10. Secrets of the Blue Zones, Netflix
Everybody wants to live to 100, but the key is getting there while maintaining a decent quality of life. Longevity expert Dan Buettner has scoured the globe for the secret ingredients of a long and happy life and discovered a number of ‘blue zones’ where the proportion of centenarians is many multiples of the rest of the world. He tells you why.
Read the full review: Follow the key steps that allow you to live to 100
9. Mark Cavendish, Never Enough, Netflix
Mark Cavendish may be a cycling great, but like almost all the hyper successful he’s not the easiest of characters to deal with. There are a lot of good sports documentaries out there, but this shows the sheer will required to win an incredible 34 Tour de France stages.
Read the full review: Netflix’s Mark Cavendish documentary is an inspiration
8. Julius Caesar: The Making of a Dictator, BBC
It rather overdoes the comparison to Donald Trump, but this BBC effort is a heavyweight production and explanation of the life and impact of one of the most important historical figures who influenced Napoleon and Churchill.
Read the full review: BBC’s Julius Caesar documentary review: Donald Trump may be more pleased than offended
7. Laura Kuenssberg: State of Chaos, BBC
Essential viewing for those who want to understand how poorly the British state handled Brexit. The failure of statecraft is astounding and well explained by one of BBC’s top journalists.
Read the full review: State of Chaos essential viewing for united Irelanders
6. Deepest Breath, Netflix
Fascinating insight into an extreme sport that most of us probably never knew existed. Free diving is a potentially deadly event where contestants risk everything to hold their breath longer, go deeper and win competitions. Deep relationships can be formed in these circumstances with one leading to a terrible outcome.
Read the full review: TV Review: Netflix’s Deepest Breath
5. Exploring Indian Treasures with Bettany Hughes, Channel 4
Sometimes you need to get away and this was one of the best travel programmes of the year. Good travel shows should give you itchy feet and this will have you on your phone checking out the price of flights.
Read the full review: TV Review: Exploring India’s Treasures
4. Putin vs The West, BBC
Before the Israel/Hamas confrontation terrified us with its brutality, we were focused on the first full scale confrontation in Europe since the end of the Second World War. This super documentary by Norma Percy tells us all we need to know about the man who devised and set in motion the invasion of Ukraine.
Read the full review: Putin vs The West gives real insight into Russian president’s motivations
3. Blue Lights, BBC
A home-grown drama about the PSNI doesn’t sound too appetising, but it turned out to be one of the hits of the year. Catch up with the first season on the iPlayer as we await season 2.
Read the full review: Cop drama set in NI, Blue Lights is a must watch
2. Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland, BBC
Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland is essentially an attempt to explain to the British what happened during the Troubles. Director James Bluemel previously made similar programmes about the wars in Iraq and Syria. He eschews the context for people’s individual stories. It’s brilliant.
Read the full review: TV Review: Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland
1. Last Chance U: Basketball, Netflix
Within the genre of sports documentary, Last Chance U is as good as it gets. A gripping series as we follow the hopes of dreams of extremely talented basketball players on their last chance to make a living from the game they love.
Read the full review: TV Review: Last Chance U is sports documentary at its best
