If your Netflix queue could use a dose of real-life drama, this month delivers two very different but equally binge-worthy documentary releases that might just keep you glued to your couch. One follows high-stakes dreams on the NFL sidelines, while the other is about a literal nightmare at sea.
Even though Netflix’s biggest releases are generally its original dramas like Squid Game and Wednesday, its series and movies based on real-life events are quite frequently just as compelling — and they often hit just as hard. That’s definitely the case with these two new June releases we’re going to spotlight in this post, one of which debuted today.
Two buzzy new Netflix documentary releases
If Netflix documentaries are your thing, by the way, don’t miss this deep dive I put together recapping some of the standout releases I watched last year. And, as always, you can stay on top of the regular lineup of new titles arriving on the streaming giant by following our monthly new release rundown. For now, though, we’re going to take a closer look at the Netflix docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Season 2) and the documentary film Trainwreck: Poop Cruise.
America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders – Season 2 (Now streaming)
High kicks, million-dollar smiles, and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” blasting through AT&T Stadium can only mean one thing: It’s time for cheerleader auditions again in Dallas.
From Emmy-winning director Greg Whiteley comes the second season of this behind-the-scenes look at the most iconic cheerleading team in professional football. The new season picks up with open tryouts, as hopefuls from around the country compete for a spot on the Dallas Cowboys cheer squad. Mind you, making the squad is so competitive that even returning stars like Reece and Kelly V aren’t guaranteed anything; the veterans have to prove themselves every year in order to earn their spot, just like the newcomers.
“I have the ability to make a dream come true — or not,” longtime DCC director Kelli Finglass reminds them all in the season opener.
While the glittering game day routines are still a draw, the real power of America’s Sweethearts lies in how the show digs into the personal lives of the cheerleaders — juggling second jobs, battling body image pressure, navigating social media, and, in some cases, confronting serious trauma. Season 2 also revisits the hot-button issue of pay, offering a candid look at the ongoing tension between performance, perception, and compensation.
Trainwreck: Poop Cruise (Streaming June 24)
As for this next Netflix documentary release, Trainwreck: Poop Cruise revisits the now-infamous 2013 Carnival cruise that spiraled into disaster after an engine room fire left the ship stranded without power. For four harrowing days, more than 4,000 passengers were trapped onboard with no air conditioning, dwindling food, and non-functioning toilets. Raw sewage leaked throughout the ship, tempers flared — and the media, particularly cable news, had a field day.
“Just on our deck alone, there were the biohazard bags lined up across the floor,” passenger Bettina Rodriguez told CNN at the time. “We’re talking about raw sewage at just the end of our deck alone. It was repulsive.”
This documentary uses first-person accounts and archival footage to piece together what really happened, how Carnival scrambled to contain the fallout, and how the incident became a pop-culture punchline almost overnight. It’s part horror story, part corporate case study, and 100% unforgettable.
