Firstly, would you consider The Roman Empire: Reign of Blood a credible and historically accurate documentary? The stories told within it are incredibly fascinating.
Secondly, what are some good books on the Roman Republic as well as the Roman Empire? When I say good I mean accurate and accepted by historians in terms of authenticity. Thanks!
In regards to your book question, check out /r/AskHistorians ' ancient Rome book list . It is a pretty diverse list, although it leans towards the Empire at the expense of the earlier eras.