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The Best Episodes of American Experience Season 33

Every episode of American Experience Season 33 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of American Experience Season 33!

The Best Episodes of American Experience Season 33

TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.

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  1. 8.1/10(112 votes)

    #1 - The Blinding of Isaac Woodard

    S33:E3

    In 1946, Isaac Woodard, a Black army sergeant on his way home to South Carolina after serving in WWII, was pulled from a bus for arguing with the driver. The local chief of police savagely beat him, leaving him unconscious and permanently blind.

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  2. 8.0/10(193 votes)

    #2 - The Codebreaker

    S33:E1

    Based on the book The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies, The Codebreaker reveals the fascinating story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, the groundbreaking cryptanalyst whose painstaking work to decode thousands of messages for the U.S. government.

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    Director:Chana Gazit
  3. 8.0/10(68 votes)

    #3 - Citizen Hearst (2)

    S33:E8

    William Randolph Hearst continued his rise to power and expansion into Hollywood. The model for Citizen Kane, he had a decades-long affair with actress Marion Davies, built an enormous castle at San Simeon, and forever transformed modern media.

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    Director:Stephen Ives
  4. 7.9/10(72 votes)

    #4 - Voice of Freedom

    S33:E2

    Explore the fascinating life of celebrated singer Marian Anderson. In 1939, after being barred from performing at Constitution Hall because she was Black, she triumphed at the Lincoln Memorial in what became a landmark moment in American history.

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    Director:Rob Rapley
    Writer:Rob Rapley
  5. 7.9/10(98 votes)

    #5 - Citizen Hearst (1)

    S33:E7

    William Randolph Hearst builds the nation’s largest media empire by the 1930s. Born into one of America’s wealthiest families, he used his outlets to achieve unprecedented political power, then ran for office himself.

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  6. 7.5/10(147 votes)

    #6 - American Oz

    S33:E4

    The life of author L. Frank Baum, creator of the classic novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," which has inspired films, books and musicals.

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  8. 7.5/10(59 votes)

    #7 - Sandra Day O'Connor: The First

    S33:E6

    Discover the story of the Supreme Court’s first female justice. A pioneer who both reflected and shaped an era, she was the deciding vote in cases on some of the 20th century’s most controversial issues—including race, gender and reproductive rights.

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  9. 6.6/10(81 votes)

    #8 - Billy Graham

    S33:E5

    Explore the life of one of the best-known and most influential religious leaders of the 20th century. An international celebrity by age 30, he built a media empire, preached to millions worldwide, and had the ear of tycoons, presidents and royalty.

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    Writer:N/A

Season 33 Ratings Summary

"The Blinding of Isaac Woodard" is the best rated episode of "American Experience" season 33. It scored 8.1/10 based on 112 votes. Directed by Jamila Ephron and written by Mark Zwonitzer, Jamila Ephron, it aired on 3/30/2021. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "The Codebreaker".