Netflix’s Trainwreck: All documentaries released so far ranked

Netflix's The Trainwreck is an anthology series chronicling some of the most notorious disasters, scandals, and viral implosions from modern history. It premiered in August 2022 with the three-part acclaimed documentary Trainwreck: Woodstock '99, startlingly combining tragedy with dark comedy to analyze moments where ambition and optimism fell into disarray.

The series returned in June 2025 with a set of new episodes that air weekly. This helps expand the scope of the docu-series to cover different viral events from disastrous music festivals to sensational internet flops, unsuccessful reality TV shows, and corporate scandals.

As of July 29, 2025, nine episodes have been released under the Trainwreck series. It includes episodes on the Astroworld festival disaster, Toronto mayor Rob Ford, Poop Cruise, The Cult of American Apparel, The Real Project X, Balloon Boy, P.I. Moms, Storm Area 51, and the inescapable Woodstock ’99.

Each episode provides first-hand accounts and investigates how ordinary scenarios turned into extraordinary disasters. The secret behind the franchise lies in its format, which features interviews with the affected people, archival footage, and caustic narration.

Netflix's Trainwreck series has kept viewers engaged, with several episodes receiving high ratings on IMDb and Reddit. It has consistently been featured in the streaming platform's Top 10 charts for documentaries; however, some episodes have performed better than others due to their themes, exploration, and narration.

Disclaimer: This ranking is completely subjective and based on the opinion of the writer.

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Ranking Netflix's Trainwreck documentary from worst to best

9) Trainwreck: P.I. Moms

Still from P.I. Moms (Image via Netflix)

Few people know that there was once a planned Lifetime series called P.I. Moms. The premise was to follow a group of mothers who had been recruited because of their innate motherly instincts and investigative nature. However, the real drama was happening behind the scenes, including disgruntled staff, drug deals, and leaked emails, all before a single episode ever aired.

Trainwreck: P.I. Moms looks back on the confusing formation and fall of the show, and takes what could have been an easily identifiable reality TV, and turns it into an engaging true crime story.

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8) Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem

Still from Mayor of Mayhem (Image via Netflix)

During his troubled term as mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford created waves in the public arena. From his bruiser-style populism, making wild promises, and dampening media skepticism, he had a controversial career.

When there were reports about an alleged video showing Ford using drugs, many locals were dismissive about it-they termed it a smear or outright fabrication. And even after various admissions of missteps, his unfailingly loyal base stood their ground.

They claimed he was misunderstood and the kind of disruptive force the city needed, till public opinion began to sway. The Trainwreck documentary is a concise look into the rise, reign, and scandals.

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7) Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel

Still from The Cult of American Apparel (Image via Netflix)

Not long ago, American Apparel was the center of youth culture, a brand that glorified individuality, an edgier style, and proudly declared an American-made ethos. However, their ads were often controversial, sexually explicit, and featured models who were often partially nude.

Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel analyses the rise and subsequent decline of Dov Charney's empire. The documentary tells the stories of former employees about how the transition took place from a lively workplace to one filled with fear because of Charney's alleged tyrannical leadership.

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6) Trainwreck: Balloon Boy

Still from Balloon Boy (Image via Netflix)

Most recall the strange "balloon boy hoax" of 2009, in which the six-year-old son of Richard and Mayumi Heene was said to be trapped inside an air-borne homemade flying saucer. What seemed like science fiction at first turned into a news sensation when a television helicopter followed the enigmatic balloon for 90 minutes.

The family and the public were expecting a safe landing, only to discover that Falcon was never on board. He had been resting in the attic the entire time, reportedly sleeping for hours. Trainwreck: Balloon Boy takes us back through the helter-skelter events and a contentious live interview in which Falcon's statements raised eyebrows about a potential coaching to stage the ordeal.

Even though heated debates continue, both the parents and Falcon, now 22, insist that they truly believed the boy had snuck into the balloon. It's an unusual yet engrossing case that leaves one wondering what actually occurred, and the truth is as shrouded as ever.

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5) Trainwreck: Storm Area 51

Still from Storm Area 51 (Image via Netflix)

What began as a satirical tweet soon turned into a viral tempest that encompassed government secrets, the military, and concert promoters. Matty Roberts, a worker at a vape shop, jokingly posted about a fictional event to "storm" Area 51, the secretive U.S. Nevada Air Force base, with the motto "They can't stop all of us."

In a few hours, the post went viral, and it ignited memes, videos, and discussion regarding an ill-fated plan to go up against armed soldiers who were ordered to defend the base at all costs.

Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 follows Matty’s efforts to turn the chaos into a massive desert party, but things quickly spiral beyond control. The documentary captures the mix of humor and tragedy as the fallout unfolds, revealing a near miss with what could have become one of the most dangerous mass gatherings in American history.

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4) Trainwreck: The Real Project X

Still from The Real Project X (Image via Netflix)

In 2012, a Dutch teen, Merthe Marije Wesuthuis, intended to send a plain birthday invitation to her friends, but accidentally posted it as "public" rather than private on Facebook. What ensued was an unstoppable viral stampede, as thousands RSVP'd to a party in an affluent area.

Even when the initial posting was removed, a duplicate invite continued the momentum, frightening Merthe and her family. Trainwreck: The Real Project X dissects the mayhem that followed riots, arrests, and an evening that quickly went wild.

In interviews with Merthe, her friends, and the police, as well as in footage taken by amateur YouTubers, the documentary reveals the dark side of viral moments. It's a sobering warning about the speed at which social media storms can build, turning an innocent-looking invitation into a full-fledged trainwreck.

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3) Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy

Still from The Astroworld Tragedy (Image via Netflix)

In 2018, Travis Scott turned an abandoned Six Flags site into the music venue for the annual Astroworld Festival, but the 2021 edition was nothing short of a catastrophe. Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy sheds light on the sorrowful aspects that led to a deadly stampede, with overcrowding and mass hysteria claiming the lives of ten people.

In contrast to earlier versions in the series, this episode actually resembles an old-time documentary, tracing the festival's origin and then transitioning into raw, emotional interviews from survivors and families and friends of the deceased. The documentary confronts the viewers with some very uncomfortable questions: Who's to blame? How could this disaster have been prevented?

The tragedy has since forged an awareness of fan safety among artists, with many now pausing performances to check on anybody in distress.

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2) Trainwreck: Poop Cruise

Still from The Poop Cruise (Image via Netflix)

This episode focuses on a 2013 cruise that went horribly wrong. This cruise turned into a nightmare for the people on board as it went from an extravagant holiday to being stuck on a floating toilet. Passengers were trapped for days without food or air conditioning and surrounded by sewage.

Former crew members discuss the historic “poop lasagna” in the toilets. Passengers talk about their efforts to stoically “hold it in” throughout the ordeal, and there are even accounts of desperate fights for deck chairs and shelter that could rival Lord of the Flies.

Within the chaos of the situation, there are also personal stories, that of a father’s tragic account of what was supposed to be the perfect trip with his daughter. The intense details of the episode allowed the horror to be felt almost as a corporeal weight, leaving viewers amazed by it all.

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1) Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99

Still from Woodstock '99 (Image via Netflix)

Woodstock was an iconic three-day music festival in the 1960s and 70s, in the spirit of peace and harmony. But Woodstock '99, in the effort to recapture that spirit, landed in an entirely different realm.

Meant to be altruistic, Woodstock '99 turned out to be profit-driven, with an aggressive heavy metal lineup, and an audience showing vulgar and rowdy behavior, quickly disintegrated into chaos. Trainwreck: Woodstock '99 is a three-part documentary that premiered in 2022, exploring the three-day mayhem that happened.

The docu-series features interviews with organizers, including the original Woodstock founder, staff, journalists, performers, and guests. It allowed viewers to understand how things went out of control in what could have been an ordinary three-day musical sojourn.

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All the documentaries are available to stream on Netflix.