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All Episodes of Explained

Browse all episodes of Explained

This documentary series, made in partnership with Vox, explain some of the world's current trends, from politics, to science to pop culture.
Genre:Documentary
Network:Netflix
Select Season:

Season 1

  • The Racial Wealth Gap
    7.4/10607 votes
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    The Racial Wealth Gap

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 5/23/2018

    Cory Booker and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Designer DNA
    7.7/10515 votes
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    Designer DNA

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 5/23/2018

    Scientific feat or terrifying social experiment? Specialists in the field discuss the high stakes and ethical controversies of gene editing.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Monogamy
    7.2/10572 votes
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    Monogamy

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 5/23/2018

    What do biology, human history and the promiscuity of bonobos reveal about monogamy? Experts and everyday couples weigh in on shifting cultural norms.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • K-Pop
    6.6/10445 votes
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    K-Pop

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 5/30/2018

    Elaborate music videos, adoring fans, killer choreography. Learn about the global music phenomenon from South Korea that goes beyond "Gangnam Style."

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Cryptocurrency
    7.0/10477 votes
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    Cryptocurrency

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 6/6/2018

    Cryptocurrency has made people billionaires, but is digital cash the next revolution? Learn about this anonymous currency and how it's coveted.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Why Diets Fail
    7.2/10455 votes
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    Why Diets Fail

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 6/13/2018

    Atkins. Paleo. Keto. Do any work in the long term? Experts look at marketing, food environments and genes to explain why diets are often unsuccessful.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Stock Market
    7.2/10449 votes
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    The Stock Market

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 6/20/2018

    Does the stock market accurately reflect the status of the economy? Finance specialists discuss market history, valuations and CEO incentives.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • eSports
    7.1/10395 votes
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    eSports

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 6/27/2018

    Is fake violence a sport? Fans, shoutcasters, and eSports icons break down today's video games and the explosive popularity of competitive gaming.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Extraterrestrial Life
    7.4/10419 votes
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    Extraterrestrial Life

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 7/4/2018

    Despite decades of searching, we have yet to discover extraterrestrial life. Scientists discuss the reasons, including: Are aliens just too snobby?

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • !
    7.2/10382 votes
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    !

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 7/11/2018

    Do we overuse exclamation points!? Linguists and copy editors look at how the punctuation has adapted across history, literature and internet-speak.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Cricket
    7.0/10369 votes
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    Cricket

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 7/18/2018

    Cricket experts look at how the confusing sport became so popular and discuss its evolution in becoming more accessible entertaining and profitable.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Weed
    7.5/10419 votes
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    Weed

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 7/25/2018

    Marijuana experts discuss the rise of potent "sexually frustrated" cannabis plants, the quests for consistency in weed strains and the history of hemp.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Tattoo
    7.0/10382 votes
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    Tattoo

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 8/1/2018

    They've been used to command respect, punish criminals and mark achievements. Tattooists speak about the origins of tattoo traditions and rituals.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Astrology
    6.7/10425 votes
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    Astrology

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 8/8/2018

    Do zodiac signs prescribe your fate? Or do horoscopes' accuracy lie in the placebo effect? Take a look at the science, history and lure of astrology.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Can We Live Forever ?
    7.6/10418 votes
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    Can We Live Forever ?

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 8/15/2018

    Can we uncover the secrets to extending the human lifespan? Experts discuss how developments in science -- even the French lilac -- hold some clues.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Female Orgasm
    7.5/10515 votes
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    The Female Orgasm

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 8/22/2018

    The female orgasm is more elusive when a man is involved. Discover the reasons why and how women are embracing hands on solutions.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Political Correctness
    7.0/10428 votes
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    Political Correctness

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 8/29/2018

    Political correctness can sometimes feel like a tug-of-war between inclusivity and free speech. Experts discuss the concepts behind the fraught term.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Why Women Are Paid Less
    7.3/10490 votes
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    Why Women Are Paid Less

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 9/5/2018

    Hillary Clinton and Anne-Marie Slaughter discuss the cultural norms at the center of the worldwide gender pay gap, including the "motherhood penalty."

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The World's Water Crisis
    8.2/10509 votes
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    The World's Water Crisis

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 9/12/2018

    The global water crisis is at an inflection point. How do we price our most valuable resource, while also ensuring access to it as a human right?

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Music
    7.4/10519 votes
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    Music

    Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 9/19/2018

    When does sound become music? Why are humans so uniquely able to master musicality? Researchers talk rhythm, octaves and the magic of song and dance.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A