America: Facts vs. Fiction

Season 5

TV-PG

Host Jamie Kaler debunks classic American myths

Where to Watch America: Facts vs. Fiction • Season 5

24 Episodes

World War 2
E1
World War 2The war waged by America's greatest generation is obscured by myth. Few remember that an American admiral played a pivotal role in showing Japan how to attack Pearl Harbor or that the German army was not the mechanized wonder it's reputed to be.
Smoking, Drinking and Gambling
E2
Smoking, Drinking and GamblingMyths obscure the real facts about our favorite vices: smoking, drinking and gambling. You won't believe which nation had the first anti-smoking campaign, what those three X's on a jug of moonshine mean, or where our first slot machines appeared.
Liberty, Leprechauns and Lounging
E3
Liberty, Leprechauns and LoungingMyths taint our knowledge of the 4th of July, St. Patrick's Day, and our favorite mini-holiday, the weekend. We should celebrate Independence Day on July 2nd, St. Patrick wasn't Irish, and the idea of a fun weekend is a recent creation.
The Real West
E4
The Real WestMuch of what we know about the old west is myth, not fact, drawn from movies and TV. Gunfights never started with a quick draw, cowboys weren't all white, and Native Americans feared enemies more menacing than settlers and soldiers.
Secret Societies
E5
Secret SocietiesMuch of what we know about America's secret societies is myth, not truth. The Freemasons have no evil agenda, the Mafia took root not in New York, but the South, and Harvard's Skull and Bones does not control a sinister shadow government.
Space: The Final Frontier
E6
Space: The Final FrontierMyths eclipse the real facts about NASA's dramatic rescue of three astronauts aboard the crippled Apollo 13 spacecraft; and Hollywood movies have a hit-and-miss track record of depicting the realties of interstellar exploration.
The Atomic Age
E7
The Atomic AgeThe real facts of the nuclear age are clouded by myth. Manhattan played a major role in the Manhattan Project; there were closer calls to World War III than the Cuban Missile Crisis; America's nuclear security hinges on a football and a biscuit.
American Villains
E8
American VillainsMyths litter the stories of America's most infamous bad guys. Al Capone was a philanthropist as well as a hood; Benedict Arnold was a hero as well as a traitor, Jesse James was no wild west Robin Hood; and we've got Billy the Kid's nickname wrong.
Famous Feuds
E9
Famous FeudsMyths distort the stories of two of America's most renowned rivalries. Before their fateful duel, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr were law partners; and the conflict between the Hatfields and McCoys didn't end in the backwoods, but a courtroom.
Moments That Changed History
E10
Moments That Changed HistoryMyths and misconceptions surround four pivotal historic moments: the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C., the Boston Tea Party in 1773, and the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
The Civil War
E11
The Civil WarMyths cloud the real facts of America's Civil War. The North's biggest city tried to secede; the Union didn't go to war to end slavery; most deaths weren't caused by battle wounds, and Grant and Lee didn't end the conflict; two other generals did.
Bad Medicine
E12
Bad MedicineAmerica's medical history is infected with myths. George Washington's doctors may have inadvertently killed him; Abraham Lincoln used a toxic remedy that warped his mind; and heroin was once a best-selling cough suppressant.
Bonus Round: Vote for the Truth
E13
Bonus Round: Vote for the TruthProfiles of U.S. generals, including Dwight Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur. Also: a look at Washington, D.C., landmarks.
Bonus Round: Fire in the Sky
E14
Bonus Round: Fire in the SkyOn this special edition of America: Facts vs. Fiction, we explore the myths behind extraterrestrial spacecraft and we learn the truth of two pioneering flights.
Bonus Round: Secret Vaults and Final Journeys
E15
Bonus Round: Secret Vaults and Final JourneysInvestigating the nation's most secret vaults to separate fiction from fact.
Bonus Round: The Truth Will Set You Free
E16
Bonus Round: The Truth Will Set You FreeProfiles of Lewis and Clark; and Pocahontas. Also: a look at the women's suffrage movement.
Bonus Round: America Celebrates
E17
Bonus Round: America CelebratesThe spotlight is on amusement parks and world's fairs to separate fiction from truth; explore the myths of two of our favorite holidays, Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Bonus Round: Patriots and Presidents
E18
Bonus Round: Patriots and PresidentsThe birth of America and the powerful people behind it are featured.
Bonus Round: Cowboys vs. Hollywood
E19
Bonus Round: Cowboys vs. HollywoodHollywood's vision of the old west is explored. Included: the truth behind some of America's renowned rivalries.
Bonus Round: No Liars Allowed
E20
Bonus Round: No Liars AllowedThe true stories behind America's most infamous bad guys; and the truths behind America's notorious secret societies are investigated.
Bonus Round: Yankees, Rebels and World War II
E21
Bonus Round: Yankees, Rebels and World War IIThe myths behind World War II are exposed. Delves into the truths that are often forgotten when it comes to America's Civil War.
Bonus Round: Vices and Vacations
E22
Bonus Round: Vices and VacationsThe myths surrounding popular favorite vices and the facts behind the most-liked holidays are explored.
Bonus Round: Monumental Realities
E23
Bonus Round: Monumental RealitiesThe myths behind some of history's most defining moments are uncovered, as well as revealing facts behind America's space explorations.
Bonus Round: Science or Sci-Fi?
E24
Bonus Round: Science or Sci-Fi?The science in America's history is examined, including its medical history and its nuclear age.