Hidden gems: few mentions, all of them insistent
These never went viral on HN. Each was linked by three to six people, but at least 60% of those comments were strong recommendations, the kind that say "drop what you are doing and watch this". 110 videos, ordered by how unanimous the praise was.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2013–2015R Rotten Tomatoes Trailers · documentaryHN commenters recommend the film itself as an eye-opening account of how drug laws drove mass incarceration and militarized policing.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2024–2026J Jenny Nicholson · documentaryHN people strongly recommend it as the best overview of the Galactic Starcruiser and a case study in misaligned incentives and poor guest experience, engaging despite its length.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2021–2024A Alessandro Grespan · music videoCommenters repeatedly call it a favorite and a mind-blowing introduction to jazz.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2020Strongly recommended as a clear, accessible survey of the CRDT landscape.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2019Recommended as a jaw-dropping, must-see talk that gives an amazing intro to static analysis alongside Might's personal story.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2022T thepostarchive · lectureStrongly recommended as under-appreciated lectures showing Borges' erudition, delivered in a hypnotic voice from memory.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2016–2025HN repeatedly names it the best, most intuitive explanation of eigenvalues, and a gateway to the whole linear algebra series.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2020–2024HN treats it as the classic go-to for learning atomics and memory ordering, recommended over books.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2021–2025S Sean Carroll · lectureHN commenters recommend the series as engaging, substantial physics with just enough math for non-specialists.
- 3 HN recommenders 5 months 2016–2021J Jamin Gray · talkHN commenters repeatedly link it as the best concise answer to the question of why go to Mars when problems remain on Earth.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2016–2021Commenters call it a mind-blowing, beautiful talk and cite it among their favorite tech talks.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2022–2024M Masood Boomgaard · comedy videoHN commenters recommend it as funny anti-motivational comedy that also touches on real truths about productivity and the rat race.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2017–2020Fans name it as a favorite 3Blue1Brown video, praising its detective-story treatment of the inscribed square and rectangle problem.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2023S Steve Brunton · lectureHN recommends the series as an approachable but rigorous way to learn control theory, with good production quality.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2015–2023J John Bartholomew · tutorialStrongly recommended as a way to improve at chess, since it explains the basics and common mistakes at each rating level.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2022–2025HN considers it one of the best game networking talks, with insights that carry over to distributed systems generally.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2009–2018D David Kuckhermann · tutorialFrequently recommended in RSI and wrist pain threads by people who say the stretches relieved their own symptoms.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2015–2017G Glen Maddern · tutorialCommenters credit it with opening their eyes to JSPM and using it to choose build systems.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2026D David Bull · documentaryHN commenters hold it up as a top-tier long-form process video, recommended whenever the Great Wave or Hokusai comes up.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2019–2021P PyCon 2019 · tutorialHN calls it a brilliant, mind-bending introduction to lambda calculus for programmers.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2023Strongly recommended as a mind-bending, approachable explanation of aperiodic patterns, even enjoyable with kids.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2026HN commenters recommend it as an engaging, high-quality introduction to the Bronze Age Collapse and praise the channel generally.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2024Commenters call it a must-watch, funny and entertaining demonstration that morality has natural roots in animals.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2023A American Masters PBS · tutorialHN people call it a favorite cooking video and a model of mastery, showing two omelet styles in about five minutes.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2024HN commenters call it one of the best and funniest Onion News Network videos and a sharp parody of teen girls.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2020HN commenters strongly recommend it as a thoughtful talk on tech worker ethics that has not aged.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2025T The British Museum · tutorialRecommended as the best short, funny and approachable introduction to cuneiform on YouTube.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2013–2023HN repeatedly recommends it as a delightful talk that makes music theory click and introduces Clojure and Overtone.
- 3 HN recommenders 5 months 2015–2019A favorite on Ask HN lists of programming YouTube channels, praised for mind-blowing systems and graphics programming and a watchable coding style.
- 3 HN recommenders 5 months 2016–2024HN repeatedly recommends it as an approachable, math-light route to understanding mass and the Higgs field.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2020–2021Praised as a long but rewarding conversation, with commenters especially liking Bach's emphasis on modelling as a skill and his bridge between mind and computation.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2017–2020Repeatedly called an excellent, practical introduction that covers a lot in two hours and explains issues academic textbooks skip.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2020–2026D DRS_Education · documentaryHN commenters strongly recommend it for its account of how the Jacquard loom and punch cards led to computers.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2015–2022Strongly recommended as a beautiful demonstration that APL can be read and reasoned about step by step.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2023HN commenters call it a favourite Veritasium video, praised for how a simple equation reveals surprisingly complex patterns.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2025Recommended to people with chronic pain, fatigue or RSI as a rigorous but balanced case that pain does not always mean injury.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2022Recommended as an enjoyable, accessible talk for building intuition about higher dimensions.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2012–2017B BAMM.TV · talkHN commenters recommend it for insight into Kalanick's background and how his past failures shaped his mindset at Uber.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2018HN recommends it as the simplest, most approachable introduction to quaternions, useful for people working in games and robotics.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2011–2020J Jaimie Stuff · videoHN commenters point to it as the start of a gripping, wonder-inducing build saga by a prolific maker of ambitious mechanical projects.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2024Recommended as an absorbing masterpiece of craftsmanship, often raised in threads about watches and clockmaking.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2013–2017I Ingsoc75 · documentaryRecommended as a classic documentary on military training and the psychology of going to war.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2022Strongly recommended as a formative talk on privacy, especially for its argument that voting with your feet fails as a privacy strategy.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2026O OKGoVEVO · music videoCommenters recommend it as a creative music video shot entirely in zero gravity, citing it in threads about parabolic flights and space.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2024J Jon Bois · commentaryHN commenters recommend it as a funny, well-told retelling of one of the strangest sporting events ever.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2023HN recommends it as an accessible introduction to longevity research that changed some commenters' views.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2022Recommended as a well-researched rebuttal of the idea that Nintendo simply forgot an optimization flag.
- FreeCAD 0.20 For Beginners | 1 | Setup , preferences and navigation | Easy Tutorial for Learning CAD3 HN recommenders 3 months 2023–2024M MangoJelly Solutions for FreeCAD · tutorialHN recommends it as an excellent beginner series that fills FreeCAD's gap in learning material.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2019Praised as a beautiful, understandable proof and a favorite among 3Blue1Brown videos.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2024Praised as an excellent, accessible account of why the kilogram's definition changed, in redefinition threads.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–2015O omnray · demoCommenters who struggle with tab overload use it to show what tree-based tab management looks like and recommend the extension.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2023N NativLang · documentaryHN recommends it as a fun, amazing overview of writing systems whenever the alphabet or cuneiform comes up.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2011–2024Commenters rate the whole playlist as high-quality, clear teaching that builds foundations from memory and machine instructions up to different paradigms.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2023–2026P Posy · explainerRecommended as a meditative, geeky tour of alternative display designs.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2026Recommended as a favorite among practical Blender guides from a hugely productive solo artist.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017HN commenters recommend it as a corrective to enterprise blockchain marketing and as an explanation of what makes Bitcoin distinctive.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2018U UncommentatedPannen · explainerPraised as an engrossing, in-depth look at SM64 mechanics that is surprisingly compelling to watch.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–2016HN recommends it as an excellent speech from Watsi's founder, especially on keeping a nonprofit aligned with the people it serves.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018S Summoning Salt · documentaryHN recommends it as a gripping entry point into speedrunning and as a model of a well-made history video.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2012–2016HN commenters keep recommending it as the best video for newcomers who want to understand how Git works technically.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2025–2026C Curt Jaimungal · interviewHN recommends it as a fascinating, mind-expanding interview on bioelectricity and non-reductionist biology.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2022–2024T The Centre for Computing History · lectureHN commenters recommend it as an excellent deep dive on the real Colossus, full of stories about unsung engineers.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2022HN recommends it, and the whole channel, as a clear and deeper-than-usual physics explainer.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016HN readers recommend it as a thorough, practical introduction to Postgres fundamentals and optimization for application developers.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2022M mikeselectricstuff · demoRecommended as an entry point to a favorite electronics channel, valued for deep knowledge and no showy bravado.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2023–2024E ESOTERICA · lectureHN users recommend it as an impressively well-sourced, academic look at the origins of the Abrahamic religions.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2025–2026O OUTDOORS55 · tutorialRecommended by commenters who say its practical, scientific explanations finally taught them how and why sharpening works.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2023HN recommends it as a typical example of Tom7's technically astounding and playful videos.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2021HN commenters recommend Arthur's Fermi Paradox videos as a thorough, clear treatment of the subject.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2026B barrettproduction · music videoHN commenters share it as a favorite audiovisual experience, with some calling the sync the best thing they have seen.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2025M MangoJelly Solutions for FreeCAD · courseHN users recommend MangoJelly's thorough tutorials as the best way to learn FreeCAD properly, since trial and error doesn't work.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2023T The Quagmire · lectureStrongly recommended for its funny, human account of Los Alamos, which one commenter calls almost a stand-up act.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2022HN recommends it as a strong founder talk that shows how formidable and practical Young is, with advice delivered through a beaver metaphor.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2019M MEGA - Museum of Electronic Games & Art · demoCommenters hold it up as proof that 2600 programming is alive in the demoscene and as one of the most impressive demos ever made on the hardware.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2018HN recommends it as a mind-blowing and fun introduction to logic programming for working programmers.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2023Recommended as the clearest footage of a whip tip going supersonic, and cited in shockwave discussions.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2009Praised as solid, research-backed advice on front-end web performance.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2025HN recommends it as an entertaining demonstration of how powerful algorithmic gerrymandering can be.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2020HN calls it a great, impressive engineering project involving real-time trajectory calculation.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2022E Entrepreneurship.org · talkHN recommends it as the classic counterpoint to Silicon Valley growth-at-all-costs startup thinking.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2021HN fans praise Bisqwit as a favorite programming YouTuber and this video as an excellent look at dithering.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2023HN recommends it as the best talk from Sonic Pi's creator, with live-coding examples and technical and teaching insights.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2015–2023T theeloved1 · demoHN people share it as a classic example of sleight-of-hand mastery whose ending is mind-blowing.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2026HN commenters call his x86 internals talks spectacular and mention them whenever low-level processor surprises come up.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2026HN rates it among the best gaming video essays and Ahoy as one of the best creators on the platform.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2011–2015G Geoff Cumming · explainerRecommended as a vivid visual demonstration of how unreliable p-values are.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2022Recommended as a fascinating insider account of how the F-22's software makes it easier to fly than a Cessna.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2023Recommended as a funny, engaging look at how Perl's quirks create real security vulnerabilities.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2026Commenters bring it up in threads about life advice and aging as the best advice they have heard, namely to ignore advice and do your own thing.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2019–2022HN recommends it as an entertaining and inspiring Blender talk, and often links it in threads about learning Blender.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2019–2024F Fullstack Academy · lectureRepeatedly recommended as one of the most approachable introductions to lambda calculus and combinators.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2013–2020C ConceptVBS · tutorialHN loves it as an example of old-school instructional film that makes how a differential works fully understandable in clear, simple language.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2025–2026HN users recommend it as an excellent, accessible overview of how modern chips are produced and why EUV matters.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2017–2023HN raves about it as one of the best conference talks, showing a master's creative process and sound design.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2022–2024S Steve Yegge · demoHN people recommend it as an excellent, convincing overview of Emacs for newcomers and skeptics, shown by someone who clearly loves it.
- 3 HN recommenders 5 months 2017–2021U udiprod · explainerHN commenters call it one of the best visual explanations of the wave, particle and measurement relationship, free of silly metaphors.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2021–2025T The Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures · lectureHN recommends it as a funny, fascinating talk on cuneiform tablets and the ancient world by an engaging curator.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2019–2024H HD Retro Trailers · videoHN commenters use it to point people to Threads, which they call the most harrowing depiction of nuclear war and say should be mandatory viewing.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2023–2026HN commenters strongly recommend it as a fun alt-history of the web and bring it up whenever people muse about how the web could have been different.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2013–2026HN commenters recommend it as one of Veritasium's best videos and one that has aged well.
Showing the 100 best-scored of 110. Use search to find the rest.
Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.