February is packed with new, fascinating documentaries on HBO, Amazon Prime and more. All the shows I’ll be profiling this month are all either documentaries or docu-series, and explore both the dark and light sides of human nature, and perhaps even give us a few laughs. From true crime stories like Amazon’s Lorena (executive produced by Get Out’s Jordan Peele) to IFC’s brilliant documentary parody series Documentary Now!, there’s plenty of great media to consume.
What happens when the game that has given you everything begins to take everything away? That seems to be the narrative for many former professional football players who struggle with debilitating pain, health issues and emotional trauma. The Many Lives of Nick Buoniconti centers around a man who went to the prestigious University of Notre Dame on a football scholarship, won two NFL Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins, and went on to successful careers as a lawyer, sports agent and broadcaster. His friends and colleagues describe him as relentless, perseverant and virtually unstoppable. Everything was going his way, until 1985, when his son became paralyzed from the neck down in 1985 while playing football. Now in his 70s, Nick is barely able to move and is likely battling chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This doc tells the story of the man who had it all, until he didn’t — and how he was able to turn his tragedies into triumphs.
Lorena (Amazon Prime, premiering Feb. 15)
The tragic story of Lorena Bobbitt has been used as a punchline to jokes and sensationalized and scrutinized by the media and the world. The docu-series Lorena, executive produced by Jordan Peele (Get Out), tells the story of Lorena Gallo, a young immigrant woman pursuing the American dream. It chronicles how she met her ex-husband, John, and the events leading up to Lorena cutting her husband’s penis off. He was a physical and emotional abuser, and a cheater. The series also follows her trial and the aftermath, aiming to tell all sides of this story. As a true-crime fan, I am interested in seeing this documentary in the hopes of hearing from those involved (including Lorena herself) and drawing my own conclusions about the events that shocked the world.
United Skates (HBO, premiering Feb. 18)
Many people, myself included, are relatively unaware that roller skating has been an important part of black culture. Roller rinks are places where everyone gathers to dance and have fun with friends. The documentary United Skates tracks the popularity and style of rollerskating in black communities across the country, and the financial struggle rinks have faced in recent years, leading them to close permanently. They also explore what these rinks signify as spaces for people of color. United Skates celebrates a subculture that is on the verge of extinction.
Documentary Now! (IFC, returning Feb. 20)
Documentary Now! comes from the brilliant minds of former SNL-ers Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and Seth Meyers. Each episode is a parody of a documentary or doc style. In its first two seasons, the crew has skewered Grey Gardens, History of the Eagles, Jiro Dreams of Sushi and Stop Making Sense! With the popularity of Netflix and other streaming services, more and more people have access to documentaries, and interest has surged in the medium. These parodies are hilarious, and every detail is meticulous: the clothes, the hair, the music and the dialogue. This season, the episodes will feature performances from Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers), Michael Keaton (Birdman), John Mulaney (Saturday Night Live) and Cate Blanchett (Carol). They’ll also parody the making of the Stephen Sondheim musical Company and the recent Netflix craze, Wild Wild Country. Even if you haven’t seen the documentaries they are spoofing, this show is still excellent and can stand on its on. If you have, it’s heaven.
