Corruption. Cults. Chaos.
From a typewriter-wielding maniac in Aspen to Silicon Valley snake oil and New Jersey mobsters, these 7 documentaries spotlight some of the wildest scams, cover-ups, and creators in American history.
If you’re into power grabs, dirty money, or the origin story of prestige TV—this list is for you.
1) Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Enron wasn’t a company. It was a con.
This doc shows how Jeff Skilling and Ken Lay built a fake empire on cooked books, fake profits, and “mark-to-market” nonsense. They even gamed California’s power grid—laughing while they did it (and it’s on tape).
If you want to understand 2000s-era greed and how it still echoes today, start here.
Watch it free on Tubi or rent via Apple/Amazon. Or search on JustWatch.
2) Taxi to the Dark Side
An Afghan taxi driver named Dilawar dies in U.S. custody. Gibney follows the threads from his brutal death all the way to Cheney’s memos and CIA torture programs.
It is not easy to watch—but it’s essential. It’s the doc that earned Gibney an Oscar, and it still stings nearly 20 years later.
Find it free on Kanopy, Hoopla, or on Prime. Latest options on JustWatch.
3) Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos
“The Sopranos” changed television. This doc shows you how.
David Chase took mob movies, therapy, and New Jersey angst—and spun gold. This PBS doc dives into his brain, with behind-the-scenes footage, rare interviews, and a look at why the show’s ending still has people arguing.
It’s not just for superfans—it’s a case study in how great TV gets made.
Stream it — You can watch it on HBO Max here or on PBS, Apple TV, or YouTube TV.
Check JustWatch to confirm all options.
4) Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
This one hit so hard, Scientology ran smear ads on national TV.
Based on the bestselling book by Lawrence Wright, Gibney exposes the Church of Scientology through the voices of ex-members. We get stories of blackmail, Tom Cruise’s rise inside the church, forced labor camps, and “auditing” sessions gone very dark.
It’s a crash course in power, control, and how belief systems can turn dangerous fast.
Streaming options:
Netflix
HBO Max
Kanopy (free w/library)
YouTube (free w/ads)
Also on Roku, Tubi, Freevee, Pluto.
5) Dirty Money
Corporate lies. Financial crimes. And enough shady receipts to make you scream.
“Dirty Money” is a Netflix docuseries that drops bombs on big banks, CEOs, and even governments. One episode exposes Jared Kushner’s housing empire. Another shows how Volkswagen cheated the world with fake emissions tests.
This is rapid fire rage—with Alex Gibney producing.
Watch it on Netflix.
6) The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley
Elizabeth Holmes said her magic machine could test blood with just one drop. She got billions from investors. She got Kissinger and Mattis on her board.
There was just one catch. It didn’t work.
In this doc, Gibney unpacks how branding, Silicon Valley hype, and blind ambition created one of the biggest tech scams ever. There’s even a creepy animated lightbulb mascot named “Edison.”
Watch it on Max (HBO), or rent via Amazon, Apple, YouTube. Streaming options: JustWatch.
7) Mea Maxima Culpa
This devastating exposé starts with a single priest—Father Lawrence Murphy—who molested more than 200 boys at St. John’s School for the Deaf in Milwaukee, then expands into a global investigation exposing systematic cover-ups reaching the Vatican’s highest levels.
Four deaf survivors use sign language to tell their stories, with their testimony voiced by actors Jamey Sheridan, Chris Cooper, Ethan Hawke, and John Slattery.
Some highlights:
- Father Murphy molested deaf children for over 20 years while the Church hierarchy knew about it—he was never prosecuted and died peacefully as a priest in good standing
- One priest who tried to report abuse to the Vatican had his car firebombed and now lives in hiding
- The Vatican had secret guidelines called “Crimen Sollicitationis” that specifically instructed church officials on how to cover up abuse cases, treating them as matters of “pontifical secrecy”
Watch it on Max (HBO), or rent via Amazon, Apple, YouTube. Streaming options: JustWatch.
8) Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson wrote stories, and then he became one.
This doc dives into the “gonzo” journalist who ran for sheriff in Aspen on a “Freak Power” ticket, took on Nixon, and redefined political reporting with truth and madness.
Gibney blends wild footage, close friends, and a few enemies to show how Thompson rewrote the rules of journalism—while breaking every rule in the book.
You can watch it on Peacock, Kanopy, or rent it via Amazon/Apple. Check JustWatch for the latest options.
Other Alex Gibney Documentaries on My Watchlist:
- Citizen K – Gibney’s portrait of Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Ranked 7.3 on IMDB and 72/100 by Rotten Tomatoes users and nominated for Best Doc by the London Critics Circle. (Source)
- Steve Jobs: The Man In The Machine (ranked 6.9/10 by users on IMDB and 54/100 by users on Rotten Tomatoes)
- In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon (7.7 IMDB; not rated yet by users on Rotten Tomatoes)
- The Armstrong Lie (7.2 on IMDB and 76/100 on Rotten Tomatoes)
- Magic Trip: Ken Kesey’s Search for a Kool Place — 6.8 IMDB; 61/100 on Rotten Tomatoes)
Thanks for reading!
– Heather Fenty