June kept me firmly in documentary mode, with stories that ranged from unsettling neighborhood disputes and true crime to bizarre internet rabbit holes and cases that challenged my assumptions. I also continued with one of my ongoing rewatches, making for a month that was equal parts thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and completely bewildering.
Shows
Grey's Anatomy
Netflix · 2005 · Rewatch · S:2, E:8-9
These two episodes focused heavily on relationships. Addison continues trying to win Derek back, Cristina and Burke go on their first real date, Burke gives her a key to his apartment, Izzie and Alex grow closer, and Meredith has yet another one-night stand. The most memorable patient was a man who woke up after spending 16 years in a vegetative state. His name was Holden, which immediately caught my attention. Aside from the character in The Catcher in the Rye, I'd never heard another fictional character with my son's name.
Documentary Films & Docuseries
Tell Them You Love Me ★★★★★
Netflix · 2024 · Documentary Film
This documentary explores the controversial relationship between a married professor and a nonverbal man with cerebral palsy, raising difficult questions about communication, consent, disability, and who gets to tell another person's story. The case itself is fascinating, but what makes the documentary so effective is its refusal to provide easy answers. Nearly every assumption I made early on was challenged as more information came to light.
This was one of the most thought-provoking documentaries I've watched in a long time. It tackles an incredibly sensitive subject with nuance and restraint, allowing viewers to wrestle with the complexities for themselves. I found it compelling from beginning to end and couldn't stop thinking about it afterward.
The Perfect Neighbor ★★★★☆
Netflix · 2025 · Documentary Film
This documentary examines a years-long neighborhood dispute in Florida that ultimately ended in tragedy. Told almost entirely through police body camera footage, it offers a front-row seat to the escalating conflict and the repeated attempts to manage it before everything unraveled.
I was a little late to the game with this one, but I can see why it generated so much discussion. I wasn't sure I'd like the body camera format, but it worked remarkably well, revealing the story piece by piece instead of simply recounting events. Sad, infuriating, and often difficult to watch, it's a powerful documentary that stayed with me long after it ended.
77 Minutes ★★★☆☆
Tubi · 2016 · Documentary Film
This documentary examines the 1984 mass shooting at a California McDonald's that unfolded over 77 minutes. Through interviews with survivors, law enforcement, and archival footage, it reconstructs the tragedy and its aftermath. The story itself is heartbreaking and fascinating, and I learned a great deal about a case I knew very little about beforehand. Unfortunately, the documentary felt amateurish at times, and the director's own opinions often overshadowed the storytelling.
Maternal Instinct ★★★★★
Netflix · 2026 · Documentary Film
This documentary generated a lot of buzz when it was released, and I can absolutely see why. It follows a woman who builds her life around increasingly elaborate lies, including repeatedly claiming to be pregnant. When those lies begin to unravel, she takes unimaginable steps to convince others they were true.
The story is both bizarre and horrifying, and it held my attention from beginning to end. Featuring interviews with people close to both the victim and the killer, this was a fascinating and exceptionally well-made documentary.
Tickled ★★★★☆
HBO Max · 2016 · Documentary Film
This one was... quite something. A journalist stumbles across a series of competitive endurance tickling videos and begins investigating the people behind them. What starts as an odd internet curiosity quickly spirals into something much stranger, with threats, intimidation, and increasingly bizarre revelations.
I spent most of the documentary wondering what on earth was going on, and every time I thought I had it figured out, another twist sent the story in a different direction. A genuinely wild watch.
By the Numbers
- Total Watched: 6
- Shows: 1 (rewatch) · 2 episodes
- Documentary Films: 5
- Five-Star Watches: 2
- Average Rating: 4.2★
- Most-Used Streaming Service: Netflix (4 titles)
- Oldest Release: Grey's Anatomy (2005) · Tickled (2016)
- Newest Release: Maternal Instinct (2026)
Superlatives
Favorite Watch: Tell Them You Love Me
Most Fascinating: Maternal Instinct
Biggest Disappointment: 77 Minutes
June continued my streak of documentary-heavy months, but what stood out most was how many of these stories dealt with deception, obsession, and people living in completely different realities than those around them. Whether it was neighborhood conflicts, fabricated pregnancies, unusual internet subcultures, or difficult ethical questions, these documentaries consistently left me with more questions than answers. That's usually the sign of a month well spent in front of the screen.