Netflix has been on a roll with new originals lately, from the sci-fi drama 3 Body Problem to the psychological thriller Ripley. But despite releasing multiple high-profile scripted series in recent weeks, Netflix can’t seem to pry subscribers away from Files of the Unexplained.
The new docuseries from Vox (Explained, The Mind: Explained) investigates eight bizarre tales of alien abductions, UFO sightings, haunted houses, and more. With eight episodes, it’s sure to keep you busy for a few nights, but you’ll probably be hungry for even more once you reach the end. That’s why we gathered four more great docuseries to check out next.
Unsolved Mysteries
If the title of this Netflix original sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because Unsolved Mysteries has been around for quite a while. The TV show premiered on NBC in 1987 and ran for 10 years before moving to CBS. In 2001, it jumped over to Lifetime for two seasons before going dormant in 2002. Spike TV then picked it up in 2008 and provided updates on previous cases until 2010, at which point the series seemed to finally be dead for good.
But much like the hundreds of cases the show investigated, Unsolved Mysteries wasn’t finished yet, as Netflix rebooted the eternal series in 2020. There have been three Netflix volumes so far covering gruesome murders, inexplicable disappearances, and even supernatural phenomena. You have plenty of time to catch up before Volume 4 arrives later in 2024.
Encounters
Whether or not you believe that aliens have ever visited our planet, there’s no denying that many people claim to have seen extraterrestrials. The congressional hearings about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) have only bolstered those beliefs. If you’re curious to learn more, Netflix’s Encounters investigates theories and stories about alien sightings.
The four-part series from director Yon Motskin “travels the globe to explore four extraordinary true stories of encounters with otherworldly phenomena.”
The UnXplained
In 2019, The History Channel teamed up with Star Trek’s William Shatner for a series that would “explore subjects that have mystified mankind for centuries.” History has aired six full seasons of The UnXplained to date, and three are currently streaming on Netflix.
William Shatner hosts every episode of The UnXplained, but the show also features “compelling contributions from scientists, historians, witnesses and experiencers—each seeking to shed light on how the seemingly impossible actually can happen.”
Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified
Finally, we come to Netflix’s six-part original docuseries Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified, and you might be able to guess the subject matter from the title.
According to Netflix, this TV series features “the most recent information and proof exposing the most top-secret government projects that handled contacts with and cover-ups of, extraterrestrial presence on Earth.” If you want a deep dive into all of the conspiracy theories about aliens, from the most ridiculous to the most believable, start here.