Documentary Now!
{{short description|American mockumentary television series on IFC}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Documentary Now!.jpg
| alt = A film strip bent into the shape of "DN" with "DOCUMENTARY NOW!" written below
| genre = Mockumentary
| creator = {{Plainlist|
}}
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Fred Armisen
- Bill Hader
}}
| theme_music_composer = Josh Moshier
| opentheme =
| director = {{Plainlist|
- Rhys Thomas
- Alex Buono
- Micah Gardner
}}
| presenter = Helen Mirren
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 4
| num_episodes = 27
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Fred Armisen
- Bill Hader
- Seth Meyers
- Lorne Michaels
- Rhys Thomas
- Andrew Singer
}}
| producer =
| cinematography =
| runtime =
| company = Broadway Video (credited)
| network = IFC
| first_aired = {{Start date|2015|8|20}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2022|11|16}}
| image_alt =
| caption =
| channel =
| released =
}}
Documentary Now! is an American mockumentary television series created by Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, and Rhys Thomas, and premiered on August 20, 2015, on IFC. Armisen and Hader star in many episodes, and Thomas and Alex Buono co-direct most episodes. Hosted by Helen Mirren, the series spoofs celebrated documentary films by parodying the style of each documentary with a similar, but fictitious, subject.[https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/documentary-now-review-season-4-1234608748/ 'Documentary Now' Is Pure, 100-Percent Film-Nerd Catnip – Rolling Stone] The third season premiered on February 20, 2019. On April 8, 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on October 19, 2022 and was also released on AMC+.{{cite web|title="Documentary Now!," The Classic Fictionalized "Non-Fiction" Series, Gets Season 53 Renewal from IFC|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2019/04/08/documentary-now-the-classic-fictionalized-non-fiction-series-gets-season-53-renewal-from-ifc-371503/20190408ifc01/|work=The Futon Critic|date=April 8, 2019}}[https://www.avclub.com/documentary-now-season-4-2022-1848513898 Documentary Now! will finally return for season 4 in 2022|AV Club]
Premise
Documentary Now! presents itself as a long-running news magazine for documentaries, initially celebrating its 50th season. Mirren appears at the beginning of each episode to introduce the "classic" documentary that the audience is about to see.
Cast
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| rowspan="2" | Actor
! colspan="4" | Seasons |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:20%;" | 1
! scope="col" style="width:15%;" | 2 ! scope="col" style="width:15%;" | 3 ! scope="col" style="width:15%;" | 4 |
| Fred Armisen
| colspan="4" {{cMain}} |
| Bill Hader
| colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}} | colspan="2" {{CNone}} |
| Helen Mirren
| colspan="4" {{cMain|Main}} |
Episodes
|caption = Seasons of Documentary Now!
| color1 = #84DBE2
| link1 = Documentary Now!#Season 1 (2015)
| episodes1 = 7
| start1 = {{Start date|2015|08|20}}
| end1 = {{End date|2015|09|24}}
| color2 = #9CD298
| link2 = Documentary Now!#Season 2 (2016)
| episodes2 = 7
| start2 = {{Start date|2016|9|14}}
| end2 = {{End date|2016|10|26}}
| color3 = #F78181
| link3 = Documentary Now!#Season 3 (2019)
| episodes3 = 7
| start3 = {{Start date|2019|2|20}}
| end3 = {{End date|2019|3|27}}
| color4 = #F8F035
| link4 = Documentary Now!#Season 4 (2022)
| episodes4 = 6
| start4 = {{Start date|2022|10|19}}
| end4 = {{End date|2022|11|16}}
}}
= Season 1 (2015) =
{{Episode table|caption=Documentary Now! season 1 episodes |background=#84DBE2 |overall=3 |season=3 |title=30 |director=15 |writer=19 |aux2=15 |aux2T=Subject parodied |airdate=10 |country=U.S. |viewers=5 |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 1
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = Sandy Passage
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = Grey Gardens
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2015|8|20}}
| ShortSummary = An in-depth look at the daily lives of two aging socialites and their crumbling estate.
Guest cast: Rob Benedict as Larry Fein, Randy Oglesby as Officer #1, Eric Nenninger as Officer #2, and Sy Richardson as David
| Viewers = 0.16{{cite web|first=Mitch |last=Metcalf|url=http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-100-thursday-cable-originals-8-20-2015.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822182127/http://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-100-thursday-cable-originals-8-20-2015.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 22, 2015 |title=SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Thursday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 8.20.2015 |website=Showbuzz Daily |date= August 21, 2015|access-date=August 24, 2015}}
| LineColor = 84DBE2
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = Kunuk Uncovered
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = Nanook Revisited
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2015|8|27}}
| ShortSummary = An investigation into the seminal 1922 documentary Kunuk the Hunter that attempts to separate what is real from what is fabrication.
Guest cast: John Slattery as William H. Sebastian, Mike O'Brien as Young Alexander Krauss, Tim Robinson as Young Barnabas Scott, Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson as Chacal, Wilma Pelly as Aglatki Qamaniq, and Linda Porter as Meredith Sebastian
| LineColor = 84DBE2
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = DRONEZ: The Hunt for El Chingon
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Duffy Boudreau, Bill Hader & Rob Klein
| Aux2 = VICE News documentaries
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2015|9|3}}
| ShortSummary = The hipster media empire DRONEZ sends a series of its notoriously fearless journalists to track down Mexico's most wanted drug lord.
Guest cast: Jack Black as Jamison Friend, Ty Dolla $ign as himself, Luis Fernandez-Gil as Professor Alfonso Diaz, and Steven Michael Quezada as El Chingon
| LineColor = 84DBE2
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = The Eye Doesn't Lie
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Bill Hader & John Mulaney
| Aux2 = The Thin Blue Line
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2015|9|10}}
| ShortSummary = An investigation into the wrongful conviction of a man sentenced to death for a 1976 murder.
Guest cast: Gary Kraus as Detective Pettibone, Van Epperson as Detective Pomerance, Dale Dickey as Joelle Fellweather, Nathan Barnatt as Sign Spinner, Cedric Yarbrough as Pawn Shop Owner, and Deb Hiett as Marjorie Yoder.
| LineColor = 84DBE2
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 5
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = A Town, a Gangster, a Festival
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers & Fred Armisen
| Aux2 = No known subject of parody
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2015|9|17}}
| ShortSummary = A documentary crew travels to Árborg, Iceland, for the annual festival honoring American gangster Al Capone.
Guest cast: Aidy Bryant as Anne Severino, Þórunn Erna Clausen as Nina Karlsdóttir, Hannes Óli Ágústsson as Gunnar Brynjarsson
| LineColor = 84DBE2
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 6
7
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
7
| Title = Gentle & Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee, Parts 1 & 2
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Fred Armisen, Bill Hader & Erik Kenward
| Aux2 = History of the Eagles
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2015|9|24}}
| ShortSummary = A documentary charting the rise and fall of soft rock band The Blue Jean Committee.
Guest cast: Irving Azoff as Alvin Izoff; Paula Pell as Patti Skrowaczeski; W. Earl Brown as Mitch Dragando; Jeff Doucette as Gordo; Cameron Crowe, Chuck Klosterman, Daryl Hall, Kenny Loggins, Haim, and Michael McDonald as themselves
| LineColor = 84DBE2
}}
}}
=Season 2 (2016)=
{{Episode table|caption=Documentary Now! season 2 episodes |background=#9CD298 |overall=3 |season=3 |title=30 |director=15 |writer=19 |aux2=15 |aux2T=Subject parodied |airdate=10 |country=U.S. |viewers=5 |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 8
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
| Title = The Bunker
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = John Mulaney
| Aux2 = The War Room
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|9|14}}
| ShortSummary = A behind-the-scenes view of Ben Herndon's 1992 run for governor of Ohio, focusing on his core campaign staff.
Guest cast: Van Epperson as Ben Herndon, Wayne Federman as Mark Wiesel
| LineColor = 9CD298
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 9
| EpisodeNumber2 = 2
| Title = Juan Likes Rice & Chicken
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = Jiro Dreams of Sushi
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|9|21}}
| ShortSummary = A look at the strict owner of a remote Colombian restaurant famed for its rice and chicken recipe, and the son he has tutored and hopes will take over for him some day.
Guest cast: David Chang and Jonathan Gold as themselves, Harvey Guillén as Manuel
| LineColor = 9CD298
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 10
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = Parker Gail's Location Is Everything
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = John Mulaney & Bill Hader
| Aux2 = Swimming to Cambodia
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|9|28}}
| ShortSummary = Parker Gail performs a stream of consciousness monologue about the day he was kicked out of his New York City apartment.
Guest cast: Peter Breitmayer as Male Parole Board Officer, Mike Damus as Dr. Jan, and Lennon Parham as Ramona
| LineColor = 9CD298
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = Globesman
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = Salesman
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|10|5}}
| ShortSummary = Four 1960s salesmen go door to door trying to sell globes to uninterested people.
Guest cast: Gary Kraus as Regional Sales Manager Gus McMichaels, Tony Forsmark as Bob Campbell, Joe Howard as Dale Bingham, Bill Smitrovich as Mike Stankowicz, Linda Porter as Old Woman in Bed, and Kiff VandenHeuvel as Father of Hot Daughter
| LineColor = 9CD298
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = Final Transmission
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Fred Armisen & Erik Kenward
| Aux2 = Stop Making Sense, The Last Waltz & Big Time
(one segment)
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|10|12}}
| ShortSummary = In 1987, new wave band Test Pattern plays its final concert.
Guest cast: Maya Rudolph as Anita, Senon Williams as Guitarist / Percussion, Hal Willner as Oota Keirsha, Jon Wurster as Drummer, Tawny Newsome as Backup Singer #2, and Paul Thomas Anderson as the voice of Harrison Renzi
| LineColor = 9CD298
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 13
14
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
7
| Title = Mr. Runner Up: My Life as an Oscar Bridesmaid, Parts 1 & 2
| DirectedBy = Rhys Thomas & Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = John Mulaney & Bill Hader
| Aux2 = The Kid Stays
in the Picture
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2016|10|26}}
| ShortSummary = A candid docu-memoir of Hollywood legend Jerry Wallach and his 40-year quest to win an Academy Award.
Guest cast: Peter Bogdanovich, Faye Dunaway, Mia Farrow, Peter Fonda, and Anne Hathaway as themselves; Benton Jennings as Rich Snooty Man; Sam Pancake as Ed Brulay; Jake Lucas as Steven Dumont; and Laura Bell Bundy as Bridget Bailey
| LineColor = 9CD298
}}
}}
=Season 3 (2019)=
{{Episode table|caption=Documentary Now! season 3 episodes |background=#F78181 |overall=3 |season=3 |title=30 |director=15 |writer=19 |aux2=15 |aux2T=Subject parodied |airdate=10 |country=U.S. |viewers=5 |episodes=
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 15
16
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1
2
| Title = Batsh*t Valley, Parts 1 & 2
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = Wild Wild Country
& The Source Family
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|2|20}}
| ShortSummary = A cult disrupts the quiet town of Chinook, Oregon.
Guest cast: Owen Wilson as Father Ra-Shawbard, Michael Keaton as FBI Agent Bill Doss, Necar Zadegan as Ra-Sharir, Gary Kraus as FBI Agent Larry Cooper, Van Epperson as Roger Smoot, Deb Hiett as Marge Middleton, and Connie Chung as herself
| LineColor = F78181
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 17
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = Original Cast Album: Co-Op
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = John Mulaney & Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = Original Cast Album: Company
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|2|27}}
| ShortSummary = The marathon studio recording session for the original cast album of the ill-fated 1970 Broadway musical Co-op, with songs detailing the joys and pains of a New York City housing cooperative.
Guest cast: Taran Killam as Benedict Juniper, John Mulaney as Simon Sawyer, James Urbaniak as Howard Pine, Alex Brightman as Kenny, Richard Kind as Larry, Paula Pell as Patty, and Renée Elise Goldsberry as Dee Dee
| LineColor = F78181
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 18
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = Waiting for the Artist
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono & Rhys Thomas
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|3|6}}
| ShortSummary = An internationally-acclaimed performance artist prepares for a major career retrospective while reconciling her relationship with her former lover and performance partner whom she hasn't seen in two decades.
Guest cast: Cate Blanchett as Izabella Barta, Thierry Guetta as himself
| LineColor = F78181
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 19
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = Searching for Mr. Larson: A Love Letter from the Far Side
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Duffy Boudreau & Bill Hader
| Aux2 = Dear Mr. Watterson
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|3|13}}
| ShortSummary = An obsessive fan of the comic strip The Far Side documents his quest to meet and interview its creator, Gary Larson.
| LineColor = F78181
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 20
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
| Title = Long Gone
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono & Rhys Thomas
| WrittenBy = Erik Kenward
| Aux2 = Let's Get Lost
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|3|20}}
| ShortSummary = A profile of eccentric jazz guitarist Rex Logan.
Guest cast: Natasha Lyonne as Carla Meola
| LineColor = F78181
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 21
| EpisodeNumber2 = 7
| Title = Any Given Saturday Afternoon
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Zach Kanin & Tim Robinson
| Aux2 = A League of Ordinary Gentlemen
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2019|3|27}}
| ShortSummary = When a defunct bowling league is revitalized, three of its most notable champions reunite to compete.
Guest cast: Kevin Dunn as Rob Seger, Michael C. Hall as Billy May Dempsey, Tim Robinson as Rick Kenmore, and Bobby Moynihan as Larry Hawburger
| LineColor = F78181
}}
}}
=Season 4 (2022)=
{{Episode table |caption=Documentary Now! season 4 episodes |background=#F8F035 |overall=3 |season=3 |title=30 |director=15 |writer=19 |aux2=15 |aux2T=Subject parodied |airdate=10 |airdateR={{cite web |title=Shows A-Z – Documentary Now! on AMC+ |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/documentary-now/listings/ |website=The Futon Critic |access-date=October 21, 2022}} |country=U.S. |viewers=5 |episodes={{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 22-23
| EpisodeNumber2 = 1-2
| Title = Soldier of Illusion, Parts 1 & 2
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono & Rhys Thomas
| WrittenBy = John Mulaney
| Aux2 = Burden of Dreams, Grizzly Man, Into the Abyss, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, and My Best Fiend
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|10|19}}
| ShortSummary = A filmmaker shoots a documentary on the indigenous people of the Ular Mountains while simultaneously filming a sitcom pilot.
Guest cast: Alexander Skarsgård as Rainer Wolz, Gana Bayarsaikhan as Masho, Kevin Bishop as Gary Jacks, Nicholas Braun as Kevin Butterman, and August Diehl as Dieter Daimler.
| Viewers =
| LineColor = F8F035
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 24
| EpisodeNumber2 = 3
| Title = Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono & Rhys Thomas
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = Three Salons at the Seaside{{cite web | url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7dab57d2 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517013829/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7dab57d2 | url-status=dead | archive-date=May 17, 2018 | title=Three Salons at the Seaside (1994) }} and The September Issue
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|10|26}}
| ShortSummary = A fly-on-the-wall portrait of a hair salon in the small coastal town of Bagglyport as they prepare their annual stylebook.
Guest cast: Cate Blanchett as Alice, Harriet Walter as Edwina
| Viewers =
| LineColor = F8F035
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 25
| EpisodeNumber2 = 4
| Title = How They Threw Rocks
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono & Rhys Thomas
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = When We Were Kings
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|11|2}}
| ShortSummary = A chronicle of the 1974 showdown of the (fictional) Welsh sport of Craig Maes ("Field Rock" - akin to dodgeball but with rocks) dubbed "The Melon vs. The Felon" in the (fictional) village of Llagoelwyn on Wrst in Wales.
Guest cast: Jonathan Pryce as Owen Teale-Griffith, John Rhys-Davies as Garth Davies-Gruffudd, Tom Jones as Bev Turner, Trystan Gravelle as Alwyn 'Allie' Lewis-Ifans
| Viewers =
| LineColor = F8F035
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 26
| EpisodeNumber2 = 5
| Title = My Monkey Grifter
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono
| WrittenBy = Seth Meyers
| Aux2 = My Octopus Teacher and Koko: A Talking Gorilla
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|11|9}}
| ShortSummary = A filmmaker (Jamie Demetriou) forms a deep, emotional, and financially taxing relationship with a monkey.
| Viewers =
| LineColor = F8F035
}}
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 27
| EpisodeNumber2 = 6
| Title = Trouver Frisson
| DirectedBy = Alex Buono & Micah Gardner
| WrittenBy = Matt Pacult & Tamsin Rawady
| Aux2 = The Gleaners and I and The Beaches of Agnès
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|11|16}}
| ShortSummary = A celebrated French filmmaker searches for why she no longer experiences "frisson" - the goosebumps that have always been her guide.
Guest cast: Liliane Rovère as Ida Leos, Ronald Guttman, Gary Kraus as Howie the Butcher, Verona Verbakel as Beatrice Lemutte, and Paola Zampierolo as young Ida Leos.
| Viewers =
| LineColor = F8F035
}}
}}
Production
=Background=
The idea for the series was born out of a pre-tape short film from Saturday Night Live, where Armisen, Hader and Meyers were former cast members. In 2013, in a season 38 episode with Vince Vaughn, Armisen and Hader portrayed aging British punk rock stars in a sketch titled History of Punk: Ian Rubbish and the Bizzaros, written by Seth Meyers and Armisen.{{cite magazine|last=Snierson |first=Dan |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/19/bill-hader-fred-armisen-seth-meyers-documentary-now |title=Bill Hader and Fred Armisen channel Grey Gardens in IFC's Documentary Now! |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=May 15, 2015 |access-date=August 24, 2015}} Hader has stated the biggest inspirations for the series were Woody Allen's mockumentary films Take the Money and Run (1969), and Zelig (1983). During the origins of Documentary Now! Hader sent DVD copies of the Allen films to Rhys Thomas and co-director Alex Buono. Hader said "I told them, 'This is the mood of the show: very serious, very dry, but with insane jokes and crazy moments. You don't want to wink too much at the audience."{{cite web|url= https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/dec15_fea_performing-arts-hader-and-armisen-180957235/|title= Why Bill Hader and Fred Armisen Are Parodying Documentaries in Their Latest, Ingenious Project|website= Smithsonian Magazine|accessdate= July 3, 2022}}{{Cite web |title=Agung Dharma {{!}} Actor, Soundtrack |url=https://m.imdb.com/name/nm8516603/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}
=Development=
On March 20, 2014, it was announced that IFC had given the production, then titled American Documentary, a series order for a first season consisting of six episodes. Executive producers were set to include Lorne Michaels, Seth Meyers, Fred Armisen, and Bill Hader. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of Broadway Video and Rhys Thomas was expected to serve as director.{{cite web |title=IFC Unveils New Comedies From Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers & Rob Huebel As Part Of 2015 Slate |url=https://deadline.com/2014/03/ifc-unveils-2015-slate-702004/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=August 13, 2018 |date=March 20, 2014}} The six-episode order limited the first season of the show, as Seth Meyers revealed in an interview with Collider, stating that they were not able to spoof Michael Moore documentaries, or the HBO documentary miniseries The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst. Meyers further explained saying, "The Jinx happened a little too late for us. We almost tried to pull it off. We talked a lot about that kind of documentary, where the filmmaker sets out to make a documentary, and then, very slowly, it becomes clear the documentary is about himself."{{cite news|last1=Radish|first1=Christina|title=13 Things to Know about DOCUMENTARY NOW! Starring Fred Armisen and Bill Hader|url=https://collider.com/documentary-now-details-bill-hader-fred-armisen/|access-date=August 8, 2015|website=Collider|date=August 7, 2015}} The producers also declined to do another This Is Spinal Tap–type mockumentary and consciously avoided any similarities in editing or style. Armisen commented, "Spinal Tap set such a great precedent that we had to watch out for repeating any of those same beats. It's one of the greatest movies ever."
On July 31, 2015, it was announced at the Television Critics Association's annual summer press tour that Meyers, Hader and Armisen would serve as writers for the series and that additional executive producers would include Thomas and Andrew Singer.{{cite web |last1=de Moraes |first1=Lisa |title='Documentary Now!' Spoof Born Of Love, From Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers & Bill Hader – TCA |url=https://deadline.com/2015/07/documentary-now-fred-armisen-seth-meyers-bill-hader-ifc-tca-1201488818/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=August 14, 2018 |date=July 31, 2015}} On August 18, 2015, it was reported that IFC had renewed the series for a second and third season. It was additionally reported that the series had been co-created by Thomas who was also expected to serve in the role of director along with Alex Buono. John Mulaney was slated to be a consulting producer and Erik Kenward a supervising producer.{{cite web |last1=Petski |first1=Denise |title=Fred Armisen, Bill Hader & Seth Meyers' 'Documentary Now!' Renewed For 2 More Seasons |url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/documentary-now-renewed-2-more-seasons-fred-armisen-bill-hader-seth-meyers-ifc-1201500801/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=August 14, 2018 |date=August 18, 2015}} On August 27, 2015, it was announced that IFC had decided to delay the premiere of the series' second episode "DRONEZ: The Hunt for El Chingon" following the live broadcast of two television news station employees' murders in Virginia the previous day. The episode "Kunuk Uncovered", originally set to air as the series' third episode, was broadcast in its place.{{cite web |last1=Pedersen |first1=Erik |title=IFC Delays 'Documentary Now' Episode After News Team's On-Air Shooting |url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/documentary-delayed-by-ifc-now-following-virginia-shooting-1201508476/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=August 14, 2018 |date=August 27, 2015 |archive-date=June 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624175103/https://deadline.com/2015/08/documentary-delayed-by-ifc-now-following-virginia-shooting-1201508476/ |url-status=dead }}
On August 1, 2018, it was announced that the third season would premiere on February 20, 2019. Additionally, it was reported that one of the episodes would be titled "Waiting for the Artist" and parody the documentary film Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present.{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Greg |title=Cate Blanchett Set For 'Documentary Now!' Take On Performance Artist |url=https://deadline.com/2018/08/cate-blanchett-documentary-now-ifc-marina-abramovic-1202438144/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=August 13, 2018 |date=August 1, 2018}} Later that month, it was announced that another episode, entitled "Original Cast Album: Co-Op", would parody D. A. Pennebaker's 1970 documentary Original Cast Album: Company.{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Greg |title='Documentary Now!' To Tackle Sondheim, Stritch & The Ladies Who Lunch |url=https://deadline.com/2018/08/documentary-now-ifc-company-sondheim-elaine-stritch-ladies-who-lunch-1202444626/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=August 13, 2018 |date=August 13, 2018}} On September 6, 2018, two further season three episodes were announced. One episode, titled "Any Given Saturday Afternoon", was described as a parody of the 2006 documentary A League of Ordinary Gentlemen and set to feature guest stars including Kevin Dunn, Michael C. Hall, Tim Robinson, and Bobby Moynihan. The other episode, titled "Long Gone", was described as a parody of the 1988 documentary Let's Get Lost and was expected to include Natasha Lyonne in a guest starring role.{{cite web |last1=Pena |first1=Jessica |title=Documentary Now!: Season Three; IFC Teases New Episodes – canceled TV shows – TV Series Finale |url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/documentary-now-season-three-ifc-teases-new-episodes/ |website=TV Series Finale |access-date=October 20, 2018 |date=September 7, 2018}} On October 10, 2018, it was announced that the season three premiere episode had been titled "Batsh*t Valley" and that it would be a parody of Wild Wild Country and The Source Family.{{cite web |last1=Greene |first1=Steve |title=Michael Keaton and Owen Wilson to Star in 'Wild Wild Country'-Inspired Episode of Parody Series 'Documentary Now!' |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/10/documentary-now-michael-keaton-owen-wilson-wild-wild-country-1202011119/ |website=IndieWire |access-date=October 10, 2018 |date=October 10, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Turnquist |first1=Kristi |title=Owen Wilson plays a Rajneesh-like guru in the Oregon-filmed 'Documentary Now!' |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/tv/2018/10/the_rajneesh_saga_will_get_a_c.html |website=OregonLive.com |access-date=October 20, 2018 |date=October 11, 2018}}
=Casting=
Alongside the series order announcement, it was confirmed that Fred Armisen and Bill Hader would star in the series. On August 1, 2018, it was announced that Cate Blanchett would guest star in the third-season episode "Waiting for the Artist" as Barta, a performance artist. Later that month, it was reported that Taran Killam, John Mulaney, James Urbaniak, Alex Brightman, Richard Kind, Paula Pell, and Renée Elise Goldsberry would appear in a third-season episode titled "Original Cast Album: Co-Op". On September 6, 2018, further season three guest stars were announced including Kevin Dunn, Michael C. Hall, Tim Robinson, and Bobby Moynihan in the episode "Any Given Saturday Afternoon" and Natasha Lyonne in the episode "Long Gone". On October 10, 2018, it was announced that Owen Wilson, Michael Keaton, and Necar Zadegan would guest star in the third-season premiere episode "Batsh*t Valley".
=Filming=
In season one, two of the episodes were shot in Iceland and "DRONEZ: The Hunt for El Chingon" was filmed in Tijuana. To film the second-season episode "Final Transmission", the Documentary Now! crew staged a real-life concert (attracting around 1,000 people) in which Armisen, Hader, and guest star Maya Rudolph performed as the Talking Heads-inspired band the episode centers around.{{Cite news|first=Adams|last=Erik|website=The A.V. Club |url=https://www.avclub.com/article/how-did-i-get-here-documentary-nows-little-talking-243671|title="How did I get here?": Documentary Now!'s little Talking Heads tribute that could|date=October 10, 2016|access-date=December 21, 2016}} The season three episode "Waiting for the Artist" was filmed in Budapest, Hungary in mid-2018.
Release
=Marketing=
On January 17, 2019, the official trailer for season three was released.{{cite web |last1=Greene |first1=Steve |title='Documentary Now!' Trailer: That's Not Actually Marina Abramovic, That's Cate Blanchett |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/01/documentary-now-trailer-cate-blanchett-ifc-1202036205/ |website=IndieWire |access-date=January 26, 2019 |date=January 17, 2019}}
=Premieres=
On January 27, 2019, the premiere of the third season was held at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City, Utah during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. The premiere featured screenings of the episodes Waiting for the Artist and Original Cast Album: Co-Op.{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=Sundance 2019: #MeToo, Time's Up, IFC's 'Documentary Now!', Wu-Tang Clan & Lorena Bobbitt Part Of Indie Episodic, Shorts & Special Events Slate |url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/sundance-2019-metoo-times-up-ifcs-documentary-now-the-wu-tang-clan-lorena-bobbitt-part-of-indie-episodic-shorts-special-events-slate-1202512918/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=January 26, 2019 |date=December 3, 2018}}
In February 2022, the series' fourth season was announced and premiered on October 19, 2022.{{cite news |last1=Gajjar |first1=Saloni |title=Documentary Now! will finally return for season 4 in 2022 |url=https://www.avclub.com/documentary-now-season-4-2022-1848513898 |access-date=February 24, 2022 |work=The A.V. Club |date=February 10, 2022 |language=en-us}}[https://collider.com/documentary-now-season-4-alexander-skarsgard-nicholas-braun-guest-stars/ ‘Documentary Now!’ Season 4 Adds Alexander Skarsgård and Nicholas Braun as Guest Stars|Collider]
In advance of their television broadcast, the episodes My Monkey Grifter, Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport and Trouver Frisson were premiered in the Documentary slate at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/toronto-international-film-festival-documentary-lineup-announcement-programmer-thom-powers-interview-news-1235094273/|title=TIFF Announces Doc Lineup Highlighted By World Premiere Of Hillary And Chelsea Clinton-Executive Produced Film 'In Her Hands'|first=Matthew|last=Carey|work=Deadline|date=August 17, 2022|access-date=August 17, 2022}}
Reception and legacy
=Critical response=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="float: right;text-align:center;"
|+Critical reception of Documentary Now! |
| scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Season
!scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" colspan="2" | Critical response |
|---|
| scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" | Rotten Tomatoes
!scope="col" style="padding:0 8px;" | Metacritic |
| scope="row" style="width:12px; background:#84DBE2;" |
| 1 | 90% (29 reviews) | 79 (32 reviews) |
| scope="row" style="width:12px; background:#9CD298;" |
| 2 | 93% (15 reviews) | 74 (7 reviews) |
| scope="row" style="width:12px; background:#F78181;" |
| 3 | 100% (23 reviews) | 88 (8 reviews) |
| scope="row" style="width:12px; background:#F8F035;" |
| 4 | 100% (10 reviews) | 82 (10 reviews) |
==Season 1==
The first season was received positively by critics upon its premiere. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 90% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.89 out of 10 based on 29 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Boasting a talented cast and smart writing, Documentary Now! is a clever send-up of non-fiction filmmaking, though some may find themselves outside the narrow scope of its humor."{{cite web |title=Documentary Now!: Season 1 |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/documentary_now_/s01 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango |access-date=June 30, 2019}} Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 79 out of 100 based on 32 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web |title=Documentary Now!: Season 1 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/documentary-now! |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=June 30, 2018}}
In its year-end roundup, The New York Times named Documentary Now! as one of "The Best TV Shows of 2015". "This series, introduced in August," wrote Times critic Neil Genzlinger, "consists not of actual documentaries but of parodies of actual documentaries. It sure is funny, though."{{cite news |last1=Poniewozik |first1=James |last2=Hale |first2=Mike |last3=Genzlinger |first3=Neil |title=The Best TV Shows of 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/arts/television/best-tv-shows-2015.html?_r=0 |website=The New York Times |access-date=August 13, 2018 |language=en |date=December 7, 2015}}
==Season 2==
The second season was met with a positive response from critics upon its premiere. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 93% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.84 out of 10 based on 15 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "With extreme attention to detail, Documentary Now! furthers its hilarious tribute to vintage documentaries through showcasing creators Hader and Armisen's multi-talents, topped brilliantly with earnestly dramatic introductions by Dame Helen Mirren."{{cite web |title=Documentary Now!: Season 2 |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/documentary_now_/s02 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango |access-date=October 10, 2018}} Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 74 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web |title=Documentary Now!: Season 2 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/documentary-now!/season-2 |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=October 10, 2018}}
==Season 3==
The third season was met with critical acclaim from critics upon its premiere. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 100% approval rating, with an average rating of 9.29 out of 10 based on 23 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Incisively critical of the genre and equally delighted by its subjects, Documentary Now! nails mockumentary under the deft direction of Rhys Thomas and Alex Buono."{{cite web |title=Documentary Now!: Season 3|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/documentary_now_/s03 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango |access-date=August 30, 2020}} Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 88 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".{{cite web |title=Documentary Now!: Season 3 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/documentary-now!/season-3 |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=March 11, 2019}}
==Season 4==
The fourth season continued to receive critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 100% approval rating, with a critical consensus of: "Still sprightly while retaining its acerbic irreverence, Documentary Now! is an absolute treat for fans of documentary filmmaking and gut-busting comedy."{{cite web |title=Documentary Now!: Season 4|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/documentary_now_/s04 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango |access-date=13 May 2023}} Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 82 out of 100 based on 10 critics, marking "universal acclaim".{{cite web |title=Documentary Now!: Season 4 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/documentary-now!/season-4 |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=13 May 2023}} In Vanity Fair, Tara Ariano wrote: "Even a Documentary Now! episode that doesn't quite hit on all levels is a feast for the eyes; and at barely 23 minutes each, these episodes are extraordinarily intricate pieces of miniature art."{{cite magazine |last1=Ariano |first1=Tara |title=The Devil (and the Comedy) Is in the Meticulous Details on 'Documentary Now!'{{'}}s 4th Season |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/10/documentary-now-season-4-review |access-date=13 May 2023 |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=18 October 2022}}
=Awards and nominations=
| class="wikitable unsortable plainrowheaders"
|+Award nominations for Documentary Now! |
| scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Ceremony !scope="col"| Category !scope="col"| Nominee(s) !scope="col"| Result !Ref. |
|---|
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 2016
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Variety Sketch Series | Documentary Now! | {{nom}} |
| scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| Critics' Choice Television Awards
| Best Actor in a Comedy Series | {{nom}} | {{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/in-contention/critics-choice-awards-2016-most-exciting-new-series-honorees-westworld-pitch-this-is-us-1201854152/|title=Critics' Choice Awards Reveal Most Exciting New Series Honorees|last=Prudom|first=Laura|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=September 7, 2016|access-date=July 21, 2017}} |
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 2017
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| Writers Guild of America Awards | Comedy/Variety – Sketch Series | Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Erik Kenward, John Mulaney, and Seth Meyers | {{nom}} |
| scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| Primetime Emmy Awards
| Outstanding Variety Sketch Series | Documentary Now! | {{nom}} |
| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| 2019
!scope="row" style="text-align:center" rowspan=4| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Variety Sketch Series | Documentary Now! | {{nom}} |
| Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
| {{nom}} |
| Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
| Eli Bolin, Seth Meyers, and John Mulaney for the song: | {{nom}} |
| Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
| Alex Buono & Rhys Thomas for Waiting for the Artist | {{nom}} |
| rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;"| 2023
! scope="row" style="text-align:center"| Peabody Awards | Entertainment | Broadway Video for IFC | {{nom}} | [https://deadline.com/2023/04/2023-peabody-awards-nominees-list-1235321364/ 2023 Peabody Awards Nominations - Full List Of Nominees - Deadline][https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/documentary-now/ The Peabody Awards][https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/2023-peabody-awards-entertainment-nominees-full-list-1235372818/ 2023 Peabody Awards Entertainment Nominees Full List - The Hollywood Reporter] |
| scope="row" rowspan="4" style="text-align:center"| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards
| Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series | {{won}} |
| Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series
| {{nom}} |
| Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series
| Alex Buono and Rhys Thomas {{small|(for "Soldier of Illusion, Part 1")}} | {{nom}} |
| Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series
| John Mulaney {{small|(for "Soldier of Illusion, Part 1")}} | {{won}} |
| scope="row" style="text-align:center"| Hollywood Critics Association Creative Arts TV Awards
| Best Casting in a Limited Series or TV Movie | Documentary Now! | {{nom}} |
=Home media=
The first two seasons were released by Mill Creek Entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray on August 14, 2018.{{cite web |last1=Mortensen |first1=Adam |title=Documentary Now!: Seasons 1 and 2 Blu-ray Review {{!}} Geeky Hobbies |url=https://www.geekyhobbies.com/documentary-now-seasons-1-and-2-blu-ray-review/ |website=Geeky Hobbies |access-date=October 25, 2018 |date=August 17, 2018}} The episode "Globesman" was included as a bonus feature in the Criterion Collection Blu-ray release of Salesman,{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.com/Salesman-Criterion-Collection-Blu-ray-James/dp/B082VXRNNS/ | title=Salesman | website=Amazon }} while "Original Cast Album: Co-Op" was included as a bonus feature in the Criterion Collection DVD and Blu-ray release for Original Cast Album: Company, with a reunion of the cast and crew of the episode included as an additional feature.{{Cite web|title=Original Cast Album: "Company"|url=https://www.criterion.com/films/30212-original-cast-album-company|access-date=2021-07-22|website=The Criterion Collection|language=en}}
=Soundtracks=
Catalina Breeze, the album made by the fictitious Blue Jean Committee on the Season 1 two-parter Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee, was released by Drag City Records on November 20, 2015.[https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21304-catalina-breeze/ The Blue Jean Committee: Catalina Breeze Album Review|Pitchfork][https://www.dragcity.com/products/catalina-breeze Drag City]
The soundtrack for the Season 3 episode Co-Op was made available as an actual cast album in 2019 alongside sheet music[https://playbill.com/article/sheet-music-now-available-for-documentary-now-s-company-parody-original-cast-album-co-op Sheet Music Now Available for Documentary Now!'s Company Parody, 'Original Cast Album: Co-Op'|Playbill] (profits for the album were donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS).[https://playbill.com/article/documentary-nows-emmy-nominated-co-op-original-cast-album-out-now Documentary Now's Emmy-Nominated Co-op Original Cast Album Out Now|Playbill]
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- {{IMDb title|4677934}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmu6JBK17Bzjwylz9bAoegzRtoMaMU2JY IFC's playlist of excerpts and trailers on official YouTube channel]
{{IFC programming}}
Category:2015 American television series debuts
Category:2022 American television series endings
Category:2010s American satirical television series
Category:American English-language television shows
Category:IFC (American TV channel) original programming
Category:2010s American anthology television series
Category:2010s American mockumentary television series
Category:Works about documentary film
Category:Television series about filmmaking
Category:Television series created by Bill Hader
Category:Television series by Broadway Video
Category:2010s American parody television series