Explained — Season 1
Season 1 of Explained has 20 episodes and premiered on May 23, 2018. In United States, you can watch Explained on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads and Tubi TV.
Episode guide
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Episode 1 The Racial Wealth Gap
Cory Booker and others discuss how slavery, housing discrimination and centuries of inequality have compounded to create a racial wealth gap.
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Episode 2 Designer DNA
Scientific feat or terrifying social experiment? Specialists in the field discuss the high stakes and ethical controversies of gene editing.
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Episode 3 Monogamy
What do biology, human history and the promiscuity of bonobos reveal about monogamy? Experts and everyday couples weigh in on shifting cultural norms.
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Episode 4 K-Pop
Elaborate music videos, adoring fans, killer choreography. Learn about the global music phenomenon from South Korea that goes beyond "Gangnam Style."
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Episode 5 Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency has made people billionaires, but is digital cash the next revolution? Learn about this anonymous currency and how it's coveted.
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Episode 6 Why Diets Fail
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.
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Episode 7 The Stock Market
Does the stock market accurately reflect the status of the economy? Finance specialists discuss market history, valuations and CEO incentives.
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Episode 8 eSports
Is fake violence a sport? Fans, shoutcasters, and eSports icons break down today's video games and the explosive popularity of competitive gaming.
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Episode 9 Extraterrestrial Life
Despite decades of searching, we have yet to discover extraterrestrial life. Scientists discuss the reasons, including: Are aliens just too snobby?
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Episode 10 !
Do we overuse exclamation points!? Linguists and copy editors look at how the punctuation has adapted across history, literature and internet-speak.
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Episode 11 Cricket
Cricket experts look at how the confusing sport became so popular and discuss its evolution in becoming more accessible entertaining and profitable.
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Episode 12 Weed
Marijuana experts discuss the rise of potent "sexually frustrated" cannabis plants, the quests for consistency in weed strains and the history of hemp.
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Episode 13 Tattoo
They've been used to command respect, punish criminals and mark achievements. Tattooists speak about the origins of tattoo traditions and rituals.
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Episode 14 Astrology
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.
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Episode 15 Can We Live Forever ?
Can we uncover the secrets to extending the human lifespan? Experts discuss how developments in science -- even the French lilac -- hold some clues.
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Episode 16 The Female Orgasm
The female orgasm is more elusive when a man is involved. Discover the reasons why and how women are embracing hands on solutions.
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Episode 17 Political Correctness
Political correctness can sometimes feel like a tug-of-war between inclusivity and free speech. Experts discuss the concepts behind the fraught term.
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Episode 18 Why Women Are Paid Less
Hillary Clinton and Anne-Marie Slaughter discuss the cultural norms at the center of the worldwide gender pay gap, including the "motherhood penalty."
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Episode 19 The World's Water Crisis
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?
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Episode 20 Music
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.
Updated: October 30, 2026 ·