8.0/10188 votes#1 - The Codebreaker
Season 33 Episode 1 - Aired 1/11/2021
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.
Director: Chana Gazit
Writer: Chana Gazit
7.9/1072 votes#2 - Voice of Freedom
Season 33 Episode 2 - Aired 2/15/2021
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.
Director: Rob Rapley
Writer: Rob Rapley
8.0/10109 votes#3 - The Blinding of Isaac Woodard
Season 33 Episode 3 - Aired 3/30/2021
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.
Director: Jamila Ephron
Writer: Mark Zwonitzer, Jamila Ephron
7.5/10145 votes#4 - American Oz
Season 33 Episode 4 - Aired 4/19/2021
The life of author L. Frank Baum, creator of the classic novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," which has inspired films, books and musicals.
Director: Tracy Heather Strain, Randall MacLowry
Writer: Tracy Heather Strain, Randall MacLowry
6.6/1079 votes#5 - Billy Graham
Season 33 Episode 5 - Aired 5/17/2021
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.
Director: Keven McAlester, Sarah Colt
Writer: N/A
7.5/1058 votes#6 - Sandra Day O'Connor: The First
Season 33 Episode 6 - Aired 9/13/2021
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.
Director: Michelle Ferrari
Writer: Michelle Ferrari
7.9/1095 votes#7 - Citizen Hearst (1)
Season 33 Episode 7 - Aired 9/27/2021
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.
Director: Amanda Pollak
Writer: Gene Tempest
8.0/1065 votes#8 - Citizen Hearst (2)
Season 33 Episode 8 - Aired 9/28/2021
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.
Director: Stephen Ives
Writer: Stephen Ives
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!
TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
Genre:Documentary
Network:PBS
Season 33 Ratings Summary
"The Codebreaker" is the best rated episode of "American Experience" season 33. It scored 8/10 based on 188 votes. Directed by Chana Gazit and written by Chana Gazit, it aired on 1/11/2021. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Voice of Freedom".