Whenever we round the corner to the start of a new month and Netflix announces its fresh line-up of TV shows, films and reality series, there’s always a genuine sense of anticipation to see what scandalous documentaries lie in the mix. Their documentary game, after all, is second to none, and anyone who’s watched agog at Our Father or Bad Vegan can attest to that.

September, you’ll be pleased to know, has plenty to scratch the documentary itch, from three-part series Sins Of Our Mother, which explores how a seemingly normal woman become the most notorious mother in America, to Skandal! Bringing Down Wirecard exploring Financial Times journalist Dan McCrum’s battle to expose a multi-billion euro fraud from the German Fintech payment company Wirecard.

Before we get to those two documentaries, however, we have The Anthrax Attacks. A gripping new film from the two-time Oscar-nominated director Dan Krauss (Extremis, The Death Of Kevin Carter), it tells the story of the 2001 anthrax attacks on the United States, which became one of the largest and most complex FBI investigations in the history of American law enforcement.

Now a notorious chapter in US history, the shocking biological attacks began in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks when five Americans were killed and at least 17 fell ill after receiving letters containing fatal anthrax spores.

Unfolding across America and beyond, the documentary follows the “incredible scientific tale of deadly poison, obsession, and paranoia, all told against the backdrop of the American war on terror”.

Using a combination of interviews and dramatic reenactments based on thousands of pages of FBI documents, the documentary sees Clark Gregg (Avengers, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D) perform chilling to-camera monologues as Dr Bruce Ivins, an Army biologist and suspected perpetrator of the attacks who committed suicide in 2008 before being charged with the mailings.

The documentary also shares shocking stories from investigators, survivors and the families of those who were infected.

“Delving into the biggest investigation in FBI history is no simple task, but with an incredibly talented team of filmmakers led by Dan Krauss and Sweta Vohra we’ve been able to create a powerful and provocative film that blends drama and documentary to reopen our understanding of one of the most shocking terrorist acts in US history,” said executive producer for BBC Studios, Andrew Cohen.

Dan Krauss, meanwhile, described the documentary subject as a “sprawling and massively complex one that required an adventurous approach in our filmmaking”.

“The team at BBC Studios was fearless in meeting the challenge head-on, attacking every obstacle with impressive skill and care,” he added. “I couldn’t have asked for more capable partners on this journey.”

The Anthrax Attacks is available to stream on Netflix on 8 September.

Images: Netflix