In my freshman year dorm, three framed covers of The New Yorker hung on the wall.

As a journalism major, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Writing for The New Yorker had been one of my aspirations for years. Of the covers on my wall, one was of the very first issue, portraying cartoon character Eustace Tilley peering at a butterfly through a monocle.

Nearly each anniversary issue’s cover featured that same original cartoon, or some variation. One hundred years later, the same image appeared on the cover, this time with a small “100” underneath the recognizable logo.

After a century of impactful, experimental and trailblazing journalism, The New Yorker remains witty and unlike any other magazine of its kind. Released on Netflix Friday, The New Yorker at 100 documentary beautifully reflects the magazine and its rich history.

With candid and poignant interviews of staff members, from editor in chief to office manager, the documentary paints a complete picture of how the paper operates and has developed into a societal cornerstone — not only in New York City, but across the country.

“I want The New Yorker to be two things,” David Remnick, the editor in chief of the magazine, said in the documentary. “I want it to be great. I want it to be humane.”

[History has its eyes on SEE’s ‘Hamilton’ sing-along screening]

The documentary reflects Remnick’s vision, both through the eyes of staff members and the American public.

It begins with a montage that establishes The New Yorker’s presence in society. With clips from culturally iconic shows such as Seinfeld, Family Guy and The Good Place, it is clear from the beginning that The New Yorker is ingrained in the American fabric.

Sprinkled with flashbacks to landmark moments for the magazine such as John Hersey’s “Hiroshima” and Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood,” the documentary primarily focuses on testimonies from writers and editors across departments, as they both reflect on their experience at the paper and contemplate what message they want to send with their work as the 100th anniversary issue approaches.

The magazine prepared multiple covers in the days before the 2024 presidential election for its post-election issue. A colorful portrait of former Vice President Kamala Harris with pictures of former President Barack Obama, Thurgood Marshall and other historical figures was the selection if she won the election, while the mood for President Donald Trump was much darker.

“It’s not what I expected for tonight, but [Remnick] chose this,” Françoise Mouly, art editor at The New Yorker, said, referencing the ominous silhouette of Trump’s cover. “It’s hard to believe, but we can’t shape reality. We can only reflect it.”

The documentary continues into a candid, and perhaps dreary, testimony from contributing writer and investigative reporter Ronan Farrow, best known for his exposé in the magazine of Harvey Weinstein.

“It is a brutal time for investigative journalism,” Farrow said. “But I still believe fiercely in the power of information because I think informing people is the one hope we have.”

[Maryland Ghostlight Company performs haunting vignettes in ‘Sleeping Giant’]

Amid stunning statistics of how many cartoon and article submissions the team receives versus how many are published, the documentary effectively shows the sheer amount of passion each employee possesses.

From their high remarks on the paper to the act of reporting and the effort and detail that goes into everything published, each staff member made it clear that The New Yorker is more than a magazine — it is a movement.

The documentary ends with this exact sentiment. It calls back Harold Ross, the original editor in chief of the magazine, as he wrote this to a writer who wanted to quit: “This thing is a movement and you can’t resign from movement.”

“And I know exactly what he means,” Remnick responded. “It’s not just this thing that comes out once a week or every day online. It has a soul.” The New Yorker at 100 is curated down to the tiniest detail, like using the signature typeface when introducing each speaker. A reflection of The New Yorker’s witty journalism, the documentary is an ode to the societal symbol the magazine has become since its creation.