We rank the highest-rated Louis Theroux episodes of all time ahead of his new upcoming Netflix documentary series.
Documentary star and national treasure Louis Theroux is making his anticipated comeback next week with his new Netflix documentary series, Inside The Manosphere – where viewers will see him take on the world of influencers who are redefining modern masculinity.
Ahead of the release, new research conducted by our online casino team has revealed which episodes have proven most popular with the public, compiling the ultimate top 10 of all time.
The popularity of each episode was measured by generating ratings on IMDb, looking at 10-star and 1-star percentages, as well as the overall ratings.
The highest-rated episode of all time has been revealed as his 2022 interview with Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench, as they discussed her 60-year career. The episode had a rating of 8.1 on IMDb – without any one-star reviews, resulting in an overall score of 92.1.
Louis’ interview with Pete Doherty bagged second place, which saw the presenter speak with the co-frontman of The Libertines. The episode received a 7.8 IMDb rating, without any one-star reviews, gaining a total score of 84.
In third place was Louis’ BBC Two special – Extreme Love: Dementia, which was released in 2012. The episode saw a rating of 7.8, with 10.6% of 10-star reviews and a total score of 83.
Top contenders on the list were Miami Mega Jail Part 1 (2011), Louis’s Weird Weekend episode, Wrestling (1999), and his 2023 interview with award-winning actress Joan Collins.
Louis’s 2008 documentary, Behind Bars, placed fifth overall, which saw Theroux visit San Quentin State Prison, one of the most notorious prisons in the US. This receives an IMDb score of 7.7, and 8.20% of 10-star ratings.
Ranking | Episode | Programme | IMDb Rating | 10-Star | 1-Star | Score |
1 | Dame Judi Dench | Louis Theroux Interviews… (2022–2023) | 8.1 | 19.8% | 0.00% | 92 |
2 | Pete Doherty | Louis Theroux Interviews… (2022–2023) | 7.8 | 9.8% | 0.00% | 84 |
3 | Extreme Love: Dementia (2012) | BBC Two Specials & Documentaries (2003–2025) | 7.8 | 10.6% | 0.90% | 83 |
3 | Miami Mega Jail Part 1 (2011) | BBC Two Specials & Documentaries (2003–2025) | 7.8 | 8% | 0.00% | 83 |
3 | Wrestling | Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends | 7.7 | 11.1% | 0.70% | 83 |
4 | Joan Collins | Louis Theroux Interviews… (2022–2023) | 7.4 | 12.2% | 0.00% | 82 |
5 | Louis Theroux: Behind Bars (2008) | BBC Two Specials & Documentaries (2003–2025) | 7.7 | 8.2% | 0.70% | 81 |
6 | Rap | Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends | 7.5 | 11.2% | 1.30% | 80 |
6 | Extreme Love: Autism (2012) | BBC Two Specials & Documentaries (2003–2025) | 7.6 | 8.8% | 0.90% | 80 |
6 | Beyond Belief | BBC Two Specials & Documentaries (2003–2025) | 7.5 | 8.2% | 0.00% | 80 |
6 | Off-Off Broadway | Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends | 7.2 | 11.7% | 0.00% | 80 |
7 | Miami Mega Jail Part 2 (2011) | BBC Two Specials & Documentaries (2003–2025) | 7.6 | 5.3% | 0.00% | 79 |
7 | Demolition Derby | Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends | 7.4 | 7.8% | 0.00% | 79 |
7 | Law and Disorder | BBC Two Specials & Documentaries (2003–2025) | 7.6 | 4.2% | 0.00% | 79 |
7 | Body Building | Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends | 7.4 | 7.1% | 0.00% | 79 |
8 | The Dark Side of Pleasure | BBC Two Specials & Documentaries (2003–2025) | 7.5 | 5.2% | 0.00% | 78 |
9 | Law and Disorder in Philadelphia (2008) | BBC Two Specials & Documentaries (2003–2025) | 7.5 | 6.5% | 1.50% | 77 |
10 | UFOs | Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends | 7.1 | 7.5% | 0.30% | 76 |
Methodology
The variables used for the index were:
IMDb Rating: The IMDb rating for that Episode
10-Star: The percentage of reviews for the show which gave 10 stars
1-Star: The percentage of reviews for the show which gave 1 star.
Research conducted by Betway – March 2026
