Documentary

The Best Seasons of American Experience

Every season of American Experience ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of American Experience!

Binge this in Unknown•Peaking at 10.0/10

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

Airs on

Season 31

7 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2019

8.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE7 · The Feud 8.6

Season 25

8 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2013

7.9/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · The Abolitionists: 1820s-1838 8.1

Season 21

9 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2009

7.8/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE5 · We Shall Remain (1): After the Mayflower 8.1

Other Seasons

Season 13

12 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2000

7.8/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE7 · Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided, Part I 8.5

Season 26

7 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2014

7.7/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE4 · Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid 8.4

Season 29

8 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2017

7.7/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE6 · The Great War: Part 1 8.2

Season 28

8 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2016

7.7/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · Bonnie & Clyde 8.1

Season 10

9 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1997

7.6/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · Truman (1): An Accident of Democracy 8.2

Season 22

8 Episodes

First Aired: Nov 2009

7.6/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE6 · My Lai 8.3

#10

Season 24

8 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2012

7.6/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE3 · Clinton: The Comeback Kid (1) 7.8

#11

Season 7

12 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1992

7.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · FDR (1): The Center of the World (1882-1921) 8.5

#12

Season 12

15 Episodes

First Aired: Nov 1999

7.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · New York (1): The Country and the City 8.3

#13

Season 16

9 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2003

7.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · New York (8): The Center of the World 8.4

#14

Season 18

13 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2005

7.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE9 · Eugene O'Neill 8.1

#15

Season 15

13 Episodes

First Aired: Nov 2002

7.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE3 · Chicago: City of the Century (1): Mudhole to Metropolis 8.0

#16

Season 14

14 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 2001

7.5/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · New York (6): The City of Tomorrow 8.3

#17

Season 6

8 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1993

7.4/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE5 · Ishi: The Last Yahi Indian 7.8

#18

Season 5

13 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1992

7.4/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE9 · Knute Rockne and His Fighting Irish 8.4

#19

Season 17

11 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2004

7.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · RFK (Part 1 & 2) 7.9

#20

Season 8

9 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1995

7.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE4 · The Orphan Trains 7.8

#21

Season 27

11 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2015

7.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE7 · Blackout 8.3

#22

Season 33

8 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2021

7.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · The Codebreaker 7.8

#23

Season 9

22 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1996

7.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · T.R.: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt (1): The Long Campaign 8.5

#24

Season 36

7 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2024

7.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE4 · Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal 7.7

#25

Season 34

6 Episodes

First Aired: Feb 2022

7.3/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE5 · Taken Hostage (1) 7.8

#26

Season 11

10 Episodes

First Aired: Nov 1998

7.2/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · America 1900 8.4

#27

Season 20

14 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2008

7.2/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE2 · The Lobotomist 7.7

#28

Season 23

12 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2010

7.2/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE10 · Stonewall Uprising 7.9

#29

Season 32

8 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2020

7.1/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE4 · George W. Bush (Part 1) 7.9

#30

Season 30

9 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2018

7.1/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE7 · The Circus (1) 10.0

#31

Season 3

11 Episodes

First Aired: Aug 1990

7.1/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE7 · The Iron Road 8.2

#32

Season 19

15 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 2006

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE11 · Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple 8.2

#33

Season 35

9 Episodes

First Aired: Jan 2023

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE4 · The Movement and the "Madman" 7.4

#34

Season 1

16 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1988

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE1 · The Great San Francisco Earthquake 7.8

#35

Season 4

13 Episodes

First Aired: Sep 1991

7.0/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE8 · Duke Ellington: Reminiscing in Tempo 7.9

#36

Season 2

16 Episodes

First Aired: Oct 1989

6.8/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE2 · Demon Rum 7.5

#37

Season 37

8 Episodes

First Aired: Feb 2025

6.1/ 10

Average Rating

Best episodeE3 · Mr. Polaroid 7.4