The WORST episodes of History Channel Documentaries

#1 - Decoding the Past: Secrets of the Dollar Bill

Season 2007 - Episode 15 - Aired 7/27/2006

What do the symbols and numbers on the dollar bill actually mean? We'll take a look at the shadier and more intriguing threads of meaning and symbolism at play in the bill's design. Extraordinary strands of numerology are interwoven into the bill's structure which on analysis suggest surprising hidden alignments. Why does it look the way it does and how has it changed through the ages? We'll analyze the significance of changes in the bill's appearance over time and examine alternative designs. We'll also look at the historical context of the bill's conception--what the dollar bill set out to represent--the patriotism and idealism of a young republic; and go inside the Treasury's Department of Printing and Engraving for exclusive access to the presses and the people who process the millions upon millions of dollars in circulation.

#2 - The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling

Season 2000 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/4/2000

A & E goes behind the scenes for a rough-and-tumble look at the people and history behind today's most flamboyant sport-pro wrestling. In addition to interviews with Jesse the Body Ventura, Hulk Hogan, Andr+ª the Giant and many others, you'll be treated to clips of some of the sport's earliest stars.

#3 - Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier

Season 2007 - Episode 70 - Aired 2/19/2007

Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier is a 2-hour 2007 television documentary about the 40-year history of Star Trek and an auction of Star Trek props released by Paramount Pictures for an auction by Christie's auction house in New York City. The documentary aired in the United States on February 19, 2007 and March 3, 2007 on The History Channel.

#4 - The Plot to Kill Nixon

Season 2005 - Episode 29 - Aired 1/27/2005

This documentary tells the story of an out-of-work tire salesman, Samuel Byck, who, in 1974, attempted to hijack a jet and crash it into the White House. The feature film "The Assassination of Richard Nixon," which stars Sean Penn, is based on Byck's tale.

#5 - A Deadly Possession

Season 2013 - Episode 23 - Aired 8/1/2013

In the fall of 2001, Kevin Mannis, a Portland, OR area antiques dealer, stopped by a local estate sale to buy a few items for his store. He bought an unassuming wine box and after he purchased it, all hell broke loose in his life.

#6 - Time Machine: Banned from the Bible

Season 2003 - Episode 22 - Aired 7/17/2016

#7 - Alexander Graham Bell & the Telephone (History Channel)

Season 2008 - Episode 41 - Aired 1/15/2008

March 1876: Alexander Graham Bell struggles with an invention that may change the world. Early nineteenth century America is experiencing an explosive growth and expansion across a vast landscape. A technology is needed to meet the communication needs for this new nation, and Bell is convinced that he can transmit speech over great distances. Early telegraphs can only transmit one message over one wire at one time, and the message must be coded and decoded one letter at a time. Bell begins work on a multiple telegraph, but his genius will lead to a different revolutionary device that will carry thousands of simultaneous messages and shape the future--the telephone.

#8 - Hidden History in Your House

Season 2014 - Episode 26 - Aired 5/23/2014

What does Thomas Jefferson have to do with your lights? How is Henry Ford connected to your grill? What does your pool have to do with taxidermy?

#9 - Ghost Planes: And the Mystery of Flight 370

Season 2014 - Episode 27 - Aired 8/9/2014

At the time of this writing, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, transporting 227 passengers and 12 crew members from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, has been missing for months. An unprecedented international search was unable to locate any bodies or debris. According to the Aviation Society Network, more than 80 aircrafts have been declared "missing" since 1948--"Ghost Planes" that have literally vanished without a trace.

#10 - Russia, Land of the Tsars

Season 2003 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/27/2003

Product Description Its forests stretch from Europe to the Pacific. Its winters have vanquished the mightiest armies ever mustered. Its people have borne the excesses of some of history's most notorious rulers. RUSSIA: LAND OF THE TSARS illuminates the imperial past of the world's largest nation. At the heart of this epic tale are the figures whose names have become legend: Ivan the Terrible who expanded the empire at the rate of 50 miles-and innumerable lives-a day; Peter the Great whose sweeping reforms westernized the nation; and Catherine the Great whose rule was marked by conquest change and controversy. Filmed on location throughout Russia enriched by exclusive visits to important sites and museums and filled with commentary from renowned scholars this is a kaleidoscopic captivating portrait of a land that has endured centuries of despair and rebellion innovation and conflict. DVD Features: 3 Episodes of A&E's Award-Winning Series Biography: Peter the Great: The Tyrant Reformer Ivan the Terrible: Might and Madness Rasputin: The Mad Monk; Tsar Timeline; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection From the Back Cover Its forests stretch from Europe to the Pacific. Its winters have vanquished the mightiest armies ever mustered. Its people have borne the excesses of some of history's most notorious rulers. RUSSIA: LAND OF THE TSARS illuminates the imperial past of the world's largest nation. At the heart of this epic tale are the figures whose names have become legend: Ivan the Terrible, who expanded the empire at the rate of 50 miles--and innumerable lives--a day; Peter the Great, whose sweeping reforms westernized the nation; and Catherine the Great, whose rule was marked by conquest, change and controversy. Filmed on location throughout Russia, enriched by exclusive visits to important sites and museums, and filled with commentary from renowned scholars, this is a kaleidoscopic, captivating portrait of a land that has endured centuries of despair and rebelli

#11 - The Rise and Fall of El Chapo

Season 2016 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/24/2016

Killer, drug smuggler, folk hero, Houdini of jailhouse escapes--the legend of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is well known. But now this two-hour documentary special reveals an unprecedented look at the man behind the myth and how his international drug cartel impacts us right here at home.

#12 - 50 Years of Star Trek

Season 2016 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/14/2016

“50 Years of Star Trek” celebrates the iconic Star Trek franchise that has spanned generations and spawned a diehard cult following. Cast and creators, including Leonard Nimoy in one of his final full length interviews, give an inside look into the series and reflect on its legacy. From primetime television series to worldwide blockbuster, the Star Trek franchise has long been a pop culture phenomenon. Directed by Ian Roumain, “50 Years of Star Trek” explores the series with those who know it best. The documentary features interviews with cast members and creators from all Star Trek television series and films including Whoopi Goldberg (“Guinan”), Jonathan Frakes (“Riker”), Nichelle Nichols (“Uhura”), J.J. Abrams, Bryan Fuller, and Simon Pegg as they reflect on their contribution to the ground breaking franchise and reveal their all-time favorite episodes and iconic moments from the past 50 years. The documentary also highlights the unique fan culture the series has created. Notable Trekkies Michael McKean, Olivia Munn, Bruce Campbell and others share their memories about the series and explore how it has impacted American history and culture.

#13 - 15 Septembers Later

Season 2016 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/5/2016

Featuring interviews with key political figures including President George W Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Rudolph Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg, and media heavy hitters Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw and Matthew Broderick, this documentary event examines 9/11 through the lens of the last 15 years. Brought to life by photos declassified in 2016, recently released documents from the 9/11 commission, and never before heard stories from photographers and first responders, a new perspective will arise to provide an unrivaled viewpoint of the historic attack.

#14 - America's 9/11 Flag: Rise From the Ashes

Season 2016 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/11/2016

Featuring best-selling author and History host Brad Meltzer, this program uncovers the mystery and search of the iconic Ground Zero 9/11 Flag. Captured in an iconic photo that galvanized America, the flag disappeared on 9/11. Along with key forensic and art crimes experts, Brad attempts to unravel the mystery.

#15 - Behind The DaVinci Code

Season 2005 - Episode 279 - Aired 7/25/2005

Before Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code, there was Holy Blood, Holy Grail, written by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln, that is known for its revelation of the possibility of a sacred bloodline continued by Jesus and Mary Magdalene. It was their research on which Brown based much of his novel. Now, 30-some years since they wrote their last follow-ups, Henry Lincoln continues to investigate the source of the story. In this special, the man who launched the whole story breaks his silence, allowing viewers to unlock his secrets and addressing critics who say the whole thing is a hoax. We also explore the connection to the Knights Templar.

#16 - White Supremacy: Going Under

Season 2016 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/1/2016

Tells the extraordinary stories of three people who infiltrated white hate groups in an effort to bring them down from the inside. But these individuals unknowingly become part of fighting something far larger: the tight network of American white supremacy groups that is growing bolder and stronger every day.

#17 - Nostradamus: Election 2016

Season 2016 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/6/2016

Some experts on Nostradamus’s prophecies say that the French seer has already predicted the result of the 2016 presidential election in his 1555 book Les Propheties. They point to his description of the rise of the “masculine woman” also known as “The Queen” or “The Blonde One” and also of the “great shameless, audacious bawler”. The latter they assume refers to Donald Trump.

#18 - The Real Wolfman

Season 2009 - Episode 276 - Aired 10/28/2009

In the mid 1700s, a mysterious beast viciously attacked and killed 102 villagers in the French village of Gevaudan. The victims, mostly women and children, were mauled and decapitated, their naked bodies all bearing the bite marks of a non-human creature. The killings mark the largest number of alleged werewolf attacks in history and are the basis of the Hollywood Wolfman legend. Venture deep into the mythology and folklore of werewolves with renowned cryptozoologist Ken Gerhardt and veteran criminal profiler George Deuchar as they investigate this reviled creature that brutally kills when the moon is full. In their investigation, they uncover intriguing paranormal transformations, diseases that make men look and act like animals, strange but true stories of children raised by wolves and, eventually, the dark side of human nature in the horrific truth behind the Gevaudan werewolf attacks

#19 - Inside The Volcano

Season 2006 - Episode 253 - Aired 12/1/2006

Travel around the globe, and below its surface, to plumb the mysteries of the always-fascinating volcano. From gorgeous, pyrotechnic lava floes on Hawaii to awe-inspiring mushroom-clouds, humans cannot help but be fascinated by the earth-shaking grandeur of volcanoes. For four billion years, volcanoes have impacted life on earth. Empires have been destroyed, civilizations decimated – not to mention the possible extinction of dinosaurs and spurring of Ice Ages. And, like tuning a car engine by measuring its emissions, we can learn how our planet works by measuring the elements emitted from its diabolical vents.

#20 - Sex in the Ancient World: Pompeii

Season 2009 - Episode 275 - Aired 8/3/2009

The oldest known brothel in the world is discovered in Pompeii. A startling system is revealed that includes widespread prostitution and sexual slavery. Experts piece together the elaborate system and show how the sex trade helped reinforce class and power in Ancient Rome.

#21 - A Short History of Ireland

Season 2001 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/17/2001

Based on the book by the same name, this lyrical treatment of Irish history is revealed through stunning photography of its lush countryside and reenactments of historic events--from the ancient Celts to the Williamite War, and onto the bloody Easter Rising and the life of the revolutionary Michael Collins. This episode aired on the History Channel as a preview for the History International channel.

#22 - Celebrating the Green: The History of St. Patrick's Day

Season 1998 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/15/1998

In Ireland, March 17th is a feast day honoring the bishop who Christianized the island; but in America it's a boisterous celebration of Irish heritage. We'll march up New York's Fifth Avenue with over 150,000 celebrants at the largest and oldest parade on the day all Americans are Irish. With Andrew Greeley and Frank McCourt.

#23 - Christmas at War

Season 1995 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/24/1995

In the jungles of Vietnam, soldiers decorated palm trees and gave makeshift gifts to comrades. In the bitter chill of Valley Forge, Washington's men wrote longing letters home to family and loved ones who prayed for their safe return. In the blistering sands of Desert Storm, USO Santas cheered the homesick troops. CHRISTMAS AT WAR is a fascinating look at the way fighting men have dealt with the season of peace throughout history. Heartwarming and heartbreaking, it is a testament to the strength and flexibility of the human spirit. Hear the words of Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers in letters to home. See rare footage of Christmas celebrations in World War II, from Europe's frozen battlefields to South Pacific islands. Discover incredible tales of unspoken cease-fires, when enemy troops have discarded their uniforms and hostilities for one night. It's an intimate, moving look at the way fighting men reconcile the reality of war with the celebration of peace, an unforgettable portrait of humanity at its most human.

#24 - Voodoo Secrets

Season 2005 - Episode 278 - Aired 5/1/2005

A cult of magic spells, diabolical curses, satanic worship, human sacrifice, zombies, and dolls stuck with pins? Experts explain how, over the past few centuries, the ancient religion of Voodoo has been systematically maligned, persecuted, and nearly wiped out. To uncover the truth behind Voodoo, we travel to where it began at least 5,000 years ago on the central west coast of Africa. In the tiny nation of Benin, Voodoo is practiced today as it has been for thousands of years. Our cameras captured a rarely-seen event--an African Voodoo ceremony with animal sacrifice. We also investigate grisly events blamed on Voodoo, such as: the sinking of a ferry in Haiti that killed 200 people and was blamed on a Voodoo curse; death of Robert Tallant, author of the 1947 bestseller Voodoo in New Orleans; and how Marie Laveau, the "Queen of Voodoo" in New Orleans, saved two men from the gallows in 1850. Could these tales be true?

#25 - Bloodlines: The Dracula Family Tree

Season 2006 - Episode 254 - Aired 10/29/2006

When a team of Dracula hunters, notably members of a family linked to the real-life Prince Vlad Dracul, tries to unearth the truth about the tyrant, they are haunted by mystifying events, misfortune, and tragedy 500 years after the 15th-century prince died.