The ocean is a huge part of our world, covering seventy percent of Earth’s surface. Along with the huge amounts of water, there are thousands of species of wildlife that call this watery domain home. If you enjoy marine wildlife, make sure to watch these fifteen best ocean documentaries that will reveal a little more about the oceans surrounding us.
15. Dolphin Reef, Disney+ (2018)
Our first ocean documentary is Dolphin Reef, narrated by Natalie Portman. It follows Echo, a young Pacific dolphin who is exploring his coral reef home, and slowly learning how to survive in his environment. With help from his family, he will learn not only his vital role in the marine community but so will viewers at home.
–IMDb score: 7.4
14. The Last Ocean, Apple TV (2012)
The Last Ocean documentary refers to the Ross Sea, which is located in Antarctica and is Earth’s last untouched ocean. Commercial fishers and governments have taken over every stretch of the ocean except for this frozen landscape that teems with a variety of wildlife. Follow Californian ecologist David Ainley as he shows the world the importance of keeping the Ross Sea untouched and the delicate ecosystem that lives there.
–IMDb score: 7.4
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13. Planet Ocean, Vudu (2012)
If you’re looking for an ocean documentary that just explores the magnificence of the sea, then Planet Ocean may be perfect for you. Jump into the mysteries of the ocean alongside a team of international cinematographers as they investigate the bond between land and water.
–IMDb score: 7.8
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12. Sharkwater, Prime Video (2006)
See sharks in a different light within the documentary Sharkwater. Filmmaker Rob Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media broadcasts about this sea creature, revealing them instead to be pillars of the ocean’s evolution and food chain. Stewart travels into several shark-rich waters and similarly exposes the threat humans have to this misunderstood species.
–IMDb score: 7.9
11. A Plastic Ocean, Peacock and Roku (2016)
Plastic waste is a huge problem in the world, and oftentimes it doesn’t get disposed of correctly. Journalist Craig Leeson discovered this problem when searching for the blue whale, and instead found plastic waste in what was supposed to be a clean ocean. This prompted him to create a team that traveled to twenty locations around the world over four years in A Plastic Ocean, exploring the fragile ecosystem in the ocean and the truth about plastic pollution in the water.
–IMDb score: 7.9
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10. Mission Blue, Netflix (2014)
Part uplifting and part disastrous, Mission Blue follows the journey of Dr. Sylvia Earle as she creates a team to gather in the Galapagos Islands. Her goal? To build a global network of marine protected areas and preserve the natural systems that keep humans alive on Earth. The expedition ends right before the catastrophic Deep Water Horizon oil well explosion, and Sylvia and her team transition to saving the protected spots she had just created.
–IMDb score: 7.9
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9. Chasing Coral, Netflix (2019)
You might have noticed over the years the growing amount of media surrounding coral reefs. Not only are they extremely fragile, but are slowly dying out due to human involvement. In the documentary Chasing Coral, a team of divers, photographers, and scientists try to figure out why coral reefs are disappearing so quickly and to reveal the reefs that are a vital part of the ocean biome.
–IMDb score: 8.0
8. Seaspiracy, Netflix (2021)
The fishing industry is not something you might think about, but it is a huge part of the economy and is hurting the ecosystem. In Seaspiracy, British filmmaker Ali Tabrizi sets out to film the environmental impact fishing has on the oceans and marine life. He also advocates to end fish consumption to protect these various species.
–IMDb score: 8.1
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7. My Octopus Teacher, Netflix (2020)
Watch an incredible bond form between humans and wild animals in our seventh documentary choice My Octopus Teacher. After years of swimming in the ocean on the tip of Africa, Craig Foster meets a new teacher – a young curious octopus. Foster visits her den and tracks her movements for months, developing a trust that will keep you “sucker”ed in.
–IMDb score: 8.1
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6. Big Pacific, Prime Video and Vudu (2017)
Though it covers one-third of the Earth’s surface and holds half of the world’s water, the Pacific Ocean hides numerous mysteries in its depths, including the deepest location on the planet. The documentary Big Pacific aims to break some of those boundaries between land and water in a new way.
–IMDb score: 8.2
5. Watson, Tubi and Hulu (2019)
Not all of our best ocean documentaries are directly focused on the sea. Watson is about Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd and protector of the ocean. This documentary blends interviews with Watson, clips of Sea Shepherd’s encounters sailing the ocean, and footage from down below. This is not only a story about the ocean, but a man willing to risk it all to protect the ocean and wildlife within.
–IMDb score: 8.3
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4. The Cove, Peacock and Tubi (2009)
There is a secret in Taiji, Japan. Local fishermen hide the fact that dolphins are captured and slaughtered, and it’s up to activist Ric O’Barry, filmmaker Louis Psihoyos, and the Ocean Preservation Society to expose the practice. Watch as they try to save dolphins in The Cove while putting their lives at risk too.
–IMDb score: 8.4
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3. Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough, Paramount Plus and Fubo TV (2015)
One of the more well-known best ocean documentaries on our list, Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough is a series that stretches just over a year filming the Great Barrier Reef. Attenborough visits the Reef after nearly sixty years, and the journey takes him to the most exposed part of the reef down to 300 meters below the surface to discover completely new corals.
–IMDb score: 8.6
2. The Blue Planet, Discovery+ and Prime Video (2001)
David Attenborough also appears in the series Blue Planet, but this time as the narrator of a documentary that dives into the marine world of Earth. The series travels to various coasts and the poles of the Earth to explore creatures as big as the blue whale to creatures as small as coral polyps.
–IMDb score: 9.0
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1. The Blue Planet II, Discovery+ and MAX (2017) / Best Ocean Documentaries
Sixteen years after the initial fan-favorite documentary, David Attenborough returns to narrate Blue Planet II. While the first edition focused more on the animals hidden beneath the surface, the reboot takes a look at mankind’s influence on the oceans through both pollution and climate change. Of course, there are plenty of sections of animals interacting with each other, such as cuttlefish hypnotizing crabs to stun them, making for an entertaining watch.
–IMDb score: 9.3
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