Television series
Becoming
Other titles called Becoming: the 2020 film.
- Biopic
- Dip in and out
A Disney+ docuseries where entertainers and athletes tell their own origin stories. Each 25-minute episode is intimate and reflective, drawing on personal testimony and contributions from loved ones. It's for anyone who enjoys seeing behind the celebrity curtain—not scandal, just the unglamorous path to the spotlight.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like hearing performers and athletes talk plainly about how they got started, the early setbacks and small breaks, rather than polished red-carpet patter.
Skip it if you want hard questions or unflattering detail; these profiles stay affectionate and inspirational, with loved ones and subjects mostly recounting triumphs, so the tension stays mild.
What it asks of you: Ten episodes of about twenty-five minutes each, a brisk, easy commitment, asking little more than your attention while the stories unspool.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
The Toys That Made Us2017
Each episode celebrates a beloved toy line through interviews with creators, designers, and cultural figures. It's nostalgia done right: smart, affectionate, and genuinely revealing about how these objects shaped childhoods and culture.
But If you're not interested in the specific toy, the formula can feel repetitive. Some episodes lean heavily on celebrity talking heads rather than the people who actually made the thing.
High Score2020
A love letter to video game history told through archival footage, interviews with legendary designers, and genuine passion. It's accessible whether you're a gamer or just curious about how this industry conquered the world.
But Covers a lot of ground fast, so it sometimes skims rather than dives. The nostalgia factor means little time spent on games that didn't make it.
Ugly Delicious2018
David Chang travels the world exploring food, culture, and identity through restaurants and home cooks. It's part travelogue, part love letter to how food carries meaning. Genuinely surprising and beautifully made.
But The pacing is leisurely and philosophical rather than instructional. If you want recipes or cooking techniques, look elsewhere.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Becoming
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Pumping Iron1977
Like Becoming, it's an origin story told through the subject's own testimony. But it uses competitive sport and the camera as mirrors for narcissism, ambition, and reinvention—exploring the darker side of self-creation.
A documentary about competitive bodybuilding featuring young Arnold Schwarzenegger. It's less about muscles and more about ambition, ego, and the psychology of self-creation. Genuinely funny and formally inventive.
But Extremely dated in its attitudes toward women and bodies. At 86 minutes it meanders, and the bodybuilding obsession won't resonate if you don't find the subculture interesting.
More like this (6)
Shark Tank2009
Real entrepreneurs pitch their dreams to investors, and you see their nervousness, hope, and sometimes heartbreak in real time. There's genuine human stakes behind every pitch, and the negotiations are genuinely tense.
But The format is repetitive, and you'll see many ideas fail. Some investors grandstand or belittle contestants, which can be uncomfortable to watch.
The Last Dance2020
Michael Jordan's final season with the Chicago Bulls, told through archival footage and modern interviews. It's a masterclass in documentary construction and a portrait of obsession, rivalry, and excellence colliding.
But Assumes baseline basketball knowledge. The Jordan mythology is never really questioned—this is reverence, not critical examination. Very long.
Chef's Table2015
Gorgeous cinematography paired with intimate portraits of world-class chefs. Each episode is a meditation on artistry, discipline, and what it means to dedicate your life to your craft.
But Can feel precious and slow-moving. Not about food so much as philosophy, which won't satisfy everyone.
An American Pickle2020
A genuinely odd little comedy about a man who wakes up 100 years in the future. Seth Rogen plays dual roles, and there's real heart buried under the premise. Finds unexpected poignancy in generational disconnection.
But The humor is uneven and relies heavily on fish-out-of-water clichés. The ending tries for sincerity after spending 80 minutes being goofy.
Won't You Be My Neighbor?2018
Both center on an entertainer's origin and what it took to become who they are. But this one asks: what if the person really was that good? It's Becoming's answer to the question of authenticity.
A documentary about Fred Rogers that finds profound humanity in someone who was genuinely kind. It's moving without being saccharine, and it asks real questions about goodness and resistance.
But If you're not already fond of Mr. Rogers, this won't change your mind. It refuses to find scandal, which some viewers will find boring.
Searching for Sugar Man2012
A biographical origin story, but told in reverse—we're discovering the subject's past as they discover they mattered. It's Becoming told as a mystery, with a real emotional stakes that the TV series reaches for but doesn't quite achieve.
A mystery documentary about a forgotten American folk singer who became a hero in South Africa without knowing it. Genuinely gripping, surprisingly funny, and absolutely earned emotional payoff.
But The pacing is deliberately slow and the mystery is the point, so if you want immediate answers, it'll frustrate you. Some may find the folk music scenes self-indulgent.
People
Production
- LeBron JamesExecutive Producer
- Maverick CarterExecutive Producer
Recommended by
Basketball Wives, Simon Cowell: The Next Act, Stacey Dooley's Australia: Off the Beaten Track