American Experience
Season 28
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes8
Release
Original networkPBS
Original releaseJanuary 19 (2016-01-19) –
November 1, 2016 (2016-11-01)
Season chronology
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List of episodes

Season twenty-eight of the television program American Experience aired on the PBS network in the United States on January 19, 2016 and concluded on November 1, 2016. The season contained eight new episodes and began with the film Bonnie & Clyde.

Episodes

See also: List of American Experience episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
3111"Bonnie & Clyde"[3]John MaggioJohn MaggioJanuary 19, 2016 (2016-01-19)
A documentary about the origins, notoriety, and demise of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, members of a Depression era criminal group known as the Barrow Gang. After undeveloped film of the couple was discovered by the police and circulated by the media, the couple's crime spree and playful images captured the attention of the American public.[1][2] Narrated by Michael Murphy.
3122"The Mine Wars"[5]Randall MacLowryTeleplay by : Mark Zwonitzer
Story by : Paul Taylor		January 26, 2016 (2016-01-26)
A chronicle of coal mine workers in southern West Virginia and their efforts to form a labor union during the West Virginia coal wars. The film is in part based on the book, The Devil Is Here in These Hills, by James Green.[4] Narrated by Michael Murphy.
3133"Murder of a President"[7]Rob RapleyTeleplay by : Rob Rapley
Story by : Paul Taylor		February 2, 2016 (2016-02-02)
The film chronicles the life and death of President James A. Garfield, the fourth president to die while in office. He was shot twice by Charles J. Guiteau due to a delusional belief he could secure a patronage position from Garfield's successor Vice President Chester A. Arthur. Garfield died two months later from infected wounds and poor medical care by physician Doctor Willard Bliss. The film is based in part on the book, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President, by Candice Millard.[6] Narrated by Michael Murphy. Voices: Shuler Hensley (James A. Garfield), Kathryn Erbe (Lucretia Garfield), Will Janowitz (Charles J. Guiteau).
3144"The Perfect Crime"[11]Cathleen O'ConnellMichelle FerrariFebruary 9, 2016 (2016-02-09)
A film about Jazz Age murderers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, their defense attorney Clarence Darrow, and the "trial of the century". The two 19-year-old men met while attending the University of Chicago and discovered they possessed similar backgrounds and experiences. Both young men were intelligent, of Jewish descent, and born into wealthy families that resided in the affluent Kenwood neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Influenced by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and his concept of supermen (Übermenschen), they kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old Bobby Frank for the thrill of the kill in 1924. After mounting clues began to implicate them, the two young men confessed their entire plot to State's Attorney Robert E. Crowe. In court, the trial became a debate between Crowe and Darrow about the death penalty. Among the American public, the high-profile case became a debate about human nature.[8][9][10] Narrated by Oliver Platt. Voice of Clarence Darrow: James Cromwell.
3155"Space Men"[15]Amanda PollakAmanda PollakMarch 1, 2016 (2016-03-01)
A chronicle of the pre-human spaceflight research in the United States prior to the well-publicized work of NASA and the Mercury 7 during the early development of the US space program.[12][13][14] Narrated by Michael Murphy.
3166"The Boys of ’36"[18]Margaret GrossiAaron R. CohenAugust 2, 2016 (2016-08-02)
A documentary about the working class eight-oared varsity crew from the University of Washington that represented the United States during the 1936 Summer Olympics. They narrowly defeated crews from Italy and Germany to win the gold medal in Nazi Germany. The team's coach was Al Ulbrickson; the cocswain was Robert Moch; and the shell builder was George Yeoman Pocock. The film is based in part on the book, The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, by Daniel James Brown.[16][17] Narrated by Oliver Platt.
3177"Tesla"[21]David GrubinDavid GrubinOctober 18, 2016 (2016-10-18)
A film about the inventions and inventiveness of Serbian-born American engineer Nikola Tesla.[19][20] Narrated by Michael Murphy.
3188"The Battle of Chosin"[23]Randall MacLowryMark ZwonitzerNovember 1, 2016 (2016-11-01)
A chronicle of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, a 17-day battle during the Korean War in 1950.[22] Narrated by Michael Murphy.

References

  1. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (January 14, 2016). "'American Experience' Looks Back at Bonnie and Clyde". New York Times. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  2. ^ Keough, Peter (January 16, 2016). "Meet the Real Bonnie and Clyde". Boston Globe. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  3. ^ "American Experience | Bonnie & Clyde". PBS. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  4. ^ Feeney, Mark (January 26, 2016). "'The Mine Wars' Looks at Labor Strife a Century Ago". Boston Globe. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  5. ^ "American Experience | The Mine Wars". PBS. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  6. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (January 29, 2016). "Review: 'American Experience' Traces President Garfield's Assassination". New York Times. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  7. ^ "American Experience | Murder of a President". PBS. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  8. ^ Lowry, Brian (February 8, 2016). "TV Review: Frontline's 'The Fantasy Sports Gamble,' American Experience's 'The Perfect Crime'". Variety. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  9. ^ Rothman, Lily (February 9, 2016). "The 'Affluenza' Defense Is Older Than You Think". Time. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  10. ^ Metz, Nina (February 8, 2016). "PBS' 'American Experience' Puts Chicago's Teen Killers Leopold and Loeb Under Examination". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  11. ^ "American Experience | The Perfect Crime". PBS. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  12. ^ Emspak, Jesse (February 29, 2016). "'Space Men': Documentary Shows How Balloon Tests Paved Way to Space". Space.com. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  13. ^ Howell, Elizabeth (February 25, 2016). "'Space Men:' Ascending to Earth's Deadliest Frontier". Discovery. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  14. ^ Boedeker, Hal (February 26, 2016). "Before NASA, Joe Kittinger and Space Men Soared". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  15. ^ "American Experience | Space Men". PBS. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  16. ^ Ziv, Stav (August 2, 2016). "New Film Shows How a U.S. Rowing Team Beat Hitler at the Berlin Olympics (Exclusive Clip)". Newsweek. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  17. ^ Wiegand, David (July 28, 2016). "Story of 1936 Olympics Rowers is Truly an 'American Experience'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  18. ^ "American Experience | The Boys of '36". PBS. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  19. ^ Calore, Michael (October 17, 2016). "Watch an Exclusive Clip From PBS's Nikola Tesla Documentary". Wired. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  20. ^ Boyle, Alan (October 18, 2016). "PBS Documentary Shines a Light on Nikola Tesla as the Hero of a Geek Tragedy". GeekWire. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  21. ^ "American Experience | Tesla". PBS. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  22. ^ BWW News Desk (November 1, 2016). "PBS's American Experience to Revisit 'The Battle of Chosin', Today". Broad Way World. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  23. ^ "American Experience | The Battle of Chosin". PBS. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
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