The holidays are the perfect time to stay home, put on your favorite sweatpants, and binge some TV guilt-free. With a few days off and not-so-great weather, you finally have an excuse to watch all those shows and movies you’ve been wanting to this year.
If you’re a sports fan that wants to take a break from College Bowl Games or NBA on Christmas, we suggest taking ESPN+ for spin.
The service launched earlier this year with live daily MLB, NHL, MLS, College Basketball & Football, and UFC coming in 2019 — but it also has wide selection of on demand shows and original programming.
The service offers a 7-Day Free Trial, so if you get a new streaming device under your tree, we’ve rounded up some top documentaries and series on ESPN+ to watch on your new Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, or Fire TV device.
Top On Demand Shows, Series, and Documentaries to Stream on ESPN+ in 2018
10. Becoming Henrik Lundqvist (Original Series)
Each episode of Becoming profiles a famous athlete, telling the high and low points of how they got to where they are. The show is aimed at a young audience, and they’ve covered stars like Lebron James and Alex Morgan.
Watch this episode about Lundqvist to learn about how the Swedish hockey player became an NHL goaltender and Olympic gold medalist.
9. The Last Days of Knight (30 for 30 Documentary)
Spend a lazy afternoon wrapped up in this behind-the-scenes story of why players were leaving the Indiana University men’s basketball under Coach Bob Knight, and the fallout after it was revealed.
8. The Price of Gold (30 for 30 Documentary)
Over 20 years after Nancy Kerrigan was attacked at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, we’re still wondering, “how much did Tonya Harding know?”. Since then, Harding has become an iconic villain in popular culture. If you saw last years I, Tonya, then you won’t want to miss this look at the real story and how the incident affected Harding’s life and the figure skating world.
7. The Two Escobars (30 for 30 Documentary)
Yes, another 30 for 30 documentary, but they’re worth checking out. Watch this documentary if you want to be sucked into the world of Colombian soccer as Andres Escobar excels as the team captain, and Pablo Escobar becomes a drug lord. Colombia went from a mediocre team to a serious contender for the World Cup, when Andres Escobar was murdered. Here, find out about the wild connections between drugs and sports.
6. NBA: Year One (Original Series)
Catch up on season 2 of this ESPN original series that follows top NBA rookies from the draft through the end of their first season. Watch former college basketball stars make the transition to the NBA.
5. Best of Boxing (On-Demand Library)
After opening presents and catching up with family, decompress with access to some of the greatest boxing matches of all time, including Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. You’ll even get access to fights that were previously only available through pay-per-view.
4. Detail: Peyton Manning (Original Series)
Don’t miss Peyton Manning’s in-depth analysis of NFL games. He provides expert analysis and discusses players, including his brother. A new episode came out last night (12/18) and one more will premiere 12/21, essential viewing for football fans.
3. More Than an Athlete (Original Series)
This eight-part series on Lebron James and three of his friends from Akron, Ohio is compelling and sure to pull you in. Episode 5 came out yesterday, so you’ll have time to catch up before the end of the series.
2. Duke Earn Everything (Original Series)
Duke fan or not, if you like college basketball you won’t want to miss this series. Through eight episodes, it will take you through the Blue Devils’ preparation for the season. The show uses the team motto, “earn everything,” as a jumping off point to show how Duke prepares for their season opener against Kentucky. Look out for exclusive access to Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s home and one-on-one conversations with players.
1. O.J. Made in America (Academy Award Winning Documentary)
This documentary has everything - celebrity culture, criminal justice, race in America, and a Kardashian connection. O.J. Simpson, his iconic low speed car chase, and the “trial of the century” are all essential parts of American pop culture 20 years later. This documentary uses interviews to give a new perspective.