Derek Malcolm has been covering the worlds of tech and entertainment for more than two decades.
Before coming to How-To Geek in 2025, Derek was a contributing editor and writer for the A/V and Home Theater section at Digital Trends, where he wrangled and wrote everything from what to watch on Netflix to reviews, explainers, and guides on the latest Bluetooth speakers, turntables, projectors, and other A/V gear.
Based in Toronto, Derek graduated from Humber College’s Journalism program in 1999, after which he started covering the worlds of music, movies, TV, and celebrity for publications such as TV Guide, Hello! magazine, and Inside Entertainment. He then got the bug for covering tech and gadgets in 2006, when he served as editor-in-chief of Canadian tech magazine Connected for more than a decade.
An avid skier, when all the snow’s gone Derek can be found at home spinning vinyl with his daughter or cheering on his favorite F1 team, McLaren.
I want to learn something when I watch a documentary or docuseries, but I don’t want it to feel like I’m cramming for an exam. Entertaining while enlightening are two traits I look for in a doc, and I think this weekend’s Prime Video picks hit that nail right on the head.
For the weekend of January 9 to 11 (they’re just as good during the week, too), I’m paying tribute to my hometown homies with a two-part series on The Kids in the Hall, delving deep into the craziness of a NASCAR/Le Mans crossover project, and a fascinating doc about Cirque du Soleil almost shuttering its biggest show.
3 The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks
As a proud Torontonian, it’s near impossible to walk by Queen West’s legendary Rivoli without thinking of how, once upon a time, one of sketch comedy’s greatest troupes honed its one-of-a-kind, smart, and absurd brand on its small stage. The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks is an excellent two-part docuseries that offers a hilarious and heartfelt crash course into the lives and careers of five Canadian weirdos — Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson — and how their scrappy, “anything-goes” comedy helped rewrite the rule book for modern sketch comedy.
The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks goes down the rabbit hole with the Kids, pulling out some deep-cut archive footage, including from on-stage at the Riv, behind-the-scenes while filming their TV show and feature film, and personal home video footage of the boys themselves. The mini-series explores the successes and struggles of the group, including how they worked through their own infighting and even Thompson’s battle with cancer. Comedy heavyweights (and fellow Canadians) like Mike Myers and SNL creator Lorne Michaels, as well as other greats like Fred Armisen and Jeanine Gorofalo, lend their praise of the Kids in interviews.
If you’re a fan of the Kids in the Hall (and you most certainly should be), director Reg Harkema’s documentary, which had a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, will delight you with loads of classic sketch highlights and beloved characters.
The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks Documentary Comedy Drama Release Date March 15, 2022 Runtime 95 minutes Director Reginald Harkema Cast Bruce McCulloch, Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson, Lorne Michaels, Mae Martin, Eddie Izzard, Jay Baruchel, Fred Armisen, Janeane Garofalo, Mike Myers, Eric McCormack, Guled Abdi, Lauren Ash, Vance Banzo, Paul Bellini, Jim Biederman, Lewis Black, Ivan Fecan, Julie Klausner, Kelly Makin, Michael Musto, Franco Nguyen, Tavie Phillips Powered by Expand Collapse 2 American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans
As a diehard Formula 1 fan, I’ve never been into watching NASCAR cars just (mostly) turn left. I know, I know, there’s more to it than that, but when I came across this bonkers feature sports documentary about the team that transformed a NASCAR into a vehicle that could survive the grueling and legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race, I was in.
American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans tells the true story of “Garage 56” and their breakneck 18-month mission to build and modify a stock Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to compete with the high-performing and finely engineered machines of the legendary European race. Spearheaded by NASCAR CEO Jim France and the top-tier Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR team, the 97-minute doc talks to all the key players and goes behind the scenes to show how they built, tested, and troubleshooted the car to achieve their dream.
Oh, then there’s the drivers. The 24-hour endurance race requires three, and Garage 56 features some of the best to do it — seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2009 Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, and 2010 Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, who all share their experience in the film. It doesn’t matter if you’re a motorsports fan, American Thunder is a brilliant and exciting underdog story of how the team somehow fit this square peg into a round hole to run their car over 285 laps straight.
American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans Documentary Release Date June 12, 2025 Director Brad Lockhart Cast Jim France, Bill France, Alanis King Main Genre Documentary Powered by Expand Collapse 1 Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net
I saw Cirque du Soleil’s incredible flagship show O in Las Vegas many years ago, and I can honestly say that it is without a doubt the most incredible stage show I have ever seen. It’s a surreal aquatic spectacle that takes place above, on, and in an enormous 25-foot-deep, 1.5-million-gallon pool in the Bellagio, and features acrobats, swimmers, high-divers, aerialists, and more, as they fluidly move in and around the set. Yep, it’s a true spectacle, and it almost went away forever.
Subscribe to our newsletter for curated documentary picks Hungry for more curated streaming discoveries? Subscribe to our newsletter for documentary and docuseries recommendations, behind-the-scenes insights, and thoughtful picks that make deciding what to watch easier. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net tells the true comeback story of the legendary show, after it was shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting the careers and livelihoods of hundreds of employees at risk. Sure, the 95-minute doc is a bit of a promo for the show (who can blame them?), but it offers unprecedented access behind the scenes, with candid and emotional interviews with some of its performers, in their homes and on set, as they cope with the uncertainty of the show and their futures.
The rehearsal and stage footage alone are worth the watch — I’d always wondered about the incredible feats of engineering involved in the production, as well as the technical precision required for it to be safe and run smoothly. Without a Net more than delivers, as the crew and team work swiftly towards bringing the show back at the tail end of the pandemic. It truly is a unique look at the blood, sweat, and tears (and lots of water) that go into a world-class production.
Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net PG-13 Documentary Release Date November 13, 2022 Cast See All Franco Dragone Self Runtime 98 minutes Director Dawn Porter Producers Barry Poznick, Mark Burnett Powered by Expand Collapse
If you’re on the lookout for something enlightening this weekend, these documentary picks are all easy to watch, offering laughs, some high-speed thrills, and a true spectacle in the making. Hopefully, one of these Prime Video docs will scratch whatever weekend itch you have.
Amazon Prime Video Subscription with ads Yes, via Prime membership or $9/month Simultaneous streams 3
Prime Video has a large volume of content to watch. The other Amazon perks are a bonus as well.
Live TV No Price Included with Amazon Prime subscription ($15/month or $139/year) or $9/month standalone Visit Amazon Prime Video Expand Collapse
