Skip to main content

Netflix’s new documentary series now has a 100% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes

The miniseries is just three hours long.

Osama bin Ladin in American Manhunt
Netflix

Netflix puts out tons of new content every week, and while some of it is critically beloved, other things get panned or don’t get much critical attention at all. One of the streamer’s new shows this May, though, has debuted with a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes.

American Manhunt: Osama bin Ladin is a documentary series that tells the story of the hunt for Osama bin Ladin the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attack. Although he was known in the years before 9/11, bin Ladin became U.S. intelligence’s top target in the aftermath of the attacks, and it took nearly 10 years to track him down.

The miniseries is just three episodes and three hours, but chronicles the hunt from the days immediately following the attacks all the way through to 2011 when he was killed following a SEAL team operation.

Recommended Videos

The critical reception for this miniseries is roughly on par with other docuseries that have come under the American Manhunt mantle. The Trial of O.J. Simpson also had a perfect critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, and The Boston Marathon Bombing had an 89% score. Although these docuseries have often caught fire on the platform, they aren’t often being reviewed by every major television critic, so there might be some element of self-selection involved here.

Even so, this story has undeniable intrigue for Netflix subscribers, and is quickly becoming a part of American history. 9/11 was almost 25 years ago, although the aftermath of those attacks is still reverberating through American society all these years later.

Joe Allen
Joe Allen is a freelance culture writer based in upstate New York. His work has been published in The Washington Post, The…
The best sci-fi shows you can watch now on Apple TV+
From Silo to Severance, these are the best sci-fi series on Apple TV+.
Apple TV+ Silo Episode 1 Photo of Rashida Jones and David Oyelowo

Because it's still a relatively new streaming service, and because it didn't come into existence with a back catalog, Apple TV+'s library is thinner than most. Even so, the streamer has managed to build a subscriber base in part by investing heavily in quality shows, and specifically in quality shows with a sci-fi twist.

Severance is one of the best shows on television, and it seems like a guarantee that it will be heavily awarded at the next Emmy ceremony. Severance is one of my favorite shows, too, but it's far from the only sci-fi series on Apple. We've pulled together a list of the best shows available over there if you're looking for great science fiction:"

Read more
Bill Hader will co-write a new HBO series about the Jonestown massacre
The story of Jonestown has been infamous for almost 50 years.
Bill Hader in Barry.

If you watched Barry all the way through to its conclusion, you're likely aware that Bill Hader is a kind of dark guy. He's always talking about his fascination with serial killers and murderers, and now he's channeling that fascination into a project for HBO. Variety is reporting that Hader will co-write and potentially star in a new HBO series about the infamous Jonestown massacre.

Hader is co-writing the series with Daniel Zelman, and while it's still in development, the show could potentially be Hader's next star vehicle with HBO, where he also worked on Barry.

Read more
4 reasons Hacks is the best comedy on TV right now
The Max original comedy deserves all of the love it's getting and more
Jean Smart in Hacks Season 3

When Hacks took home the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2024, it might have been the first time many TV fans had heard of this incredible little gem. Starring Jean Smart as a fiery, washed-up comic who never quite fulfilled her potential, she hires a mid-20s writer (played by Hannah Einbinder) who has nowhere else to turn after her career starts going haywire. Together, the ladies form an unbreakable bond that propels them to new heights both on a personal and professional level. The show's foundation is stellar, but the execution makes it the best comedy on TV right now.

Hacks differs from other comedy series airing in the 2020s because it has new school dynamics that complement old school heart and soul. The series is a love letter to laughs, love, and strong female leads who are messy and not afraid to show it. If you aren't watching Hacks during its fourth season, what are you waiting for? These are the four reasons Hacks is the best comedy series you can watch right now.

Read more