Oklahoma City Bombing: One Day in America

A surprisingly measured documentary for Netflix - and all the better for it. An international tragedy, compellingly & heartbreakingly told.

It could (and maybe should) be longer and more forensic, but in of itself this simply is an excellent documentary film - and I hope Netflix bring out more stuff in this vein. There are (sadly) hundreds and hundreds of other fascinating stories of this ilk which deserve to be told, and the big red N have proven they can produce factual content which is simultaneously informative, articulate & accessible. (Their OJ series is definitely worth a look if you haven't already.)

Bravo, Netflix - more of the same please.

The events of the bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, are certainly well-documented and well known by 2025. This NatGeo documentary more than adequately recalls and shows what was happening this day in that city.

There is excellent archival footage, mostly from KWTV News9 in OKC, giving the viewer a feel for the reality of all that was taking place all at once. We see the staff and reporters in the studio and on the street scrambling to put everything together in the midst of the chaos and as the day progesses.

But what this show does so well is the personal individual interviews with so many of the people who were actually there and experienced the tragic day. From mothers who lost children, to firefighters who were trying to save survivors, to actual survivors themselves, to local and national law enforcement, to TV reporters, we see, hear, and feel so much of the emotion and angst of that day and the days following.

I'm a fan of the documentary genre, and this is absolutely one of the best I've seen in a very long time. It's worth your time, I think.

First and foremost this was a good reminder of how a real president behaves. Reminds me of the days when presidents (Republican or Democrat) conducted themselves with professionalism, maturity and decorum. I miss those days. I wasn't a fan of Bill Clinton at the time. But perspective changes... This story is about an attack on the American way of life and all that America historically stood for. I suppose it's a story we really need to hear right now because we so quickly forget.

Second this documentary tells an important story about tragedy and kindness and heroism and extremism. It is well done and certainly worth seeing. I have appreciated these documentaries put out by National Geographic. Well done.