Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the documentary series Katrina: Come Hell and High Water, which just premiered on Netflix and is already being hailed as one of the most powerful Hurricane Katrina retrospectives ever made.
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water premiered on August 27, 2025, with 3 episodes of approximately 60 minutes each. Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha Knowles, and Spike Lee, with executive production by Spike Lee, this Netflix original documentary series marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by giving voice to the survivors who lived through America’s most devastating natural disaster.
The series doesn’t just recount the facts we already know about the hurricane that caused 1,392 fatalities and more than $100 billion in damages in 2005. Instead, Katrina: Come Hell and High Water focuses on the human stories – the voices of New Orleans residents who survived the storm and continue to deal with its aftermath two decades later. This isn’t disaster tourism; it’s a profound examination of resilience, systemic failure, and the ongoing fight for justice in post-Katrina America.
Twenty Years Later: Survivors Tell Their Stories in Their Own Words
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water explores Hurricane Katrina from the perspective of those who survived the storm, examining how their lives changed as a result and the lasting impact twenty years later. The documentary features several New Orleans residents sharing their experiences, from the terror of rising floodwaters to the bureaucratic nightmares that followed evacuation.
Each episode builds a comprehensive picture of not just the natural disaster itself, but the man-made failures that turned a hurricane into a humanitarian catastrophe. The series reveals how poor emergency planning, inadequate infrastructure, and systemic racism transformed what should have been a manageable crisis into one of America’s greatest domestic tragedies.
The Voices That Matter: From Everyday Heroes to Community Leaders
The documentary features compelling interviews with New Orleans residents, including recognizable figures like actor Wendell Pierce, who grew up in Ponchartrain Park, and former Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu. But the real power comes from the everyday survivors – people like Gralen Banks, Leanne Williams, and Katy Reckdahl – who share intimate details about losing everything and fighting to rebuild their lives.
These personal testimonies create an emotional core that statistics and news footage cannot capture. The series shows how each survivor’s story represents thousands of similar experiences, creating a collective narrative of trauma, resilience, and ongoing struggle for justice and recognition.
Spike Lee’s Vision: From “When the Levees Broke” to Present Day
Spike Lee’s involvement as executive producer brings the same unflinching perspective he demonstrated in his acclaimed “When the Levees Broke” documentary. Lee and his team sat down with those who had boots on the ground during the flooding and aftermath, including retired first responders and community organizers who witnessed the government’s failures firsthand.
The series builds upon Lee’s previous work by examining not just what happened during Katrina, but how the disaster’s effects continue to shape New Orleans and its residents twenty years later. This long-term perspective reveals how natural disasters create generational trauma that extends far beyond the initial emergency response.
The Systemic Inequities That Turned Disaster Into Catastrophe
The most devastating aspect of Katrina: Come Hell and High Water lies in its unflinching examination of how systemic inequities transformed a natural disaster into a humanitarian crisis. The series doesn’t shy away from discussing how poverty, racism, and government negligence created conditions where some communities were abandoned while others received swift assistance.
Through survivor testimonies and expert analysis, the documentary reveals how Hurricane Katrina exposed deep-rooted problems in American society that existed long before the storm and continue to affect disaster response today. These revelations make the series as much about social justice as it is about natural disasters.
Success on Netflix
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water currently holds a 7.3 rating on IMDb, with critics and viewers praising its powerful storytelling and respectful treatment of survivor experiences. The three-part documentary series, with each episode running approximately 60 minutes, provides the perfect format for in-depth exploration without overwhelming viewers. Executive produced by Spike Lee and directed by Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha Knowles, and Spike Lee himself, the series has been described as a gripping historical record that honors the experiences of those who lived through America’s most devastating natural disaster. The documentary’s timing – exactly 20 years after Hurricane Katrina – has resonated with audiences seeking to understand both the historical impact and ongoing consequences of this catastrophic event.
Essential Viewing for Understanding America’s Hurricane Legacy
If you’re interested in documentaries that combine personal stories with broader social analysis, Katrina: Come Hell and High Water is essential viewing on Netflix. This isn’t just another disaster documentary; it’s a powerful exploration of how natural disasters reveal the fault lines in American society.
Why This Hurricane Retrospective Demands Your Time
Positive Aspects:
- Powerful survivor testimonies that provide authentic voices rather than relying solely on expert commentary
- Spike Lee’s masterful direction brings both artistic vision and social consciousness to difficult subject matter
- Perfect three-episode format allows for comprehensive coverage without feeling exploitative or rushed
- Connects historical events to contemporary issues, making 20-year-old events feel urgently relevant
- Respectful treatment of trauma while refusing to shy away from systemic failures and ongoing injustices
Areas for Improvement:
- Heavy emotional content may be overwhelming for viewers sensitive to disaster-related trauma
- Focus on New Orleans experiences may not fully represent the broader Gulf Coast impact
- Limited exploration of federal policy changes implemented since Katrina to prevent similar failures
- Some interviews with officials feel less compelling compared to survivor testimonies
- Documentary format may not appeal to viewers seeking dramatic recreation of events
Katrina: Come Hell and High Water proves that the most important stories are often about what happens after the cameras stop rolling, making it essential viewing for anyone seeking to understand how disasters reveal and perpetuate social inequalities.
Series Details
- Number of Episodes: 3 episodes (Complete limited documentary series)
- Platform: Netflix
- Release Year: 2025
- IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
- Genre: Documentary Series
- Production Type: American Documentary
- Status: Complete limited series, currently available
- Directors/Protagonists: Geeta Gandbhir, Samantha Knowles, Spike Lee (directors), Hurricane Katrina survivors
- Focus: Hurricane Katrina survivors and systemic inequities 20 years later