So when you've watched enough Tasty videos to make your eyes bleed, and you're done with Tiger King, entertain yourself with these documentaries and YouTube videos. Let me tell you, there's something for everybody on this list.
NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts
NPR Tiny Desk is a gem if Spotify isn't doing enough for you. Tiny Desk showcases amazing live performances from your favorite artists like Tyler the Creator, Leon Bridges, Mac Miller, Hozier, Rex Orange County, and many, many more.
My F ing Tourettes Family
This 45-minute documentary follows a Oxfordshire family with two young boys who have aggressive forms of Tourette's Syndrome as they reclaim their freedom and learn how to cope with the judgement of the public in response to their sons' conditions. By highlighting the hardships of the disease and the Davies-Monk Family's ability to find humor in spite of the adversity they face, the video humanizes Tourette's Syndrome and is a heart-warming watch.
Educating Greater Manchester
If you're a fan of the Australian mockumentary Summer Heights High, this is basically the real-life, British version. Children with ambitions of their own, and teachers with the best intentions, but usually short tempers--hilarity ensues. If you watch a couple episodes and enjoy it, you'll have peace of mind knowing there's no shortage of other seasons, as well as versions from schools in The East End, Yorkshire, Essex, and Cardiff.
Casting Curses and Love Spells with the Most Powerful Witches in Romania
Vice's feminist network, Broadly, has some incredible videos focused on the female experience across the globe. This one is my personal favorite. They're great for a mid-range length watch, and the concepts are unique and captivating.
The Family that Walks on All Fours
The title is pretty self-explanatory. It's an interesting story, but should definitely be watched with an analytical eye, seeing as the documentary was made nearly 14 years ago.
Vice’s “High Society” Series
This might be my highest recommendation out of all these options. Vice's "High Society" gives the viewer a peak into the different sectors of drug trade.
Soft White Underbelly
Renowned photographer Mark Laita's video series Soft White Underbelly is a compilation of interviews from sex workers, substance abuse victims, the unemployed, and the homeless living on Skid Row. Videos are about ten minutes long, and fair warning, cover some pretty heavy topics. If you watch them at night, you may want to follow up with an SNL skit or two before going to bed.
Inside the Klu Klux Klan -- Meeting the Imperial Wizard
Another tough, but fascinating watch. The video entails a seven-month follow-along of a white supremacist group from Missouri. During a time of increasing racial violence, this is definitely an important watch.
Inside an Apache Rite of Passage Into Womanhood
Another short-length film produced by Broadly, the video covers the Sunrise ceremony that Apache girls go through to be recognized as women in their community. It sheds light on the importance and sacredness of indigenous cultures in North America, which are too often ignorantly undermined.
Great Big Story YouTube Channel
If long documentaries feel a little too slow-paced, the YouTube channel Great Big Story has great 3-5 minute videos covering a series of topics that will keep you engaged for hours. Hula Champions, omelettes made with worms, a family of French bell makers? The options are endless.
