Seasons & episodes

S7 · E2Circling the Skies, Lady & the Panda, 12 Years a Slave 2014-09-19 · 60 min＋

Host Don Wildman examines a reel of film that depicts a high-flying stunt that changed aviation history, a panda discovered by an unlikely heroine and an aged document that tells the story of one man's unparalleled imprisonment.

S7 · E3Love Canal, Duquesne Spy Ring, Survival in the Colonies 2014-09-26 · 60 min＋

Host Don Wildman investigates a property deed tied to an epic fight for justice, a short-wave radio that wrought havoc in a high-stakes game of espionage, and a human skull that speaks to a harrowing saga of new-world survival.

S7 · E4Doyle & Houdini, the Poison Squad, the Great Imposter 2014-10-03 · 60 min＋

A feud between Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini is examined by the host, who later looks into the history of "Poison Squad" experiments and the beginnings of food and drug regulation. Also: the story of a jaw-dropping feat of trickery pulled off by a great impostor.

S7 · E5Tootsie Roll Miracle, Singing Convict, Operation Paperclip 2014-10-17 · 60 min＋

Host Don Wildman examines the Tootsie Roll candies that once saved the lives of a courageous band of soldiers, a guitar owned by a legendary musical jailbird, and a bicycle that helped launch humans into outer space.

S7 · E6Radioactive Boy Scout, Match of the Century, Four Corners Outbreak 2014-10-24 · 60 min＋

A badge that inspired a nuclear experiment; a chess set used in a match of Cold War wits; eerie animal specimens.

S7 · E7Nazi Art Hoax, Hunger Strike, Skull in the Ashes 2014-11-14 · 60 min＋

Don examines a damaged metal identification tag that played a role in a bizarre and heated crime, a painting by a man who pulled off one of the art world’s greatest deceptions, and a pin that represents a woman’s perilous push to advance equality.

S7 · E8Dare to Dream, Mail Missile, Child Warrior 2014-11-21 · 60 min＋

Don investigates a postal box that embarked on a gravity-defying journey, a traditional Viking vessel that sailed into the annals of modern history on an intrepid sea voyage, and a handmade talisman that weaves a tale of terror and courage on the American frontier.

S7 · E9Robber's Bride, The Night Disco Exploded, Escape By Sea 2014-11-28 · 60 min＋

Host Don Wildman examines an old Concord stagecoach that symbolizes a broken dream, a collection of melted vinyl records that sparked the decline of a cultural marvel, and a ship model that represents a bid for freedom.

S7 · E10Dramatic Defection, Wrong Way Flight, Cowboy's Revenge 2014-12-05 · 60 min＋

Host Don Wildman investigates a revolver that was responsible for global consequences, a bare-bones plane that speaks to a perilous, record-breaking adventure, and a set of mug shots that represents a link between a notorious crime ring and an unlikely hero.

S7 · E11Kiss that Saved a Million Lives, Heist of the Century, Lorenzo's Oil 2014-12-12 · 60 min＋

Host Don Wildman examines the beguiling cast of a woman who helped save thousands of lives after her death, a surfboard that speaks to one of the nation's most notorious capers, and a mysterious plant that offered unlikely hope to a family during their darkest hour.

S7 · E12Porcelain Twins, The Warden's Wife, Lost City of Atlantis 2014-12-19 · 60 min＋

Don investigates a china doll that speaks to a mystifying tale of deception, a bullet-marked sleigh that stood witness to the violent conclusion of a notorious love affair, and a set of common-looking stones that holds a possible clue to a lost civilization.

S7 · E13Dial M for Missing, $7 Renoir, Secret in the Attic 2014-12-26 · 60 min＋

Don examines a timeworn tome that may explain the perplexing disappearance of the world's greatest mystery writer, a Renoir painting believed to have been bought for just $7, and a police ledger that tells the tale of a secretive love affair that ended in murder.

S8 · E1Cellophane Start, Eruption Hoax, Parking Lot King 2015-04-03 · 60 min＋

Don examines a transparent roll of film that revolutionized the retail industry; a jacket that belonged to a prankster with an explosive sense of humor; and an unconventional excavation that puts a 500-year-old mystery to rest.

S8 · E2Mile-High Club, Attempted Assassinatio, Zip to Zap 2015-04-10 · 60 min＋

Don explores an aeronautical device with a notorious claim to fame; a cane that thwarted a would-be presidential assassin; and a souvenir T-shirt from an outlandish event that became an all-out rampage.

S8 · E3Opera Riot, Golfer Behind Enemy Lines, Great Mail Train Robbery 2015-04-17 · 60 min＋

Don Wildman examines a copy of a play that sparked riots, a monocular used by a soldier who made a daring and unusual escape from behind enemy lines, and the wrapper from a product so pungent that it caused an interstate postal feud.

S8 · E4Stolen Strad, Fall From Space, Czech Dream 2015-04-24 · 60 min＋

Don Wildman examines a concert program that marks one of the most infamous nights in the history of a prestigious music venue; a space capsule used by a heroic astronaut during a harrowing mission; and a DVD from an unusual film that blurred the lines between fact and fiction.

S8 · E5Birth of the Road Map; Attack of Killer Bees; Invention of Gas Mask 2015-05-01 · 60 min＋

Don Wildman examines an iconic road sign that was part of a revolutionary plan to bring order to America's roads; a tiny bee specimen that unleashed madness; and a gas mask that was invented by a bold and pioneering man.

S8 · E6Erno Rubik's Cube; World's First Factor; The Amphicar 2015-05-08 · 60 min＋

Don examines a classic toy that became a pop-culture phenomenon; a delicate silk sample that symbolizes a stunning tale of international espionage; and a quirky car designed to travel on both land and water.

S8 · E7Invention of Pop Rocks; Pinball Wizard; London Smog 2015-05-15 · 60 min＋

Don examines one of America's most explosive candies; a pinball machine that represents a gutsy player who saved the game from obscurity; and a flare stick that guided Londoners through a unique time period.

Don examines a peanut that played a role in an unusual fad that took 1 man on a daring adventure; a standoff that pitted a man against some of Hollywood's most powerful people; and a set of gold relics that became the subject of an intense battle between 2 rival nations.

Don examines a trinket that symbolizes the stormy evolution of a beloved holiday; a novel contraption deployed to save a bevy of wild beavers in Idaho; and a scandalous machine that titillated Victorian England.

Don Wildman examines a painted wooden sign that once advertised a vaudeville act so bad it was good; a famous cow's-milk can from the White House; and a program from one of the most polemic films of the 20th century.

The story behind a science fiction novel that seemed so realistic it caused some to believe that the top-secret plans behind the Manhattan Project had been stolen. Also: a little girl's struggle for civil rights; and an invasion of giant destructive snails in South Florida.

Don examines a sleek American race car that took on a top Italian automaker; a pulp-fiction science magazine that threatened to expose an explosive World War II secret; and a set of teeth that was key in the biggest public health experiments of the 20th century.