6.3/10192 votesLoading...#1 - Dance Crazes
Season 3 Episode 11 - Aired 9/24/2021
From the waltz to voguing, dance crazes have connected people throughout history. But when a dance catches on, who gets the credit — and compensation?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.4/10202 votesLoading...#2 - Plastic Surgery
Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 9/17/2021
The Instagram face. A shapely posterior. Cosmetic surgery can make the latest beauty trends a reality. Explore its origins and effects, inside and out.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.6/10185 votesLoading...#3 - Country Music
Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 10/8/2021
Dirt roads. Pickup trucks. Hip-hop? As the borders around country music shift, who decides what defines the popular genre, and who gets to be a star?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.7/10443 votesLoading...#4 - 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
6.7/10424 votesLoading...#5 - 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
6.7/10181 votesLoading...#6 - Apologies
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 9/3/2021
Apologizing is tough, and in this era of public mea culpas, forgiveness isn't guaranteed. What makes for a good apology, and why does it hold such power?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.8/10279 votesLoading...#7 - Royalty
Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 7/23/2021
How do monarchies survive when they no longer wield power? By presenting a royal fairy tale that may not reflect the reality of the past — or present.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.9/10227 votesLoading...#8 - Flags
Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 7/30/2021
A flag can unite, divide and terrorize. Explore how a piece of cloth transformed into a powerful symbol of both love and hate, freedom and oppression.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.9/10171 votesLoading...#9 - Hurricanes
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 9/10/2021
As the planet warms, hurricanes could become even more dangerous and destructive.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/10475 votesLoading...#10 - 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
7.0/10368 votesLoading...#11 - 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
7.0/10381 votesLoading...#12 - 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
7.0/10427 votesLoading...#13 - 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
7.0/10322 votesLoading...#14 - Athleisure
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 10/17/2019
It began with bloomers. Then came spandex. Now we sport leggings and other activewear everywhere. How did comfy, casual clothing go mainstream?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.1/10394 votesLoading...#15 - 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
7.1/10380 votesLoading...#16 - !
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
7.1/10323 votesLoading...#17 - Pirates
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 10/31/2019
In pop culture, pirates are often depicted as booty-looting rogues, but their history is far more complicated. See how they became enemies of humanity.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.1/10321 votesLoading...#18 - Beauty
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 11/21/2019
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but what exactly makes things such as art and architecture aesthetically pleasing, and why do we like looking?
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/10570 votesLoading...#19 - 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
7.2/10453 votesLoading...#20 - 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
7.2/10448 votesLoading...#21 - 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
7.2/10192 votesLoading...#22 - Your Skin
Season 3 Episode 7 - Aired 8/27/2021
Don’t panic, but our skin plays host to trillions of bacteria, fungi, mites and other microscopic guests. Go beyond skin-deep with our largest organ.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/10203 votesLoading...#23 - Fairy Tales
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 10/15/2021
Fairy tales have survived thousands of years for a reason. Explore their far-flung history and how the stories speak to fundamental human concerns.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/10489 votesLoading...#24 - 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
7.4/10606 votesLoading...#25 - 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
The Worst Episodes of Explained
Every episode of Explained ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst 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
Worst Episodes Summary
"Dance Crazes" is the worst rated episode of "Explained". It scored 6.3/10 based on 192 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 9/24/2021. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Plastic Surgery".