She’s considered the Greatest of All Time: a gymnast so special that five of the most difficult skills are named after her. But Simone Biles stunned the world when she withdrew from the 2020 Olympics, citing a need to protect her mental health. But after a break from the sport, the champion returned to the gym and confronted her physical and emotional challenges. The Netflix documentary series Simone Biles: Rising follows the gymnast’s journey from disappointment in Tokyo to her return to the...

From the rolling surf of Malibu to the glamor of the Hollywood hills, detectives in the LA County Sheriff's Department deal with some of the wealthiest and most famous people in the country. And when murder is involved, the pressure is on to solve the crime all while in a spotlight as bright as any blockbuster premier. In the latest installment of the Netflix docuseries, Homicide: Los Angeles revisits some of the most shocking and baffling crimes from the City of Angels, told by the...

It’s been said that there’s no more difficult position in the NFL than the quarterback. But throwing the pass is only half the story. Receivers turn those throws into dazzling catches, explosive runs, and highlight-worthy touchdowns.  The Netflix sports series Receiver follows pass catchers Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Amon-Ra St. Brown. On the field and off, these players prepare for their chance at greatness. Dealing with playing time, injuries, and...

Would-be mothers in The Netherlands selected Jonathan Jacob Meijer to be their online sperm donor - a well-spoken, well-traveled gent with luxurious hair and a desire to help women conceive. But the parents were shocked to learn Meijer had gone far beyond the largely voluntary guidelines for sperm donation, having fathered hundreds of children in their country…and beyond. With no laws to stop him, Meijer remained defiant, vowing to continue donating sperm around the world. The Netflix...

Inspired by an unbelievable true story, a mild mannered professor discovers his hidden talent as a fake assassin-for-hire. He meets his match in a client who steals his heart and ignites a powder keg of deception, delight, and mixed-up identities. Glen Powell and Adria Arjona star in the action/comedy/romance movie Hit Man, directed by Oscar nominee Richard Linklater.  On today’s episode, we turn things over to our friends at the Netflix podcast “Skip Intro.” Host Krista Smith talks with...

In 1959, Barbie changed the way girls played with dolls - taking them from babies to beauty queens, fashion mavens, and professional role models. But girls of color didn’t see themselves represented by the blonde haired, Malibu-tanned figurine. It took 20 years for Mattel to finally release Black Barbie. But in the subsequent years, Black Barbie’s place in the Barbie universe - and in the real world - is still evolving and sparking conversation. Black Barbie traces the doll’s journey from...

In a city where bank robberies were an everyday occurrence, one Seattle bandit stood out among the rest. The FBI nicknamed him “Hollywood,” a savvy criminal inspired by heist films like “Heat” and “Point Break.” Beneath that elaborate prosthetic disguise was Scott Scurlock, a free-spirit living in a treehouse and spreading his stolen cash around. But when he plans to retire after one last big score, everything goes wrong. The Netflix film How to Rob a Bank traces Scurlock's escapades as the...

Get ready to chill this hot summer with all new, buzzworthy documentary films and series from Netflix. From the lighthearted to the heartbreaking, from thrilling true crime to the unexplained, Netflix’s profiles of people and events will give you plenty to talk about.  They include a documentary film about the history of queer comedians in “Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution”; the return of “Unsolved Mysteries”; the sport-themed series “Receiver,” “Simone Biles: Rising,” and “America’s...

Melanie and Miranda Wilking were TikTok’s favorite dancing sisters, until Miranda left the act to perform for the 7M management company. Robert Shinn was more than an agent to his famous dancers - he was a spiritual guide who instilled the tenants of the Shekinah Church he founded decades earlier. When Miranda’s family went public with their story, many online fans believed the dancers for 7M were all in a cult. As other members escaped and worked to rebuild their lives, it wasn’t until they...

From the slave patrols of the 1700s and the first publicly funded police departments of the 1800s to the uprisings of the 1960s and 2020s, the scope and scale of American law enforcement has expanded over time. Once a tool of the powerful to maintain social order, the police have now become a power unto themselves. The Netflix documentary film Power offers a visceral and immersive journey to demonstrate how we’ve arrived at this moment in history. It examines urgent questions about a growing...

It was a first-of-its-kind online dating site, one where the clients were already married and looking to have an affair. While Ashley Madison drew rebuke and ridicule for its product, its business soared, with millions of married people across the globe subscribing to the service. But hackers who infiltrated their system made an ultimatum: shut Ashley Madison down or we’ll release all of your customers’ data. Not only did the fortunes of the company hang in the balance, but so did the...

New city! New twists! Same game! Catfish, connections, and chaos await new influencers in season six of the Netflix series The Circle. Online players compete with one another - and an AI chatbot in disguise - to strategize, plot, and hashtag their way to the top of the pack to win a cash prize of $100,000.  In this episode, “We Have the Receipts” podcast host Chris Burns and guest co-host Chloe Veitch discuss episodes 5 through 12 of The Circle. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched The...

They say you should “trust your gut.” The same holds true for your health, as emerging research shows the digestive system plays a larger role in our well being than ever thought before. In addition to helping with digestion and nutrition, scientists are learning that microbiomes in the gut may be connected to illnesses and what we eat may be helpful in fighting these conditions. The Netflix documentary Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut demystifies the role our gut plays in our...

It started as a low-tech online message board where people shared funny memes. Then users of 4chan began testing their influence offline, identifying targets for comeuppance and demonstrating against them. But some used the site to organize hacking attacks for social action, which drew the attention of the FBI. Others found an unchecked platform for extremism which eventually led to insurrection. The Netflix documentary The Antisocial Network: From Memes to Mayhem chronicles the rise of...

BONUS - Enjoy this featured bonus episode from the podcast Creating a Con: The Story of Bitconned To get an inside look into Ray Trapani, Centra Tech and all the characters in the podcast, check out Bitconned, exclusively on Netflix… available to stream now.    S1: E1 – Breaking Bad  “For as long as I can remember I was always trying to make a couple pennies.” That’s Ray Trapani, one of the co-founders of the crypto-currency company, Centra Tech. In the premiere episode of Creating a Con:...

In 2010, police in a quiet Ontario suburb received a frantic 911 call. A woman said she’d been tied up by intruders who’d just shot her parents. With her mother dead and her father clinging to life, Jennifer Pan gave detectives gripping descriptions of the home invasion. Investigators had no idea why the Pans had been targeted. But a closer look at Jennifer’s life made them rethink what they knew about the case. The Netflix documentary What Jennifer Did looks back at the high-profile crime...

In an effort to reduce problems with discipline and recidivism, the sheriff in Pulaski County, Arkansas rolled out a radical plan for the county jail. Instead of the standard 23-hour lockdown, he’d open the doors in one pod for six weeks and let the detainees run things without the presence of guards. The goal: empower them to become self-sufficient and learn the skills needed to succeed on the outside. But the experiment is not without its risks - for both the inmates and the sheriff. The...

From eerie encounters to bizarre disappearances, mysterious hauntings to chilling cold cases - some mysteries are best when left unsolved. But that doesn’t mean the unexplained should go unexamined.  Told by witnesses to the supernatural and the extraterrestrial, the Netflix series Files of the Unexplained explores a mix of perplexing phenomena. The show also features scientists and historians who offer more earthly possibilities for these baffling puzzles. But it’s left to the viewer to...

A young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day. When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel before their eyes, a close-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest threat in humanity’s history. In this episode, we turn things over to our friends at “3 Body Podcast,” the official companion podcast to Netflix’s 3 Body Problem. Hosts Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Jason Concepcion...

In New York City, homicides are investigated by two separate squads: Manhattan North and Manhattan South. From killings deeply personal to seemingly random, these police detectives tackle some of the most difficult and high-profile murders possible. But what did it take to solve the crimes…and what did it do to those who solved them? In the Netflix docuseries Homicide: New York, legendary executive producer Dick Wolf brings viewers inside some of the real-life cases that shocked and puzzled...

Former allies became foes when the Soviets maintained their grip on post-war Eastern Europe to spread communism. Beyond the clash of ideologies, an arms race had begun between emerging superpowers. For decades Americans stood at hypervigilance, living under the constant threat of a nuclear exchange. When the Soviet Union finally collapsed from within, it looked like the US had won the Cold War. But from its long legacy remain the old divisions which fuel today’s conflicts.  Netflix’s Turning...

Like hundreds before her, Katherine Daniel was sent by her parents to a school for troubled teens. The Academy at Ivy Ridge claimed to use therapy and recreational activities to help its students. Instead, teens suffered mental and physical abuse in a program that operated like a cult. Years later, Katherine and her former classmates rummaged through the files and videotapes left behind in the abandoned school. Their goal was to come to terms with what happened to them within its walls and...

Writer Danny Casolaro believed he’d uncovered a secret organization of political leaders and covert operatives pulling the levers of power around the globe. He called it “The Octopus.” In 1991, when Danny’s body was discovered in a hotel bathtub, authorities ruled it a suicide - but his friends and family feared he’d been killed to keep the story quiet. In American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders, filmmakers reopen Danny’s investigation and retrace his final days. Was the official narrative...

The hit reality series Love Is Blind is back , following a new set of singles from Charlotte, North Carolina — all ready to cut through the static of modern dating and forge authentic relationships, sight unseen. The singles form deep and immediate connections, setting the stage for an unexpected journey full of twists, turns, and shocking revelations that will test each relationship well after the participants leave the pods for the real world.  This episode, we’ll turn things over to our...