“Documentary Now!” is an anthology series in the vein of PBS’ “Independent Lens.” Clad in red, Helen Mirren hosts by introducing each episode, which runs less than a half hour and contains a mockumentary. These mockumentaries pay homage while poking good-humored fun at renown documentaries such as “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” (2011), “The War Room” (1993), “Salesman” (1969) and “The Thin Blue Line” (1988). Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and Seth Meyers created the series, but only Meyers stays off camera. There are three seasons and seven episodes per season with the fourth season expected to air in 2022 on AMC.
Even if you do not watch documentaries or are unfamiliar with the ones spoofed in “Documentary Now!,” you will find it side-splittingly hilarious. Because I have not used Netflix in a long-time (and if the news is accurate, I’m not the only one), I forgot that Netflix defaults to starting some series with the most recent season then moves backwards. While each season is a riot, the series improves over time, and I would not recommend taking this approach. The third season may be the best in terms of quality and vision because it leans less heavily on creators Hader and Armisen, making appearances, gives other performers the spotlight and offers a broader range of humor from actors such as Michael Keaton, Michael C Hall, Richard Kind, Hamilton’s Renee Elise Goldsberry and Necar Zadegan.
“Documentary Now!” has some memorable regulars who may not be household names, but should be. Van Epperson specializes in playing salt of the earth men with a wry, dead pan style with a dash of mischief that can turn on a dime whether as a Colorado small town citizen, a police detective, or a dumb governor candidate. Deb Hiett is memorable as a miffed mayor or a lawyer’s daughter commenting on an absurd trial. Hiett plays the role of straight woman who calmly points out the insanity surrounding her. Gary Kraus plays the straight man who cracks. While they are all winners, Paula Pell gets first place for nailing an impression of Elaine Stritch while making it her own. The resemblance is vocal, not visual.
The first episode of “Documentary Now!,” “Sandy Passage” is a perfect entry point for viewers. It is a mashup of the found footage films, which are like mockumentaries with a horror twist, and the iconic “Grey Gardens” (1975), with Hader playing the daughter and Armisen playing the mother. Armisen and Hader obviously adore working together, and their joy is infectious. If you enjoyed Armisen in “Portlandia,” then you will know what to expect here. Hader stands out with his unhinged approach to archetypes, familiar figures such as James Carville or greedy men with a poignant, wistful undertone. He is a solid actor, but just when I am ready to forget Armisen, he brings an unexpected quality in the potentially offensive “Kunuk Uncovered,” a clever sendup of “Nanook of the North” (1922), the earnest mind and meat lover behind a California soft rock group, “Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee” (a two-parter) or the in over his head son in “Juan Likes Rice and Chicken.”
Even if the series was not funny, which it is, “Documentary Now!” is astonishing for the level of quality of each episode. It is shot on location in various international locations such as Iceland, Budapest, and Mexico. It requires unimaginable amounts of experience, skill, talent, and resources to recreate the aesthetic of each documentary, which includes nailing the era in terms of color, technology, and wardrobe. The teamwork and logistics are awe-inspiring. My mom knew nothing about the series, and she initially thought that these documentaries were real. The best one that I immediately pegged was “Waiting for the Artist,” which parodies “Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present” (2012), stars Cate Blanchett, who plays the role dead serious. Bertram Klamp surprises in a supporting role as a curator because he is actually an actor. He nails the smooth, measured tones and manner of the art elite. Part of the joy of watching the film is trying to figure out who is playing themselves.
My favorite episode of “Documentary Now!” is “Parker Gail’s Location is Everything,” starring Hader parodying Spalding Gray in “Swimming to Cambodia” (1987), which I have never seen. Gail free associates in his monologue about losing his Manhattan apartment to an electronic store and having to find a new place. True New Yorkers will understand how harrowing this experience is, and anyone who remembers Hader’s performance as Stefon on the Weekend Update desk will be unsurprised that he can mesmerize by himself, but then people whom he references in his oral memoir make surprise appearances to fact check his story. When a bodega cat is included in the performance, I died. Lennon Parham as his girlfriend, Ramona, and June Carryl as a subway attendant steal the show as some of the women tired of his shenanigans. There is a twist at the end that I saw coming but was still delightful.
“Documentary Now!” has a couple of missteps. “DRONEZ: The Hunt for El Chingon” is supposed to ridicule Vice’s approach to journalism, but it almost crosses the line into being offensive. By trying to show that the reporters are careless, oblivious to their ignorance and biased when on the ground investigating in a foreign country, it feels as if it is also perpetuating stereotypes about life in Mexico. Also “Kunuk Uncovered” uses a word for indigenous people that is now considered an ethnic slur.
The weakest episodes of “Documentary Now!” spoof concert documentaries. “Final Transmission” was instantly recognizable as a take on Talking Heads’ “Stop Making Sense” (1984) even though I never saw it. Sometimes satire is so deadpan that it feels like the actors were playing make believe and just stepping into the shoes of their rock heroes. I struggled to stay awake during “Long Gone” despite a memorable cameo by Natasha Lyonne and Julius Baxter and Udo Zauberberg doing their best to elicit laughs as a childhood friend and Eastern European dictator respectively who provide insight on American jazz guitarist. It parodies “Let’s Get Lost” (1988), which I have never seen. Maybe it is brilliant, but comedy is subjective so maybe they will be your cup of tea. The series is so good that when I respond with less enthusiasm, I suspect that the problem is with me, not the episode.
Netflix will be pulling the series on June 3, 2022, but an ambitious soul could watch it in one day. It took me 24 hours, but with a full’s night sleep in between. So get to it! Watch “Documentary Now!” if you want to laugh out loud.