Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "observational-documentary"
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1. The Dog House (2019– )
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary set inside Wood Green animal charity in Godmanchester. Following the work of staff, who are committed to matching their homeless dogs with prospective new owners.
Stars: Andrew Buchan, Chris Brown, Perry Fitzpatrick, Jade Odle
Votes: 463
2. Bangers & Cash (2019– )
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series going behind the scenes of Mathewsons, a North Yorkshire-based, family-run historic car auction business based in the picturesque village of Thornton-le-Dale.
Stars: Toby Foster, Nathan Mark Willmott
Votes: 138
3. The Hotel Inspector (2005– )
60 min | Documentary
The Hotel Inspector travels to various struggling hotels to give them advice and suggestions on how to improve their business.
Stars: Alex Polizzi, Ruth Watson, Mark Halliley, Hannah Roberts
Votes: 272
4. Border Security: Australia's Front Line (2004– )
30 min | Documentary
There are immigration, customs officers and quaratine officers. There are all sorts of concealments. This show is on over the weekends, if you're in Australia.
Stars: Grant Bowler, Chris Spradlin, Rachel Hunter, Andy Trieu
Votes: 694
5. The Motorway (2020–2022)
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following the work of emergency patrol teams on the M1 motorway as they deal with all manner of situations on one of the world's busiest motorways.
Stars: James Thornton, Alex Broughton-Brown, Steven Strong
Votes: 22
6. Our Yorkshire Farm (2018–2022)
240 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following life on a remote sheep farm in Yorkshire for Clive and Amanda Owen and their nine children.
Stars: Ralf Little, Clive Owen, Amanda Owen, Reuben Owen
Votes: 311
7. The Cruise (2022– )
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following the lives of the crew and passengers heading out on the holiday of a lifetime on board the ships Scarlet Lady and Valiant in the Virgin Voyages fleet.
Star: Sheridan Smith
Votes: 26
8. Back Roads (2015–2024)
Documentary, Adventure, History
Back Roads is taking viewers to some of Australia's most interesting and resilient communities. The towns chosen for the programnme are full of colourful characters whose grit and good humour continues to uplift and inspire.
Stars: Heather Ewart, Paul West, Lisa Millar, Joe O'Brien
Votes: 36
9. Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly (2019– )
60 min | Reality-TV
Observational documentary series following the work of master dog trainer Graeme Hall as he finds long-lasting solutions for dogs with issues.
Stars: Joanna Scanlan, Graeme Hall
Votes: 121
10. Small Town Girl (2007 Video)
82 min | Documentary
A unique portrait of three adolescent girls, showing the harsh realities of life in two small towns at either end of England at the start of the 21st century.
Director: Jill Daniels | Stars: Joanne Binns, Charlotte Bithell, Sian Paddock
11. Call the Bailiffs: Time to Pay Up (2021– )
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary following the work of High Court enforcement agents as they attempt to recoup money on behalf of creditors.
Stars: Paul Barber, Mark Womack
Votes: 45
12. Beyond the Yorkshire Farm: Reuben & Clive (2022– )
60 min | Documentary
Spin-off mini-series announced after Our Yorkshire Farm ended. Follows Clive Owen and his eldest son Reuben as they embark on a digging business venture together.
Stars: Ralf Little, Clive Owen, Reuben Owen
Votes: 11
13. 999: On the Front Line (2017– )
60 min | Documentary
Filmed simultaneously with ambulance crews across the west midlands, this series shows in real time the range of cases paramedics attend to.
Stars: Paul Bown, Tamla Kari, Mark Frost
Votes: 38
14. Work on the Wild Side (2020)
60 min | Documentary
Documentary series following the highs and lows of vets and volunteers who have given up their day jobs in the UK to move to South Africa to help rescue, rehabilitate and release back into the wild iconic animals.
Star: Greg James
Votes: 19
15. The Yorkshire Auction House (2021– )
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following auctioneer Angus Ashworth and his staff throughout the process from house viewings to auction day as they travel around the UK looking for antiques and collectables to sell.
Stars: Annie Hulley, Angus Ashworth
Votes: 38
16. Highway Patrol (2009– )
Reality-TV
Follows the officers of the Victoria Police Highway Patrol as they deal with high-speed chases, out-of-control drivers, car crashes, defiant hoons and some unusual cases.
Stars: Hugh Wade, Ash Bowden, Brad Mascoll, Peter Bellion
Votes: 79
17. Our Cops in the North (2019–2021)
59 min | Documentary, Crime
Observational documentary series following the work of Northumbria Police across the North-East of England, telling the stories of the force's officers and the victims of crime they encounter.
Star: David Leon
Votes: 51
18. Swingers (2020 TV Movie)
47 min | Documentary
Observational documentary unlocking the doors of Britain's hidden swinging scene via access to one of the country's most popular swinging clubs and candid interviews with the club's founder, staff and clientele.
Directors: Laura Watt, Tom Green | Star: Belinda Stewart-Wilson
Votes: 10
19. Trucking Hell (2018– )
60 min | Documentary
Following men and women working in the heavy recovery business, as they tackle jack-knifed lorries, crashed HGVs and roadside breakdowns.
Stars: Kieran O'Brien, Sean Beirne, Frank Bird, Roman Michalewicz
Votes: 57
20. A&E After Dark (2020– )
65 min | Documentary
A look behind the scenes at Hull Royal Infirmary, showing the night time challenges faced by NHS staff working in the Accident and Emergency Department.
Star: Bill Fellows
Votes: 27
21. Young Plato (2021)
102 min | Documentary
School headmaster Kevin McArevey tries to change the fortunes of an inner-city Irish community plagued by urban decay, sectarian aggression, poverty and drugs.
Directors: Declan McGrath, Neasa Ní Chianáin | Stars: Kevin McArevey, Jan-Marie Reel
Votes: 401
22. Helicopter ER (2016– )
60 min | Documentary
Documentary series following the life-saving work of the flying doctors and paramedics of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service.
Stars: Paul Stocker, Jason Done
Votes: 15
23. Dina (2017)
Not Rated | 103 min | Documentary
An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story.
Directors: Antonio Santini, Dan Sickles | Stars: Dina Buno, Scott Levin, Frank Costanzo, Jeannie Levin
Votes: 1,220 | Gross: $0.09M
24. This Cop Life (2022– )
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following the work of police in Kent, England. Body cameras capture the demanding day-to-day work of officers as they respond to emergencies, investigate crimes and arrest suspects.
Star: Lesley Sharp
Votes: 24
25. The Anderson Platoon (1967)
Not Rated | 65 min | Documentary, History, War
The director, a French veteran of the Indochina war (La 317e Section), returned to follow a platoon of American soldiers for six weeks at the height of fighting in Vietnam in 1966. The ... See full summary »
Director: Pierre Schoendoerffer | Stars: Joseph B. Anderson, Stuart Whitman
Votes: 383
26. Police After Dark (2022– )
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following the police officers of Gloucestershire working on the night shift.
Stars: Theo Ogundipe, Big Al
Votes: 17
27. The Farmers' Country Showdown (2017– )
45 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series celebrating inspirational British farming families and the rural events at which they showcase their produce by competing to win awards.
Stars: Denis Lawson, Bill Paterson, Angela Jackson, Chris Ecob
Votes: 27
28. The Force: Behind the Line (2006– )
30 min | Documentary, Crime
This documentary series follows officers of the Western Australian Police Force as they go about their duties, similar to American television series COPS.
Star: Simon Reeve
Votes: 30
29. A Special School (2020–2023)
29 min | Documentary
A heartwarming observational documentary series following the reality of life in Britain's largest special school, pushing boundaries and challenging misconceptions.
Star: Iwan Rheon
Votes: 13
30. Powstanie Warszawskie (2014)
87 min | Documentary, Drama, War
"Powstanie Warszawskie" ("Warsaw Uprising") is the world's first feature film assembled entirely of documentary materials. The film tells the story of the Warsaw Uprising as seen by two ... See full summary »
Director: Jan Komasa | Stars: Piotr Adamczyk, Jacek Aleksandrowicz, Modest Aleksandrowicz, Piotr Bajor
Votes: 729
31. Cops on the Rock (2021– )
60 min | Documentary, Crime
Observational documentary series following the work of Gibraltar's police, border force and customs force as they enforce the law on land and sea dealing with everything from drug smuggling to sinking boats.
Votes: 25
32. Fast Justice (2021– )
60 min | Documentary, Crime
Observational documentary series following the work of the Sentinels, Suffolk Police's elite vehicle squad. Equipped with camera technology and high-speed pursuit cars they track down the county most wanted criminals.
Star: Craig Parkinson
Votes: 21
33. Keeping Up with the Aristocrats (2022)
60 min | Documentary
In this light-hearted, endearing and eye-opening series, four of Britain's most prominent aristocratic dynasties have given cameras exclusive access to reveal what really goes on behind their closed doors, over one summer's social season.
Star: Simon Callow
Votes: 28
34. Makala (2017)
96 min | Documentary
Trials tribulation dreams and aspirations of a young farmer earning a living making and selling charcoal in Congo.
Director: Emmanuel Gras | Stars: Kabwita Kasongo, Lydie Kasongo
Votes: 773
35. Shoplifters: At War with the Law (2020– )
60 min | Documentary, Crime
Obs-doc following security guards at shopping centres. With the police crippled by budget cuts and shoplifting being carried out by organised gangs store security teams are under pressure to stop thefts.
Star: David Threlfall
Votes: 20
36. Police: Hour of Duty (2020–2022)
60 min | Documentary, Crime
Real-time documentary following officers of Derbyshire Police Force on duty during the time-frame of 9pm to 10pm.
Star: Paul Stocker
Votes: 32
37. Critical Condition (2019– )
60 min | Documentary
Documentary series following the work of staff at Stoke-on-Trent's Royal University Hospital. With no narration it is the front-line NHS staff who explain the emergency cases they are faced with and the course of action they will take.
Star: Daniel Hern
Votes: 26
38. Car Pound Cops: Give Me My Car Back! (2021– )
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following the work of specialist car recovery companies tasked with getting illegal, unroadworthy, untaxed, uninsured vehicles off the road and making their owners pay the penalty.
Star: David Threlfall
39. Scouting for Toys (2022– )
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following the work of Vectis - the UK's largest specialist toy and collectables auctioneer.
Star: Kirsten O'Brien
Votes: 14
40. Born Mucky: Life on the Farm (2020– )
60 min | Documentary
This documentary series following three British farmers trying to run three very different family farms across the UK reveals the challenges and rewards that come with making a living off the land.
Star: Bill Fellows
Votes: 22
41. Flotacija (2023)
77 min | Documentary
In Majdanpek, Serbia, a culture historically renowned for magical practices and supernatural creatures is being eaten away by an ever-expanding copper mine. A giver and taker of life, the ... See full synopsis »
Directors: Eluned Zoe Aiano, Alesandra Tatic
Votes: 13
42. The Queen's Guards: A Year in Service (2022)
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following the oldest regiment in the British Army, the Coldstream Guards - the Queen's Guards - from raw recruits to high ranking officers.
Star: Adrian Bower
Votes: 9
43. The Secret World of Your Rubbish (2019– )
Documentary
Documentary series following people around the UK working in waste disposal. From the owners of a landfill site to refuse collectors, a supervisor at a skip hire company to sewage treatment technicians.
Star: David Schofield
44. Oxford Street 24/7 (2018–2021)
240 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series telling the stories of the people who keep the busy London thoroughfare running - from its bustling tube station to the businesses that draw in the crowds.
Star: Glynis Barber
Votes: 8
45. Bouncers (2019)
65 min | Documentary
Documentary series following the mobile security personnel who protect Britain's cities from lawless disorder, stepping into situations that were once the domain of the police.
Star: Vas Blackwood
Votes: 9
46. Call the Cops (2019–2020)
Documentary
Observational documentary series that goes inside the nerve centre of policing - the police communications and control centre known as Force Control - to shed fresh light on law and order in modern Britain.
47. Angels of the North (2019–2022)
15 min | Documentary
Observational documentary series following the colourful staff and customers of the Longlox hair salon on Tyneside, highlighting not only dramas on the floor but following the ambitious young stylists after hours.
Star: Sammyjo Pearson
Votes: 33
48. The Big Clean with Jo and Al (2022– )
60 min | Documentary
Jo Cooke and Al Law (the owners of the Curvy Brides Boutique) transform the homes of people in need with a deep clean and a de-clutter while also offering emotional support for those who live there.
Stars: Jo Cooke, Alison Law, Lorraine Hodgson
49. Kew Gardens: A Year in Bloom (2021–2022)
60 min | Documentary
Observational documentary going behind the scenes to follow the work of staff at London's Kew Gardens - 320 acres of the most diverse, exciting and important plant life in the world nestled in the suburbs of London.
Stars: Bill Paterson, Bill Nighy
Votes: 19
50. A Lake District Farm Shop (2021–2022)
60 min | Documentary
Set in the glorious Lake District, this series meets the farmers, food producers and crafters whose work is sold at the celebrated, family-run and unique Tebay Service Station.
Star: Mandip Gill
Votes: 14