President’s Day is Monday, and it’s the perfect opportunity to kick back and watch some Netflix. While you could easily press play on your favorite flick, why not get into the spirit of the holiday?
Netflix has tons of documentaries and shows that will either give you a quick history lesson or a dose of political intrigue.
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Scroll through to see our presidential selections for your President’s Day Netflix binge.
‘The Roosevelts: An Intimate History’
Ken Burns, one of the prominent documentarians working today, tackled three members of the Roosevelt family for this 2014 PBS documentary series.
Over six episodes, Burns traces the accomplishments and struggles of 26th U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, US 32nd President Franklin Roosevelt and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History is a comprehensive and compelling reminder of why those three are seen as some of the biggest political figures in U.S. history.
‘The Wheelchair President’
While The Roosevelts: An Intimate History can be a bit daunting to tackle, this Franklin Roosevelt documentary is much easier to tackle.
The Wheelchair President looks behind the curtain of Franklin’s presidency in two episodes. Discussed topics include the cover-up of his failing health, his ongoing marital issues and how he managed foreign relations during World War II.
‘JFK: The Making of a President’
While there are several documentaries and films about John F. Kennedy’s assassination, JFK: The Making of a President takes a closer look at the 35th U.S. President’s early life.
Topics that are zeroed in on include his various health issues, the Kennedy family’s various tragedies and JFK’s relationship with father Joe Kennedy.
The 45-minute historical doc is straightforward and quick-to-watch, which makes it easy to slip into your President’s Day viewing schedule.
’41 on 41′
41 on 41 is all about one of modern history’s most glossed-over U.S. Presidents, George H.W. Bush.
This documentary brings together 41 different historians and storytellers to paint a portrait of the 41st POTUS’ time in office. It covers everything from policy decisions to Bush’s humor and character.
‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman’
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman is Netflix’s latest venture into the talk show genre, and its first episode starts out with a guest that is just about as high-profile as they come: Barack Obama.
In what was Obama’s first interview since leaving office, Letterman and the 44th President of the United States discuss the civil rights movement and Obama’s life after leaving the White House.
This hour-long episode lets you catch-up with the former POTUS on your President’s Day, and if you dig the format, there’s an second episode with George Clooney that was recently released.
‘The West Wing’
This NBC political drama won 26 for a reason.
The West Wing was a look inside the White House spearheaded by acclaimed producer Aaron Sorkin.
This fictionalized take on the executive was praised by critics and political insiders alike for its portrayl of the subject matter. The cast is led by Martin Sheen as Josiah “Jed” Bartlet, with John Spencer, Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, Rob Lowe and Allison Janney in supporting roles.
‘Scandal’
Scandal has been a network TV staple since it premiered on ABC in 2012, and now Netflix viewers can see what all the fuss is about.
The political drama is all about a Washington D.C.-based fixer (Kerry Washington) who cleans up any mess that needs to be dealt with. However, she has a scandal of her own to deal with: an ongoing affair with the show’s POTUS, played by Tony Goldwyn.
‘Madam Secretary’
If The West Wing does not sound like the CBS political drama for you, maybe Madam Secretary will take care of that for you. Téa Leoni leads the show as a CIA analyst turned Secretary of State. If you want all the White House drama from a different perspective than the President’s, it will surely appeal to you.
‘Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie’
Those looking for a serious biopic of current president Donald Trump will be out of luck with Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie, being as it is a satirical film.
Johnny Depp stars in this bizarre portrayal of Trump’s personal and professional life, which was created by Funny or Die and made to look likely a vintage VHS recording.
Part of the fun in this 50-minute flick is spotting all the famous comedic faces. Patton Oswalt, Henry Winkler, Jack McBrayer and Christopher Lloyd are some of the funny men who appear. Ron Howard, Alfred Molina, Jacob Tremblay and ALF (Paul Fusco) also pop up along the way.
