The age of Netflix has brought with it a gravitational pull towards long-form content.
We’re watching fewer movies, and instead diving into shows that need many seasons to tell their story.
The characters are deeper, the plots more nuanced, and the experience more immersive.
This isn’t limited to fiction either.
A surprising number of long-form documentaries have sprung up, and I’ve been completely drawn into the ones about sport.
I don’t follow basketball, but the story of Michael Jordan in The Last Dance is a stunning depiction of one sport’s G.O.A.T., and his path to greatness.
I don’t follow Formula 1, but the Drive to Survive series gave me an insight into the complexity, competition, and danger of the world’s fastest sport. After watching it, I’m half convinced the drivers are not human.
Finally, I don’t follow any football team, but the story of Sunderland Football Club in Sunderland ’til I Die is an amazing tale of how the history and identity of a city can be so tightly tied to the journey of its sports team.
Yes, these documentaries are about sport, but they’re also vignettes into how top performing athletes respond to the immense pressure of being—and staying—on top of the world.