5 Best Louis Theroux Documentaries
Louis Theroux, the nations favourite documentary maker returns tomorrow with his much anticipated season, Louis Theroux: Dark States- Heroin Town, (watch the trailer here!) where he heads over to the United States and delves in to the depths of the opioid epidemic. Louis’ documentaries are incredible, he delves deep in to issues all over the world, interviewing people of extreme faiths, in ‘odd’ careers or drug addicts. He asks the questions we are all thinking about, but that we are too scared to ask. His questions probe the interviewees and uncover real answers to real issues. In celebration of his new series, we’ve compiled our list of the 5 best documentaries.
1. The Most Hated Family in America 1&2
Louis heads over to Kansas to spend time with the family at the heart of the Westboro Baptist Church. They have extreme views meaning it is an exasperating, infuriating watch. The family picket outside funerals and believe that homosexuality is immoral.
2. The City Addicted to Crystal Meth
In this episode Louis visits California to towns that have been taken over by the drug crystal meth. He builds relationships with users and tries to understand the reason behind their abuse. Furthermore, he speaks with dealers and in a particularly harrowing scene he is invited back to a house full of users taking crystal meth while their children are running around.
3. Louis and the Brothel
Here, he visits a licenced brother in Nevada and discovers how the brothel is run. He speaks to the different women who work there, he speaks to them about their choice of career. It opens up some very different angles as to why some women choose to, or are forced to become a prostitute.
4. Louis Theroux Miami Mega-Jail 1&2
Louis heads to Miami spending time in prison, he gets to know the inmates and the guards. At some points you actually feel sympathy towards mass murders on death row, he really reveals a human side to the prisoners on death row. It’s a must watch!
5. The Ultra Zionists
Louis heads to East Jerusalem, Hebron and Nablus. He interviews nationalist Israelis who have settled in some areas of conflict around Jerusalem. Again, it is quite an antagonising watch at times but Louis probes deep in to the key issues.
In case you haven’t guessed, I’m a die hard Louis Theroux fan and think all his documentaries are worth a watch. It was tough compiling my favourite five, but if you’ve not seen them then definitely get yourself a cuppa and spend a hungover Sunday watching Louis Theroux.
photographs taken from BBC website profile picture