New Netflix series about real warfare instantly hits the charts

Netflix has an unexpected success on its hands. The Witcher remains firmly in first place, as the documentary series Marines has quietly slipped into third without much fanfare.

The series follows a U.S. Marine unit up close, and early trends suggest that viewers have embraced the raw, unfiltered documentary format surprisingly quickly.

Structured as a four-episode portrait of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa, Japan, the series moves between training and real-world missions. Each episode runs between 40 and 50 minutes and captures the pressure soldiers face during modern military operations.

As the pace gradually increases, the missions grow more personal, and the series shows how both soldiers and officers prepare for a daily life where nothing can be predicted.

Portrait of people within the system

The series opens with Marines jumping out of an aircraft, yet it’s not the spectacular images alone that drive the narrative. The camera follows both young enlisted Marines and more seasoned officers as they work to prepare for the crucial CERTEX exercises in their own ways.

Passing these exercises is essential; failure would have serious consequences for the entire unit.

Along the way, we meet a sniper instructor who joined the Marines at 28 and a lieutenant who, as the first woman in her position, speaks openly about earning trust while her responsibilities grow day by day.

A helicopter pilot reflects on the emotional cost of deployment, saying, “You know that the people you work with might not come home.”

According to Moviepilot, it’s the blend of everyday routines and high-stakes missions that provides viewers with a rare insight into the realities of deployment. The series avoids sweeping political commentary and instead focuses on the individuals in the field, allowing space for reflection on the risks inherent in realistic training scenarios where live ammunition increases the chance of accidents.

A documentary that leaves an impression

In many ways, Marines resembles classic military documentaries, yet it finds its own rhythm in the quiet moments between drills, downtime and uncertainty.

Netflix released the series on November 10.. Whether its early success will lead to a second season remains unclear, but the response suggests that audiences have a strong appetite for more grounded, reality-based portrayals of military operations.