Shōgun isn’t technically a true story, but the series is based on real historical figures and events. If you’re not familiar with 17th-century Japan, this series is a great place to start. Set in 1600, Shogun follows Lord Yoshii Toranaga, a daimyo whose life is upended when an English sailor named John Blackthorne is shipwrecked in Japan. The result? An epic power struggle that you watch play out on FX and Hulu. When you’re finished, check out the James Clavell-written novel that inspired the show.

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Truman Capote will always be remembered as the king of gossip. Feud: Capote vs. the Swans explores a tumultuous point in his life, when he published a little story called “La Cote Basque 1965” in Esquire. The text—though fictional—included his friend’s darkest secrets and destroyed his social standing in New York’s high society. Capote vs. The Swans unpacks one of the biggest feuds of the decade.

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People often paint Martin Luther King and Malcolm X as enemies, but that’s not the full picture. The two civil rights leaders had different methods for liberation, but their mission was the same. Genius: MLK / X explores their formative years as young activists and the experiences they shared, which prompted their involvement in the civil rights movement. Even if you feel well-versed in American history, you’ll surely learn something new.

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Everyone knows what happened to Abraham Lincoln, but have you ever wondered what happened to John Wilkes Booth? Manhunt depicts the search for Booth after he killed the 16th US President. Described as “a conspiracy thriller,” Manhunt connects Lincoln’s death to a lesser-known political struggle to preserve Lincoln’s plans for reconstruction after the Civil War. Manhunt is based on The New York Times Best Seller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer.

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Baby Reindeer is difficult to watch, but it still deserves your attention. Richard Gadd stars as a fictionalized version of himself: a lonely bartender who’s stalked by one of his patrons. Due to the show’s stark depiction of intimidation and assault, Baby Reindeer became one of Netflix’s most-discussed shows this year. It’s the type of show that sticks with you long after the finale, especially when you remember that it’s all based on a true story.

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Masters of the Air follows a group of young Air Force members during WWII. Their mission is to help defeat Nazi Germany and liberate Europe. As the war wages on, the men band together to protect themselves in the sky, as well as the civilians down below. Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Barry Keoghan, and Anthony Boyle star in this series, which was produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. Once you’re done watching the show, check out Donald L. Miller’s book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys to learn more.

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Under the Bridge chronicles the death of Reena Virk—a 14-year-old girl who was attacked by her friends in 1997. The series is based on Rebecca Godfrey’s book of the same name. Riley Keough stars as Rebecca Godfrey, a writer who takes an interest in Reena’s story and works with a local cop (Lily Gladstone) to understand what happened. We were huge fans of this series, but we’d recommend tuning in with a box of tissues. You’re going to need them.

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