American Genius backdrop
American Genius poster
Documentary

The Best Episodes of American Genius

Every episode of American Genius ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of American Genius!

The Best Episodes of American Genius

Behind every great genius was a great rival - an unstoppable adversary whose incredible vision, determination, and ambition is their match. Out of their struggles...

Filter By Season1

  1. 8.2/10(42 votes)

    #1 - Oppenheimer vs. Heisenberg

    Loading...
    S1:E7

    J. Robert Oppenheimer and Werner Heisenberg are in the world's largest arms race to build the first atomic bomb.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A
  2. 8.1/10(58 votes)

    #2 - Space Race

    Loading...
    S1:E5

    America and the Soviet Union, deadlocked in the Cold War, set their sights on the final frontier — space. Go inside the more than decadelong struggle between the two superpowers as they both set out to conquer the moon. German scientist Werner Von Braun leads the charge for the U.S. and Sergei Korolev for the Soviets, but in the race to space, only one side can get there first.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A
  3. 8.0/10(74 votes)

    #3 - Edison vs. Tesla

    Loading...
    S1:E8

    Celebrated inventor Thomas Edison goes to war with his former assistant, Nikola Tesla, to determine who will power the world with electric light.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A
  4. 7.8/10(57 votes)

    #4 - Wright Brothers vs. Curtiss

    Loading...
    S1:E2

    The Wright Brothers build and fly the world’s first airplane, but they keep it a secret, leaving an opening for motor designer, Glenn Curtiss, to swoop in and compete to be the first to fly in public.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A
  5. 7.7/10(45 votes)

    #5 - Farnsworth vs. Sarnoff

    Loading...
    S1:E3

    A young Midwestern farm boy creates an innovation that forever changes the future of communication, only to have it stolen away by one of America's greatest media moguls.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A
  6. 7.4/10(64 votes)

    #6 - Colt vs. Wesson

    Loading...
    S1:E6

    Samuel Colt and partners Edwin Smith & Daniel Wesson become locked in the first true “arms” race, as they compete to perfect the world’s first revolver.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A
  7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of American Genius

    READ
  8. 7.3/10(92 votes)

    #7 - Jobs vs. Gates

    Loading...
    S1:E1

    In the 1980s, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs break out in a heated battle to bring the personal computer to the masses.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A
  9. 6.9/10(39 votes)

    #8 - Hearst vs. Pulitzer

    Loading...
    S1:E4

    The newspaper redefined the way America tells its stories, but its rise to prominence was born out of a bitter rivalry between a man who built himself up from nothing and the wealthy son of a business tycoon. Follow William Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer as they push the limits of journalism in unthinkable ways, forever changing the media landscape.

    0 Comments
    View all
    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A

Best Episodes Summary

"Oppenheimer vs. Heisenberg" is the best rated episode of "American Genius". It scored 8.2/10 based on 42 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 6/22/2015. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Space Race".