Fifty years after the Stanford Prison Experiment shocked the world, National Geographic’s three-part docuseries, The Stanford Prison Experiment: Unlocking the Truth, revisits the controversial study.
Premiering November 13th on National Geographic and streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu, the series aims to challenge the accepted narrative, largely shaped by the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Philip Zimbardo.
Rather than relying solely on Zimbardo’s interpretations, the series centers on firsthand accounts from the original participants – the “guards” and “prisoners” – many speaking on camera for the first time. This shift in focus allows for a more nuanced examination of the experiment’s events and its lasting impact.
Director Juliette Eisner suggests the series will uncover inconsistencies and complexities that complicate the traditional good versus evil narrative. This reexamination is particularly relevant given Zimbardo’s recent passing, allowing for a more critical assessment of his motivations and potential biases.
While the Stanford Prison Experiment has been extensively analyzed over the decades, the inclusion of previously unheard voices may offer genuine new insights. The series also features one of Zimbardo’s final interviews, alongside his wife, Dr. Christina Maslach, providing his own perspective on the experiment and its legacy.
The docuseries explores Zimbardo’s background, the media frenzy surrounding the experiment, and the ethical questions it raised. It culminates in a reunion of participants on a replica set of the “prison,” a potentially revealing opportunity for reflection and, perhaps, some measure of closure.
The Stanford Prison Experiment: Unlocking the Truth is directed by Juliette Eisner and executive produced by Alex Braverman and Juliette Eisner. For Muck Media, executive producers include Darren Foster, Cristina Costantini, Jennifer Wood, and Krista Manis. For National Geographic, Josh Cole is executive producer, Bengt Anderson is senior vice president of Unscripted Content, and Tom McDonald is executive vice president of Global Factual and Unscripted Content.
