The BEST episodes of Adam Ruins Everything

Every episode of Adam Ruins Everything ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Adam Ruins Everything!

In Adam Ruins Everything, host Adam Conover employs a combination of comedy, history and science to dispel widespread misconceptions about everything we take for granted. A blend of entertainment and enlightenment, Adam Ruins Everything is like that friend who knows a little bit too much about everything and is going to tell you about it… whether you like it or not.

Last Updated: 2/4/2024Network: truTVStatus: Ended
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Adam Ruins Prison
star
7.96
380 votes

#1 - Adam Ruins Prison

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 11/22/2016

When Emily gets tossed in the slammer, her cellmate reveals that corporations make money off prison inmates while the system does nothing to reduce crime. Adam then sheds light on jail rehabilitation and solitary confinement.

Watch Now:Amazon
Adam Ruins Giving
star
7.96
729 votes

#2 - Adam Ruins Giving

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/29/2015

Adam exposes why shoe companies that give away free footwear do more harm than good, and explains why you should stop giving food pantries your leftover canned goods.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adam Ruins Drugs
star
7.95
409 votes

#3 - Adam Ruins Drugs

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 11/15/2016

Adam weeds through the misconceptions of marijuana and exposes the blunt truth about the War on Drugs - that it stemmed from a racist and political agenda. Plus, Adam illustrates why prescription pills are the true gateway drug.

Watch Now:Amazon
Adam Ruins Voting
star
7.90
433 votes

#4 - Adam Ruins Voting

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/10/2015

Adam explores the twisted history of the Electoral College, explaining that the Founding Fathers did not want most Americans to vote. He also takes a stab at fixing a political system that seems rigged against true democracy.

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Adam Ruins Malls
star
7.89
398 votes

#5 - Adam Ruins Malls

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 9/13/2016

Adam and Emily go on a shopping spree of knowledge and find that malls were created as tax loopholes, nutrient supplements are often unregulated, and most eyeglasses are made by one manufacturer that inflates its prices.

Watch Now:Amazon
Adam Ruins Sex
star
7.86
436 votes

#6 - Adam Ruins Sex

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/8/2015

Adam reveals that circumcision was popularized by a bunch of masturbation-curbing 19th century prudes. Plus, he reveals why the fear of having herpes is overblown and explores why the term "pop your cherry" is a bunch of nonsense.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adam Ruins Weddings
star
7.84
382 votes

#7 - Adam Ruins Weddings

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 9/6/2016

Emily and Murph's wedding day is here - but Adam's gift of information may rain on their parade. Adam reveals how most wedding "traditions" were recently created by consumerism, and that divorce is actually a wonderful thing.

Watch Now:Amazon
Adam Ruins Flying
star
7.84
97 votes

#8 - Adam Ruins Flying

Season 2 - Episode 26 - Aired 12/18/2018

Adam causes turbulence when he reveals that reward miles drive up costs, and revisits the "golden age" of air travel to uncover smoky, sexist death traps in the sky. Plus, airline mergers are crippling smaller cities.

Watch Now:Amazon
Emily Ruins Adam
star
7.83
259 votes

#9 - Emily Ruins Adam

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 8/29/2017

Emily takes over to "ruin" Adam, pointing out where his facts fall short. She debunks the idea that IQ tests measure intelligence and points to information Adam has gotten wrong in the past. Plus, she explains the "backfire effect."

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Adam Ruins Hollywood
star
7.82
392 votes

#10 - Adam Ruins Hollywood

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 8/23/2016

Adam Ruins everything about Hollywood from award shows to reality television

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Adam Ruins Work
star
7.82
404 votes

#11 - Adam Ruins Work

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/2015

Adam shows how the 40-hour work week not only exhausts employees but also harms businesses, reveals the legal mess of hiring interns and freelancers, and explores how discussing your salary with co-workers is actually a good thing.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adam Ruins Restaurants
star
7.82
505 votes

#12 - Adam Ruins Restaurants

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/27/2015

Adam explains why tipping is a custom worth ditching, shows that experts can't tell the difference between wines, and reveals that mislabeled seafood is rampant in the industry.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adam Ruins Having a Baby
star
7.81
357 votes

#13 - Adam Ruins Having a Baby

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/11/2017

Adam dispels the myth about getting pregnant after 35, delves into breastfeeding vs formula, and explores postpartum depression for women - and men.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adam Ruins Sleep
star
7.81
109 votes

#14 - Adam Ruins Sleep

Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 12/4/2018

Adam has a rude awakening for everything you thought you knew about sleep (or lack of it), from the mattress industry to supposedly lazy teens to sleep aids.

Watch Now:Amazon
Adam Ruins Immigration
star
7.79
386 votes

#15 - Adam Ruins Immigration

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 9/27/2016

Adam illustrates how: a border wall wouldn't keep out legal immigrants who overstay their visas, racist mass deportations have historically led to disaster, and immigration courts are a huge mess.

Watch Now:Amazon
Adam Ruins Nutrition
star
7.79
387 votes

#16 - Adam Ruins Nutrition

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/15/2015

Adam shows why vitamin supplements don't make us any healthier, and that the "balanced breakfast" we've been sold is anything but. Later, he reveals how most of the nutritional science the media reports on isn't science at all.

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Adam Ruins Hygiene
star
7.78
472 votes

#17 - Adam Ruins Hygiene

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/3/2015

Adam reveals that the term "halitosis" was popularized in a 1920's ad campaign that used cruel ads to make people insecure about their breath, and explains why running water is one of the greatest miracles of modern times.

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Adam Ruins What We Learned in School
star
7.77
287 votes

#18 - Adam Ruins What We Learned in School

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/15/2017

Adam shows that Columbus didn't discover America, King Tut was a dud and the rules of grammar are not as ironclad as people think.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adam Ruins Security
star
7.77
635 votes

#19 - Adam Ruins Security

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/6/2015

Adam sets his sights on security, explaining that airport security wastes too much of our time and money, medicine safety seals do nothing to protect us, and your credit card number isn't remotely secure.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adam Ruins Death
star
7.75
387 votes

#20 - Adam Ruins Death

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/22/2015

Adam explores death. Included: immortality; the American funeral industry; medical decisions.

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Adam Ruins the Internet
star
7.75
403 votes

#21 - Adam Ruins the Internet

Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 12/6/2016

While on a magical technological journey, Adam shows that smartphones are not the society-killers you'd think they are, American cable service providers are basically cartels, and most "free" sites are actually very costly.

Watch Now:Amazon
Adam Ruins Cars
star
7.75
591 votes

#22 - Adam Ruins Cars

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/13/2015

Adam exposes the surprising truths behind car dealerships, unearths the dirty little secrets of car ownership, and reveals that the concept of "jaywalking" was created by auto manufacturers to blame pedestrians for car crashes.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adam Ruins Cops
star
7.75
95 votes

#23 - Adam Ruins Cops

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 9/24/2019

The truth behind the overuse of SWAT teams; how school officers can create a pipeline for prisons; and the origins and intended purpose of police officers.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adam Ruins Animals
star
7.75
381 votes

#24 - Adam Ruins Animals

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 9/20/2016

Adam explores how purebred dogs are genetic monsters created by bored Victorians; domestic cats are overpopulated killing machines that threaten other animals; and wild animal trophy hunting can actually help endangered species.

Watch Now:Amazon
Adam Ruins Housing
star
7.74
377 votes

#25 - Adam Ruins Housing

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 10/4/2016

Adam gets evicted from his home, and while searching for a new place, he exposes the harsh realities of real estate. Plus, Adam explains why helping the homeless is a lot simpler and more straightforward than you might think.

Watch Now:Amazon