Top 250 Tv Shows Like Freakonomics

Things you always thought you knew but didn't

A list of the best tv shows similar to Freakonomics. If you liked Freakonomics then you may also like: Dark Angel, Detentionaire, Mind Field, Mutant X, MysteryQuest and many more great tv shows featured on this list.

Dark Angel

Super soldier Max Guevera tries to live a normal life in post-apocalyptic Seattle while eluding capture by government agents from the covert biotech facility she escaped from as a child and searching for her genetically-enhanced brothers and sisters who have dispersed after escape.

Detentionaire

No student likes having to spend time in detention so you can only imagine how Lee Ping feels. The freshman at A Nigma High has been sentenced to a year in detention after being accused of pulling off the biggest prank in high-school history. The problem is that Lee is innocent. Now, in order to clear his name, Lee must escape from the highly fortified detention room every day, infiltrate a new social clique, and unravel another piece of the gigantic prank puzzle to try to figure out who actually pulled off the epic stunt.

Mind Field

Explore the surprising things we know (and don’t know) about why people are the way they are through expert interviews, rare footage from historical experiments, and brand-new, ground-breaking demonstrations of human nature at work.

Mutant X

Mutant X is a science fiction television series that debuted on October 6, 2001. The show was created by Avi Arad, and it centers around Mutant X, a team of "New Mutants" who possess extraordinary powers as a result of genetic engineering. The members of Mutant X were used as test subjects in a series of covert government experiments. The mission of Mutant X is to seek out and protect their fellow New Mutants. The series was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Even though the series had high ratings and was meant to be renewed for a fourth season, it was abruptly canceled in 2004 after the dismantling of Fireworks Entertainment, one of the show's production companies, ending the show on a cliffhanger.

MysteryQuest

MysteryQuest is an American Paranormal television series that premiered on September 16, 2009 on the History channel. Produced by KPI Productions, the program is a spin-off of MonsterQuest. The tagline of the show is: "What if everything you believe is wrong?"

NOVA

PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA demystifies science and technology, and highlights the people involved in scientific pursuits.

Omnibus

Omnibus was an arts-based BBC television documentary series, broadcast mainly on BBC1 in the United Kingdom. The programme was the successor to the long-running arts-based series 'Monitor'. It ran from 1967 until 2003, usually being transmitted on Sunday evenings. During its 35-year history, the programme won 12 Bafta awards. Among the series' best remembered documentaries are Cracked Actor, a profile of David Bowie, and Rene Magritte, a graduate film by David Wheatley, 'Madonna: Behind the American dream', a film produced by Nadia Hagger, and a profile of the British film director Ridley Scott. For a season in 1982, the series was in a magazine format presented by Barry Norman. The series was replaced by 'Imagine' hosted by Alan Yentob.

What Would You Do?

An American television news magazine and hidden camera show. Actors act out scenes of conflict or illegal activity in public settings while hidden cameras videotape the scene, and the focus is on whether or not bystanders intervene, and how. Variations are also usually included, such as changing the genders, the races or the clothing of the actors performing the scene, to see if bystanders react differently. Quiñones appears at the end to interview the bystanders about their reactions. As the experiment goes on, psychology professors, teachers, or club members watch and discuss the video with Quiñones, explaining and making inferences on the bystanders' reactions.

Brainiac: Science Abuse

Brainiac is The Alternative science series that shows you the experiments you were never allowed to do in school. Richard Hammond aims to answer the scientific questions that have been bothering us all such as what you shouldn't put in a microwave and Do mobile phones really cause explosions in petrol stations.

NOVA scienceNOW

NOVA scienceNOW is a News magazine version of the long-running and venerable PBS science program Nova. Premiering on January 25, 2005, the series was originally hosted by Robert Krulwich, who described it as an experiment in coverage of "breaking science, science that's right out of the lab, science that sometimes bumps up against politics, art, culture". At the beginning of season two, Neil deGrasse Tyson replaced Krulwich as the show's host. Tyson announced he would leave the show and was replaced by David Pogue beginning season 6.

Frontline

Since it began in 1983, Frontline has been airing public-affairs documentaries that explore a wide scope of the complex human experience. Frontline's goal is to extend the impact of the documentary beyond its initial broadcast by serving as a catalyst for change.

Hidden Palms

Johnny Miller was a typical 15-year-old until his father committed suicide. Now Johnny lives in Palm Springs with his mother and her new husband. On the outside, Palm Springs is a paradise - but as Johnny learns the secrets that lie just beneath the surface of this seemingly typical neighborhood, he and his family wonder how well they really know the people who live right next door.

The Power of Nightmares

Examines how politicians have used our fears to increase their power and control over society.

Final 24

Final 24 is a Canadian documentary series which airs on the Discovery Channel and Global Television Network. The series explores the last 24 hours of the life of a person, usually a celebrity. The series is narrated by Canadian voice artist Dave McRae and Danny Wallace in the UK.

Dispatches

Dispatches is the British TV current affairs documentary series on Channel 4, first transmitted in 1987. The programme covers issues about British society, politics, health, religion, international current affairs and the environment, and often features a mole inside organisations under journalistic investigation.

Engineering an Empire

Engineering an Empire is a program on The History Channel that explores the engineering and/or architectural feats that were characteristic of some of the greatest societies on this planet. It is hosted by Peter Weller, famous for his acting role as RoboCop but also a lecturer at Syracuse University, where he completed his Master's in Roman and Renaissance Art. The executive producer is Delores Gavin. The show started as a documentary about the engineering feats of Ancient Rome and later evolved into a series. It originally ran for one full season of weekly episodes.

Battlefield Detectives

Battlefield Detectives is a forensic documentary television series that aired on the History Channel from 2003 to 2006. The series explores famous battles focusing on the battlefield itself, and tell its story based on recent scientific research. It uses modern science to examine how the battles were won or lost. According to History Television, "This series approaches the perennially interesting topic of famous battles in a fresh and exhilarating way. Focusing on the battlefield itself, each programme takes an important battle telling its story and posing a puzzling central question about the battle that recent scientific research is helping to illuminate - a contemporary journey of discovery and a compelling story from the past."

Lost Worlds

Lost Worlds is a documentary television series by The History Channel that explores a variety of "lost" locations from ancient to modern times. These "great feats of engineering, technology, and culture" are revealed through the use of archaeological evidence, interviews with relevant experts while examining the sites, and CGI reproductions. These visual re-creations take the form of rendered 3D environments and photo manipulated overlays, allowing the "lost world" to be seen over its present-day state. The pilot episode "Palenque: Metropolis of the Maya" was first aired on April 4, 2005. It was followed by 12 more episodes in 2006, and a further 19 episodes in 2007.

Operation Repo

Operation Repo is an American television program that depicts the world of car repossession with a team that portrays fictionalized tales of repossessions from California's San Fernando Valley. Similar to another truTV show, Southern Fried Stings, the series is filmed in a cinema verité style but consists of scripted and dramatized performances by actors. The show is filmed by recreating scenes in which the cast conducts repossessions of automobiles for finance companies. In the show they also perform repossessions of other exotic and strange items such as luxury boats, planes, limousines, motorcycles, ATVs, Zambonis, ice cream trucks, tow trucks, buses, trucks, expensive bicycles, hot air balloons, wood chippers, forklifts, and tanning beds.

Through the Wormhole

Hosted by Morgan Freeman, Through the Wormhole explores the deepest mysteries of existence - the questions that have puzzled mankind for eternity. What are we made of? What was there before the beginning? Are we really alone? Is there a creator? These questions have been pondered by the most exquisite minds of the human race. Now, science has evolved to the point where hard facts and evidence may be able to provide us with answers instead of philosophical theories. Through the Wormhole brings together the brightest minds and best ideas from the very edges of science - Astrophysics, Astrobiology, Quantum Mechanics, String Theory, and more - to reveal the extraordinary truth of our Universe.

Conspiracy?

Conspiracy? is a documentary television series that was created and originally aired on The History Channel that examines recent historical events from the perspective of conspiracy theory. Premiering in 2004 and hosted by Tom Kane, notable episodes have examined the President John F. Kennedy assassination, the Senator Robert F. Kennedy assassination, the conspiracy theory that President Franklin Roosevelt had knowledge of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor before December 7, 1941, and theories about government agencies covering up UFO reports.

The Roman Invasion of Britain

The Roman Invasion of Britain is a British documentary television series. It was first aired in 2008 on the History channel. The three-part series explores the history of Roman Britain by tracing the interaction of Roman conquerors with the native population of Britannia.

Lost Land of the Tiger

Documentary following a team of big cat experts and wildlife filmmakers as they embark upon a dramatic expedition searching for tigers hidden in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan.

True Crime with Aphrodite Jones

Aphrodite Jones goes behind the scenes of famous murder cases to uncover hidden secrets and new information to shed new light on these sensational stories.

Hollywood

A 1980 documentary series exploring the establishment and development of the Hollywood studios and its impact on 1920s culture.

The Secrets of Everything

No question about life or the universe is too random or silly for science adventurer Greg Foot. Using simple demonstrations, sophisticated technology and extreme stunts, Greg explores the science behind our everyday world.

Battle Castle

Battle Castle is an action documentary TV series co-produced by Parallax Film Productions Inc. with London-based Ballista Media Inc. It explores the medieval arms race reflected in castle construction in the Middle Ages and, using location filming, re-enactments and CGI reconstruction, tells the stories of six castles tested by siege. Hosted by Dan Snow, the series has aired on History Television, SBS Australia and most recently, Discovery UK.

The First World War

This ten-part docuseries tells the comprehensive story of the First World War, featuring excerpts written by Winston Churchill, Karen Blixen, Georges Clémenceau, David Lloyd George, Siegfried Sassoon and Rudolf Hess.

Timeshift

Documentary series which ranges widely over Britain's social and cultural history, its narrative-led storytelling offering a richly immersive and varied window onto the past.

Masters of Money

Stephanie Flanders explores the ideas of three influential thinkers who transformed international economics, and examines how their influence has shaped the 20th and 21st centuries. She begins by profiling John Maynard Keynes, the Cambridge-born economist whose ideas revolutionized the approach of Western governments to financial crises during the Great Depression and the Second World War, and explains why the world's leaders drew on his teachings as the global meltdown took hold in 2008.

Forbidden History

Jamie Theakston uncovers the startling truth behind great myths, historical legends, conspiracy theories, ancient treasures, lost civilisations and war time secrets.

How to Survive the End of the World

How To Survive the End of the World examines terrifying and scientifically plausible doomsday scenarios by exploring distinct, world-threatening events and the methods by which humanity would fight to survive against grim odds.

America: Facts vs. Fiction

History as we generally know it is full of holes or half-truths, and a mother lode of juicy details have been lost, distorted, covered up or simply ignored along the way. Former Naval officer and actor Jamie Kaler is on a mission to set the record straight on the most familiar and beloved stories from our nation's and military's past, filling in the blanks, debunking the occasional myth, and exploring why we sometimes get our own history, well, slightly wrong

Codes and Conspiracies

A series that explores secret societies, mysterious symbols and notorious locations.

Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall

In each one-hour episode, Tamron Hall is joined by a core team of correspondents with extensive knowledge of law enforcement and a passion for storytelling. Series goes beyond the headlines to explore not only what happened, but why it happened, and how it was investigated.

Intruders

When psychiatrist Dr. Neil Chase encounters two women suffering from the same symptoms with similar nightmarish stories, rational explanations just don't seem to fit.

Secrets of Great British Castles

Historian Dan Jones explores the millennium of history behind six of Great Britain's most famous castles: Warwick, Dover, Caernarfon, the Tower of London, Carrickfergus, and Stirling.

The Brain with David Eagleman

Neuroscientist David Eagleman explores the interior of the brain to reveal why people feel and think the way they do. Episodes examine how personality, emotions and memories are encoded as neural activity; the unconscious brain; and how the brain navigates thousands of conscious decisions every day. Dr. Eagleman ponders the darker side of humanity and why the brain drives people toward certain actions and behaviors. The series also looks at the future, considering what may be next for the human brain and for the human species.

Wild Carpathia

A travel documentary exploring the scenic beauty and rich culture of the Romanian Carpathian mountains.

Killer Instinct with Chris Hansen

Chris Hansen brings his unrivaled journalistic skills to a series revealing the hidden truth behind America's most shocking murders. His trade-mark interviewing excellence guides the viewer through every twist and turn of an enthralling criminal drama.

Natural Born Outlaws

John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone: these are just some of America's most notorious outlaws. Their violent crime sprees are the stuff of American legend, but there are two sides to every story. Natural Born Outlaws explores the true stories of iconic American desperados and the epic manhunts that would eventually bring them down.

Secret Space Escapes

Revealing terrifying accidents, fights for survival, and stories of close calls and near misses by the astronauts who survived them. This series offers chilling accounts of the challenges of space exploration as told only by the explorers who lived them and the men and women in mission control who helped each team avert disaster.

Hidden Secrets Of Money

Mike Maloney takes you to Egypt to unravel the difference between currency and money. This is one of the most important lessons you will ever learn, and will pave the way for your understanding of future episodes. Because without knowing exactly what money is...how on earth can we expect to learn about it?

Combat Trains

For over a century, locomotives played a vital role in wartime. We explore some of the trains and railways, from the American Civil War through World War II, that turned the tides of battles and changed history. Rarely seen archival footage and accounts from vets who were there highlight these thrilling stories of engineering genius and extraordinary bravery.

Weediquette

VICE correspondent Krishna Andavolu chronicles the science, culture, and economics of the emerging “green” economy. Each episode explores the impact of marijuana legalization across the United States and internationally, examining how people on all sides of this issue are reacting to the growing popularity and acceptance of this remarkable plant.

American Monster

On any street, behind any smile, lurks an American Monster. Never-before-seen-video footage looks straight into the eyes of a killer, hidden in plain sight. Mom next door; dad across the street; the kid who never broke the rules. Anyone can be a monster.

No Man Left Behind

To be trapped behind enemy lines is every soldier’s worst nightmare: a situation they all train for, few experience, and even fewer survive. No Man Left Behind dramatizes the stories of real-life war-heroes whose contribution to the war effort becomes a pure battle for survival against all odds.

Spy in the Wild

Documentary series in which animatronic spy creatures infiltrate the animal world to explore their complex emotions.

Britain’s Most Evil Killers

The smiling parents, the respectable groom, the helpful official... all with evil inside. Britain's Most Evil Killers explores the crimes of Britain's most brutal killers.

Shattered

A look at the ripple effect that crimes have on the families and friends of the victims and criminals.

Epicly Later'd

Filmmaker Patrick O'Dell explores the careers and lives of some of the most influential people in skateboarding–and in the culture at large.

Wormwood

In this genre-bending tale, Errol Morris explores the mysterious death of a U.S. scientist entangled in a secret Cold War program known as MK-Ultra.

Undercover High

Seven young adults go undercover in Highland Park High School in Topeka, Kansas, in an experiment to provide an inside look into the lives of today's teenagers and the issues they face.

Dirty Money

From crippling payday loans to cars that cheat emissions tests, this investigative series exposes brazen acts of corporate greed and corruption.

Mysteries & Scandals

A true crime series investigating Hollywood's most intriguing criminals, murders and cases of corruption, exploring infamous headlines that captured the nation's attention using archival footage, new interviews and stylized depictions of past events.

Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History

A six part docuseries that explores how 12 apostles became 1.2 billion Catholics today and goes inside the Vatican to reveal the true power held by popes throughout the ages.

The Ice Cream Show

Join Isaac Lappert as he crisscrosses the United States to discover the country's best ice cream.

The Case Against Adnan Syed

Explore the 1999 disappearance and murder of 18-year-old Baltimore County high school student Hae Min Lee, and the subsequent conviction of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, a case brought to global attention by the hugely popular Serial podcast.

The Last Defense

This docu-series explores and exposes flaws in the American justice system through emotional, in-depth examinations of the death row cases of Darlie Routier and Julius Jones.

The Wonderland Murders

Hidden amongst the rolling mountains and deep forests of the pacific northwest sits a breeding ground for one of the deadliest terrains in the world. Known as a serial killer's playground, this land once dubbed "Wonderland" due to its grandeur and summer beauty, washes away into nine dreary months of rain that bring gray skies and a falling mist that drives the demons among us to kill. These are The Wonderland Murders.

Walking Britain's Lost Railways

Rob Bell explores the lost landscapes and infrastructure of some of Britain's former railway lines. From the 1960's the axe fell on 4,000 miles of Britain's rail network. Now, decades later, Rob Bell is going on journey to uncover those lost railway lines. Every week Rob will explore a different line; experiencing the hidden landscapes, lost infrastructure and forgotten worlds that disappeared when the line closed.

Dinotopia

After a plane crash, two opposing half-brothers find themselves on an amazing lost island where enlightened pacifist humans and intelligent talking dinosaurs have created a utopian medieval society. But imminent disaster approaches.

Dead of Winter

Haunting true tales of murder set in the cruelest conditions. Featuring raw, emotional first-person interviews with family and investigators, each chilling episode explores what happens when detectives must track down a killer, all while battling the unforgiving elements.

Elvis Goes There

Follow renowned journalist Elvis Mitchell as he travels with A-list filmmakers and actors to places of inspiration around the world with unprecedented access, exploring how each location shaped their work and identity.

Paranormal 911

A shocking number of 911 emergencies end in paranormal encounters. Paranormal 911 explores these events through eye-witness accounts of the first responders who lived them. This gripping drama-doc takes viewers into the unexpected paranormal encounters of first responders.

America's Hidden Stories

Modern historians, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and newly discovered evidence, rewrite the nation's most iconic stories.

What's My Name | Muhammad Ali

Explore Ali’s challenges, confrontations, comebacks and triumphs through recordings of his own voice. The two-part documentary paints an intimate portrait of a man who was a beacon of hope for oppressed people around the world and, in his later years, was recognized as a global citizen and a symbol of humanity and understanding.

Free Meek

This intimate documentary series chronicles Meek Mill's transformation from chart-topping rapper to galvanizing face of criminal justice reform. As Meek, his family and his legal team fight for his freedom, cameras capture the birth of the #FREEMEEK movement and re-investigate a case filled with allegations of dirty cops and systemic corruption in a broken judicial system.

Marvel's 616

Explore Marvel’s rich legacy of pioneering characters, creators and storytelling to reflect the world outside your window. Each documentary, helmed by a unique filmmaker, showcases the intersections of storytelling, pop culture, and fandom within the Marvel Universe.

The First Lady

A revelatory reframing of American leadership through the lens of the First Ladies. Exploring everything from their journeys to Washington, family life, and world-changing political contributions, the impact of the White House's women is no longer hidden from view.

Relatively Evil

Inspired by the box office smash, GET OUT each episode of this intimate psychological thriller will explore the terrifying, real-life events of an outsider who falls for someone in a seemingly normal family only to find themselves entangled in an evil clan capable of abuse, kidnapping, or something even more sinister.As each story unfolds, this fatal fish-out-of-water series is a reflection of life's own unpredictable path of twists and turns, in a journey that exposes the shady underbelly of the family tree. All the while the newcomer is questioning their own sense of reality and in some cases, morality as small signs of trouble become dark and deadly. Once you join the family, can you ever get out?

Secrets of the Superfactories

Secrets of the Superfactories is a fast-paced and fact-filled documentary series that lifts the lid on the production of some of the world’s biggest, greenest and smartest factories around the globe. The series explores how everything from everyday products to iconic design is made and takes viewers into the hidden world of the hyper-efficient and flexible factories of the future.

American Mystery

America's greatest unsolved mysteries are explored through interviews, archival footage and re-creations. Recently unearthed evidence and intriguing, new theories bring each case closer than ever to finally being solved.

McMillion$

A detailed account of the McDonald's Monopoly game scam during the 1990s as told by the participants in the case, including the prizewinners and the FBI agents who caught the security officer who orchestrated the entire scheme.

Sex, Explained

From the biology of attraction to the history of birth control, explore the ins and outs of sex in this entertaining and enlightening series.

History Erased

A fascinating documentary series that celebrates and explores great accomplishments through a unique lens: by instantly removing them and speculating on possible alternate realities. Famous and little-known stories come to life – and their importance explored - as they are peeled away and erased from our world’s timeline.

World of Weapons

A look at some of the most important, innovative and powerful weapons of all time. Through unique experiments run by weapons specialists, explore how and why these weapons work and the role each one has played in shaping the world we know today.

Cursed Films

A documentary series exploring the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously “cursed” horror film productions. From plane accidents and bombings during the making of The Omen, to the rumored use of real human skeletons on the set of Poltergeist, these stories are legendary amongst film fans and filmmakers alike. But where does the truth lie?

Tiny Creatures

Little animals embark on big adventures across the U.S. in a dramatic nature series that explores their hidden worlds and epic survival stories.

State of Play

A cutting-edge documentary series from filmmaker Peter Berg that explores vital themes in society and culture through the unifying lens of sports.

Strangest Things

From a piece of meteorite found in Tutankhamun's tomb to the Crown of Thorns, explore some of the most perplexing and unusual objects lying hidden away in museums, laboratories and storage rooms

The Secrets to Civilization

Secrets to Civilisation is a groundbreaking History series which explores the recent explosion in data about our planet's past, offering a completely fresh perspective on the ancient world from the Bronze Age to the fall of Rome.

The Next Thing You Eat

From chef David Chang and Academy Award–winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville, The Next Thing You Eat is a six-episode docuseries that explores the seismic changes happening all around us and what they mean for the way we'll eat in the future. Chang and a diverse cast of characters dive headfirst into what lies ahead, including everything from burger-flipping robots, to lab-grown fish, to insect farms, to artificial intelligence calling all the shots.

The Murders at Starved Rock

This documentary series explores the 1960 brutal murders of three women in Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County, Illinois, and the decades of questions and doubts that have haunted the son of the prosecutor in the case, as the man found guilty seeks to clear his name after sixty years in prison.

Something Bit Me!

The series explores the peculiar true stories of bug bites, insect stings and animal attacks that have sent people to the ER.

The Real Peaky Blinders

Exploring the mass gang movement that originated in Birmingham and other industrial cities in the 19th century and evolved into modern gangsterism in the early 20th.

Tales From The Explorers Club

At the world-famous Explorers Club, a gathering place for trailblazers, club member Josh Gates recounts the greatest adventures of all time.

Big City Broker

Get an insider's look at the business of urban residential property, and how it shapes a city's landscape, as seen through the eyes of a driven businessman. Join Brad J. Lamb and his team in this fly-on-the-wall docu-soap series. Each episode, explores the inner workings of his thriving realty sales and development company – one of the most successful private real estate groups in North America. Explosively compelling and addictive, "Big City Broker" focuses on the angst and joy, the dramas and intrigue that make up Brad J Lamb’s world of property sales and development. Who knew that buildings could be so sexy?

100 Years of Warner Bros.

Tracing a century of movie and TV history, these four documentary specials explore the unparalleled global impact of Warner Bros. on art, commerce, and culture.

Arnold

This intimate docuseries follows Arnold Schwarzenegger's multifaceted life and career, from bodybuilding champ to Hollywood icon to politician.

Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland

Twenty-five years on from a peace agreement being reached, Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland shares intimate, unheard testimonies from all sides of the conflict.

The Curious Case of Natalia Grace

This stranger-than-fiction series explores the question of whether Natalia Barnett is an exploited Ukrainian child with dwarfism or a dangerous adult masquerading as a child. Featuring exclusive bombshell interviews with members of Natalia's adoptive family, relatives, friends, legal experts, and neighbors, this docuseries offers a never-before-seen glimpse into the Barnett family, Natalia's identity, Michael Barnett's October 2022 trial, as well as key insights into new theories and evidence.

Jonathan Meades: Abroad Again

Jonathan Meades Explores architecture and the British psyche once again in this series.

Art, Death & Taxes

Art, Death & Taxes unpacks the art world’s greatest taboo: money. Eight acclaimed artists explore the economics of their practice, peeling back the curtain on all the work that goes into the work.

You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment

Identical twins change their diets and lifestyles for eight weeks in a unique scientific experiment designed to explore how certain foods impact the body.

American Masters

American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.

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