The Third Degree

American Experience
Air Date: 01/03/23

Some etymologists trace the phrase 'The Third Degree' back to Freemasonry, but by the early 20th century, the term had become firmly associated with something entirely different: harsh police interrogation, or more accurately, torture.

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The Lie Detector
S35 Ep1 | 52m 35s
Air Date: 01/03/23 | Expires: 01/02/26 | Rating: TV-14

The story of the polygraph, the controversial device that transformed modern justice.

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Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming A Space
S35 Ep2 | 1h 52m 24s
Air Date: 01/17/23 | Expires: 01/16/26 | Rating: TV-14

The influential author and anthropologist whose work reclaimed and honored Black life.

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Ruthless: Monopoly’s Secret History
S35 Ep3 | 52m 17s
Air Date: 02/20/23 | Expires: 02/19/26

Discover the unexpected history behind Monopoly, America’s favorite board game.

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The Movement and the “Madman”
S35 Ep4 | 1h 22m 29s
Air Date: 03/28/23 | Expires: 04/27/30 | Rating: TV-14

Discover the story of the 1969 showdown between President Nixon and the antiwar movement.

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The Sun Queen
S35 Ep5 | 52m 22s
Air Date: 04/04/23 | Expires: 04/03/26 | Rating: TV-PG

Unsung scientist Mária Telkes dedicated her career to harnessing the power of the sun.

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Casa Susanna
S35 Ep6 | 1h 36m 51s
Air Date: 06/27/23 | Expires: 06/26/26 | Rating: TV-14

Casa Susanna was a refuge for transgender women and cross-dressing men in the 1950s-60s.

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The Busing Battleground
S35 Ep7 | 1h 52m 40s
Air Date: 09/11/23 | Expires: 09/10/26 | Rating: TV-14

Revisit 1970s Boston, when court-mandated school integration unleashed racial unrest.

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The Harvest: Integrating Mississippi’s Schools
S35 Ep8 | 1h 47m 21s
Air Date: 09/12/23 | Expires: 09/11/26 | Rating: TV-PG

The story of a Mississippi town’s effort to integrate its public schools in 1970.

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The War on Disco
S35 Ep9 | 51m 27s
Air Date: 10/30/23 | Expires: 10/29/26 | Rating: TV-14

Explore the culture war that erupted over the spectacular rise of disco music.

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