding of what cheerleading is, but these kids are genuine athletes doing some pretty incredible stuff.
The series explores the tension between pushing young athletes to their limits and the benefits that sport can bring to the lives of the students, many of which have found community and identity through cheerleading. This might be my personal favourite sports docu-series on Netflix.
Formula 1: Drive to Survive (Netflix)
Formula 1: Drive to Survive. Photo / Netflix
If you still haven't gotten on the 'Drive to Survive' bandwagon, now is as good of a time as ever. There are three full seasons to binge, each following the F1 world championships from 2018 to 2020.
It's basically an all access, behind the scenes look at the drivers, owners and races of F1 in one season. You don't have to be a fan of the sport to get sucked into the billionaire drama, life-threatening crashes and petty controversy sprinkled through this thoroughly gripping and well-made series.
All or Nothing series (Amazon Prime Video)
All or Nothing: New Zealand All Blacks. Photo / Amazon
'All or Nothing' was perhaps the blueprint for the current wave of fly-on-the-wall documentary series that are everywhere on streaming services these days.
The premise for the show is to follow a team for the duration of a season and basically see what happens. The result is usually an entertaining and insightful portrait of some of the best sporting teams on the planet.
The series has followed NFL teams, Premier League teams like Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur (which I reviewed and enjoyed last year), and there was even an All Blacks season during the 2017 Lions tour. Some of the upcoming teams getting the 'All or Nothing' treatment include the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL and footballing powerhouses Bayern Munich and Juventus.
Sunderland 'Til I Die (Netflix)
Sunderland 'Til I Die. Photo / Netflix
This series shows what sport can really mean not just to individual fans, but an entire city. 'Sunderland 'Til I Die' is a story about true fandom, class, inequality, sporting administration, and ultimately, English football, in all its flaws, heartbreak and rugged beauty.
The Last Dance (Netflix)
The Last Dance. Photo / ESPN/Netflix
Last but not least, we have the quintessential, long-awaited documentary series on perhaps the most famous and influential sports person in history, Michael Jordan.
The 10-part docu-series is, on its surface, a portrait of Jordan and the Chicago Bulls' quest for a sixth NBA title during the 1997-98 season, but quickly morphs into a study of the singular Jordan sports gene. The series covers a brief timeline of Jordan's career and ultimately captures what made him the greatest of all time.
It was a 2020 lockdown staple, but if you've somehow not seen it yet, now's the time to catch up.
Honourable mention: All Access (Sky)
Sky Sport Now, Sky TV's sports streaming service, has a range of well made, locally produced sporting documentaries, from the Warriors to the New Zealand Breakers. A recent one I enjoyed was 'All Access', a five-part docu-series following a star player from each of the five Kiwi Super Rugby franchises. It follows a similar style to 'All or Nothing', and gives you a raw, unfiltered look at the lives of Super Rugby stars for one week. Check out my review of the series here.
