Penn & Teller: Bullshit! is an American documentary television series that aired from 2003 to 2010 on the premium cable channel Showtime. The series premiered on January 24, 2003, and 89 episodes aired over the course of the series in the span of eight seasons, concluding on August 12, 2010.
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 13 | January 24, 2003 | April 18, 2003 | |
2 | 13 | April 1, 2004 | September 2, 2004 | |
3 | 13 | April 25, 2005 | August 1, 2005 | |
4 | 10 | April 3, 2006 | June 5, 2006 | |
5 | 10 | March 22, 2007 | May 24, 2007 | |
6 | 10 | June 19, 2008 | August 21, 2008 | |
7 | 10 | June 25, 2009 | August 27, 2009 | |
8 | 10 | June 10, 2010 | August 12, 2010 |
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date |
Prod. code |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Talking to the Dead" | January 24, 2003 | 101 |
Penn and Teller introduce their series and explain their use of
profanity. Then they look into the practices of popular
psychics of today and reveal how those who claim to be in contact with the dead are actually performing an age-old trick called "
cold reading". | ||||
2 | 2 | "Alternative Medicine" | January 31, 2003 | 102 |
A look at
chiropractic medicine,
reflexology,
magnet therapy, and a trip to an
alternative medicine fair that ends in an operation at a crowded mall. | ||||
3 | 3 | "Alien Abductions" | February 7, 2003 | 103 |
This show features three days spent at a
UFO convention and a visit to an
alien abduction group therapy session. It also explores the psychological explanations, and the influences of popular culture, on the typical abduction story. | ||||
4 | 4 | "End of the World" | February 14, 2003 | 104 |
Criticizes the viewpoints of persons predicting the
end of the world, with special focus on the
Left Behind series and extreme survivalist methods. Also exposes the dangers inherent in the belief that the world is about to end. | ||||
5 | 5 | "Second Hand Smoke / Baby Bullshit" | February 21, 2003 | 105 |
Critiques concerns on
second-hand smoke and attempts to ban it, and the usefulness of baby education products. | ||||
6 | 6 | "Sex, Sex, Sex" | February 28, 2003 | 106 |
Attacks
penis and breast enlargement products, questions the usefulness of
aphrodisiacs. | ||||
7 | 7 | "Feng Shui / Bottled Water" | March 7, 2003 | 107 |
Seeks to disprove
Feng Shui as a science while challenging claims on the quality of
bottled water. | ||||
8 | 8 | "Creationism" | March 14, 2003 | 108 |
Examines the constitutionality and scientific validity (or lack thereof) of
creationism and
intelligent design and defends
evolution, with focus on a Georgia school board debate. | ||||
9 | 9 | "Self-Helpless" | March 21, 2003 | 109 |
Attacks various forms of
self-help programs, with an emphasis on
firewalking. | ||||
10 | 10 | "ESP" | March 28, 2003 | 110 |
Attacks people claiming to possess and teach
extrasensory perception. | ||||
11 | 11 | "Eat This!" | April 4, 2003 | 111 |
Attacks various weight loss diet products and plans while questioning
genetic engineering food concerns. Features 1970
Nobel Prize winner
Norman Borlaug. The line from this episode "You need to shut the fuck up" has become an
internet meme. | ||||
12 | 12 | "Ouija Boards / Near Death Experiences" | April 11, 2003 | 112 |
Challenges the
Ouija board and investigates the nature of
near-death experiences. | ||||
13 | 13 | "Environmental Hysteria" | April 18, 2003 | 113 |
Attacks mainstream opinions on various environmental issues, including
global warming, with a criticism of
Greenpeace and
Julia Butterfly Hill. Includes an experiment where people at an environmental rally sign a petition to ban water, disguised under the name
Dihydrogen Monoxide, without thinking out the proposal critically. |
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date |
Prod. code |
---|---|---|---|---|
14 | 1 | "P.E.T.A." | April 1, 2004 | 201 |
Offers criticism of the
animal rights movement, and particular attention to the
PETA organization and its ties with the
ALF, an animal liberation group, classified by the FBI as a
domestic terrorist organization. | ||||
15 | 2 | "Safety Hysteria" | April 8, 2004 | 202 |
Examines recent hysteria over the possibility of danger due to
terrorism, questions the connection between
mad cow disease and
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, as well as
school violence. | ||||
16 | 3 | "The Business of Love" | April 15, 2004 | 203 |
Criticizes the popular concept and the selling of everlasting
romantic love and personal compatibility by
dating services and
pop psych love experts, and questions
monogamy as a forced aspect of healthy relationships. | ||||
17 | 4 | "War on Drugs" | April 22, 2004 | 204 |
Questions the
constitutionality of the "
War on Drugs" and common allegations against the
medical value of cannabis. | ||||
18 | 5 | "Recycling" | April 29, 2004 | 205 |
Criticizes certain aspects of
recycling, including the increased cost of particular forms of recycling and the detrimental effect that certain forms of recycling have on the environment, and debunks numerous myths regarding
landfills. Notes that people are generally more than happy to recycle and that it is the system that is flawed. | ||||
19 | 6 | "12-Stepping" | August 19, 2004 | 210 |
Questions the effectiveness of
12 Step Programs, with a focus on
Alcoholics Anonymous. | ||||
20 | 7 | "Yoga, Tantric Sex, Etc." | May 13, 2004 | 207 |
Offers criticism on numerous activities in the
New Age movement, including:
yoga,
tantric sex,
cartomancy, medicinal herbs, and
vortices (especially the
Sedona Vortices). | ||||
21 | 8 | "Fountain of Youth" | May 20, 2004 | 208 |
Offers criticism of addiction to
plastic surgery,
chelation, human
growth hormone as an anti-aging agent, and details about the problems involved with
botox. | ||||
22 | 9 | "Death, Inc." | August 5, 2004 | 209 |
Offers criticisms of many claims made by businesses which offer
funeral services, and investigates the validity of
cryonics as a method of
preserving a human body. | ||||
23 | 10 | "Profanity" | August 12, 2004 | 206 |
Attacks the idea that certain words are inherently offensive and thus are (or should be considered) taboo, and questions the
constitutionality of the
FCC's broadcast standards on
profanity. | ||||
24 | 11 | "The Bible: Fact or Fiction?" | May 6, 2004 | 211 |
Offers criticism of claims that the
Bible is historically and factually accurate, as well as the attempt to turn sacred text into scientific material. Also criticizes the Bible as a source of morality. | ||||
25 | 12 | "Exercise vs. Genetics" | August 26, 2004 | 212 |
Criticizes the claims made by various commercial
exercise products that promise more than they deliver, as well as investigating the methods
gyms use to maximize profits. Argues that some people are genetically built to look fit, while others aren't, and that looking fit is not the same as being fit. | ||||
26 | 13 | "Hypnosis" | September 2, 2004 | 213 |
Examines the various promises made by professional
hypnosis, and seeks to refute the idea of "mind over body". |
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date |
Prod. code |
---|---|---|---|---|
27 | 1 | "Circumcision" | April 25, 2005 | 301 |
Argues against the alleged medical benefits of
circumcision, and describes the negatives of the procedure. | ||||
28 | 2 | "Family Values" | May 2, 2005 | 302 |
Argues that the "traditional" husband-and-wife family is a relatively recent creation. Supports
gay marriage and
polyamory, and also attacks the idea that
homosexuals can be "
cured". | ||||
29 | 3 | "Conspiracy Theories" | May 9, 2005 | 303 |
Arguments against the
9/11 conspiracy theories,
Apollo Moon Landing hoax accusations, and
John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories. | ||||
30 | 4 | "Life Coaching" | May 16, 2005 | 304 |
Argues against
life coaching, demonstrating that life coaches often have minimal training, that the programs achieve few real benefits, and that the life coaches prey on people's insecurities. | ||||
31 | 5 | "Holier Than Thou" | May 23, 2005 | 305 |
A critical view of
Mother Teresa,
Mahatma Gandhi, and the
Dalai Lama, arguing that they should not be held in such high regard as they are. | ||||
32 | 6 | "College" | May 30, 2005 | 306 |
Opposition to
political correctness,
speech codes, and
diversity requirements, especially on
college campuses. | ||||
33 | 7 | "Big Brother" | June 13, 2005 | 307 |
Opposition to
surveillance and unwanted government encroachment on the private lives of U.S. citizens. Points out the large amount of resources that would be required to do this successfully. | ||||
34 | 8 | "Hair" | June 20, 2005 | 308 |
Criticism to hair fashion and fads. | ||||
35 | 9 | "Gun Control" | June 27, 2005 | 309 |
Against
gun control laws. | ||||
36 | 10 | "Ghost Busters" | July 11, 2005 | 310 |
Accuses "
ghost hunters" of conducting
pseudoscience. Dr.
Steven Novella and 2004
Nobel prize winner Dr.
Frank Wilczek appear. | ||||
37 | 11 | "Endangered Species" | July 18, 2005 | 311 |
Criticism of the United States'
Endangered Species Act, and how proponents are actually anti-
capitalism rather than pro-environmentalism. Features
Paul Watson of the
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, the Endangered Species Coalition, and early
Greenpeace member
Patrick Moore. | ||||
38 | 12 | "Signs from Heaven" | July 25, 2005 | 312 |
Criticizes claims of supernatural "signs", arguing that people are seeing what they want to see. Includes attempts to prove the
Shroud of Turin following its debunking in 1988,
pareidolia producing
visions of Jesus and the Virgin Mary in wood grain and a
grilled cheese sandwich, and
Audrey Santo and the
weeping statues. | ||||
39 | 13 | "The Best" | August 1, 2005 | 313 |
Criticism of people who engage in the pursuit of needless
luxury. |
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date |
Prod. code |
---|---|---|---|---|
40 | 1 | "The Boy Scouts" | April 3, 2006 | 401 |
Protests the
Boy Scouts of America not allowing
homosexuals or
atheists to join as a government-funded organization. Claims the control of the Boy Scouts by the
LDS Church as the source of the discrimination. | ||||
41 | 2 | "Prostitution" | April 10, 2006 | 402 |
Pro-legalization of
prostitution. Criticizes various viewpoints on the dangers of the profession, and points to the dangers of it not being legalized. | ||||
42 | 3 | "The Death Penalty" | April 17, 2006 | 403 |
Argues against
capital punishment, from pragmatic and moral viewpoints. | ||||
43 | 4 | "Cryptozoology" | April 24, 2006 | 404 |
Concerning
mythological creatures such as
Bigfoot and the
Loch Ness monster. Cites the belief and study of these creatures as motivated by money as it creates tourism and royalties from film and video distribution. | ||||
44 | 5 | "Ground Zero" | May 1, 2006 | 405 |
About the dragging of feet and design mistakes by the
LMDC in rebuilding at the
World Trade Center site, the lack of family and public approved memorials to
the 9/11 attacks, the impact on local business, and how the whole process has been co-oped by people out to make money. Comedian
Gilbert Gottfried makes a guest appearance in this episode. | ||||
45 | 6 | "Pet Love" | May 8, 2006 | 406 |
Concerns people obsessing about
pets,
anthropomorphizing pets, projecting their own feelings onto the pets, as seen in things like
Neuticles and
cat shows. | ||||
46 | 7 | "Reparations" | May 15, 2006 | 407 |
Against indirect reparations, such as
reparations for slavery to modern descendants of slaves, but in favor of reparations to people directly affected, such as surviving
Japanese American internees. | ||||
47 | 8 | "Manners" | May 22, 2006 | 408 |
Pro rational
manners that make sense, such as for things regarding
cleanliness and
politeness, against arbitrary manners. | ||||
48 | 9 | "Numbers" | May 29, 2006 | 409 |
How numbers in
statistical surveys can be used to deceive and how one can be scammed. | ||||
49 | 10 | "Abstinence" | June 5, 2006 | 410 |
Argues that
abstinence-only sex education is ineffective and often misleading. Also looks at the healthiness of being sexually active. Features former
United States Surgeon General
Joycelyn Elders, who resigned after suggesting that
masturbation be promoted as a means of preventing young people from engaging in riskier forms of sexual activity. |
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date |
Prod. code |
---|---|---|---|---|
50 | 1 | "Obesity" | March 22, 2007 | 501 |
Attacks claims of the emergence of an
obesity epidemic and weight loss products. Investigates societal discrimination against the fat. Features
National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance and Glenn A. Gaesser, a professor of exercise physiology of the
University of Virginia. | ||||
51 | 2 | "Wal-Mart" | March 29, 2007 | 502 |
Defends
Wal-Mart against
various criticisms, arguing that it creates jobs where there are none and that it is merely the end product of
capitalism. | ||||
52 | 3 | "Breast Hysteria" | April 5, 2007 | 503 |
Investigates societal attitudes towards women's
breasts, supports public
breast-feeding and recognizes
flashing as free speech. They also are critical of breast cancer fundraisers. | ||||
53 | 4 | "Detoxing" | April 12, 2007 | 504 |
Attacks various
detoxification programs and asserts the actual health benefits of
colonoscopies for people 50 years or older. | ||||
54 | 5 | "Exorcism" | April 19, 2007 | 505 |
Skeptical commentary on the usefulness and scientific validity of
exorcisms. | ||||
55 | 6 | "Immigration" | April 26, 2007 | 506 |
Skeptical commentary on various
"Minutemen"
border patrol projects and the American government's plans to build
a wall to keep illegal immigrants out. | ||||
56 | 7 | "Handicap Parking" | May 3, 2007 | 507 |
Criticizes the
Americans with Disabilities Act for attempting to legislate compassion, and points out the law's negative consequences. Argues that businesses will provide support for the disabled due to the desire for as much business as possible regardless of laws. | ||||
57 | 8 | "Mount Rushmore" | May 10, 2007 | 508 |
Investigates the origins of
Mount Rushmore and attempts to highlight the positive and negative aspects of
patriotism. | ||||
58 | 9 | "Nukes, Hybrids, and Lesbians" | May 17, 2007 | 509 |
Advocates the use of
nuclear power, criticizes
hybrid cars for impractical designs made to accommodate the hybrid engine, and follows
lesbians on a
blind date. | ||||
59 | 10 | "Anger Management" | May 24, 2007 | 510 |
Attacks mainstream
anger management programs in a factiously angry manner, likening their purveyors to
charlatans. |
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date |
Prod. code |
---|---|---|---|---|
60 | 1 | "War on Porn" | June 19, 2008 | 601 |
Opposes the
movement to regulate pornography on the Internet and argues that it is attempting to restrict freedom of speech. Also rejects the notions that pornography can lead to addiction and aggression. Features profiles of
XXXchurch and
Brandi Love. | ||||
61 | 2 | "New Age Medicine" | June 26, 2008 | 602 |
A skeptical look at
New Age medicine, presenting evidence which suggests it does not work. | ||||
62 | 3 | "NASA" | July 3, 2008 | 603 |
While greatly acknowledging the vast scientific and engineering contributions made by the administration, argues that private industry would better finance
NASA instead of taxpayer money. Also argues against the agency sending a
human mission to Mars due to the resources needed and the extreme dangers involved as well as the administration's history of mistakes of overseeing safety, but supports the notion of colonizing space someday. | ||||
63 | 4 | "Dolphins" | July 10, 2008 | 604 |
64 | 5 | "Sleep, Inc." | July 17, 2008 | 605 |
Takes a critical view of sleep-related products. | ||||
65 | 6 | "Being Green" | July 24, 2008 | 606 |
Attacks the concept of
carbon credits as a method of profiting off guilt, and compares them to
indulgences. | ||||
66 | 7 | "Sensitivity Training" | July 31, 2008 | 607 |
Examines
sensitivity training and its roots in political correctness. | ||||
67 | 8 | "Stranger Danger" | August 7, 2008 | 608 |
Argues that a
culture of fear has produced an excessive concern for
child safety. Points out that children are usually harmed by people they already know quite well. | ||||
68 | 9 | "World Peace" | August 14, 2008 | 609 |
Argues that the idea of
utopian
world peace is naïve and incompatible with human nature, but also argues against those who argue for deliberate aggression like
preemptive war. Also
criticizes the
United Nations, and argues that
free trade and economic interdependence are the best means to achieve peace. | ||||
69 | 10 | "Good Ol' Days" | August 21, 2008 | 610 |
Criticizes
cultural nostalgia as unrealistic and inaccurate when thought of as "better times". |
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date |
Prod. code |
---|---|---|---|---|
70 | 1 | "Orgasms" | June 25, 2009 | 701 |
Questions the notion that Americans are in need of bigger and better
orgasms by meeting with the inventor of a $12,000 remote-control orgasm machine, taking a $300 lesson from a sex coach, and observing a demonstration on how to unleash one's inner erotic rock star. | ||||
71 | 2 | "Astrology" | July 2, 2009 | 702 |
Discusses
astrology as a
pseudoscience. | ||||
72 | 3 | "Video Games" | July 9, 2009 | 703 |
Questions the idea that
video games lead to teen violence. | ||||
73 | 4 | "The Apocalypse" | July 16, 2009 | 704 |
Ridicules the idea that the
world will end on December 21, 2012. | ||||
74 | 5 | "Lie Detectors" | July 23, 2009 | 705 |
Attacks the reliability of the
polygraph for detecting lies, arguing that it merely determines the subject's
nervousness. | ||||
75 | 6 | "Organic Food" | July 30, 2009 | 706 |
Repudiates the idea that
organic food has better
nutrients, a smaller environmental impact, less harmful pesticides, and better taste than non-organic foods. | ||||
76 | 7 | "Taxes" | August 6, 2009 | 707 |
Penn & Teller attack the
tax system of the United States as complex and unfair. They visit the halls of Congress in search of a legislator willing to discuss America's tax system. | ||||
77 | 8 | "Lawns" | August 13, 2009 | 708 |
Penn & Teller take on the
lawn industry and visit a neighborhood where growing a certain type of grass is mandatory. They argue that large parts of America do not have the right climate for lawns, and thus should not be forced. | ||||
78 | 9 | "Stress" | August 20, 2009 | 709 |
Penn & Teller explore the modern day view of
stress and examine its legitimacy. | ||||
79 | 10 | "The Vatican" | August 27, 2009 | 710 |
Penn & Teller discuss the Catholic Church and its involvement campaigning against homosexuality efforts, condom use, and in covering up sex abuse by its priests. They talk with Italian satirist Sabina Guzzanti, whom the Vatican attempted to punish for criticizing Pope Benedict XVI. This episode is not on the season 7 DVD, and it is no longer listed on the show's official website. [1] At the Amaz!ng Meeting's 2012 conference, Penn noted that he was also confused as to why the episode was omitted from the DVD release, having learned of this fact at a recording of Opie and Anthony. [2] |
No. overall |
No. in season | Title | Original air date |
Prod. code |
---|---|---|---|---|
80 | 1 | "Cheerleaders" | June 10, 2010 | 801 |
Argues that high school
cheerleading should be classified as a sport to increase required safety measures due to its risks. Also discusses how the majority of competitions and cheerleading goods are managed by
Varsity Brands Inc. and if cheerleading were to be declared a sport Varsity would have to forfeit managing competitions to an independent body creating significant
conflicts of interest. | ||||
81 | 2 | "Fast Food" | June 17, 2010 | 802 |
82 | 3 | "Martial Arts" | June 24, 2010 | 803 |
Argues that
martial arts do not provide real
self-defense as they are typically portrayed and generally just boost
confidence, and in fact may lead people to unintentionally break
U.S. self-defense laws due to ignorance of said laws. | ||||
83 | 4 | "Teen Sex" | July 1, 2010 | 804 |
Argues that people should not be worried about
teens having sex, that
sexting should not be a crime, and that parents would be better off educating kids about sex than trying to shield them from it. Supports
gay-straight alliances in public schools. Features
Judith Levine, the author of
Harmful to Minors. | ||||
84 | 5 | "Easy Money" | July 8, 2010 | 805 |
Argues that
multi-level marketing schemes create more victims than participants making profits, and argues that they are nothing more than
pyramid schemes, although they state that name does not explicitly apply. | ||||
85 | 6 | "Area 51" | July 15, 2010 | 806 |
Argues that those who believe in alien technology at
Area 51 are trying to find answers to secrets using non-scientific methods, and are finding "evidence" because that is what they want to see. Also argues that some of these people are just looking for social groups that share their passion for
extraterrestrial life. | ||||
86 | 7 | "Criminal Justice" | July 22, 2010 | 807 |
Argues that the American
criminal justice system is on the decline because of over-zealous
police officers and
district attorneys who care more about winning or being proven right than justice. Also argues that some aspects of
forensics are not good or fully realized science, in part due to the significant lack of formal
peer review. | ||||
87 | 8 | "Old People" | July 29, 2010 | 808 |
Argues that the stereotypes surrounding
old people are inaccurate, including debunking several arguments from
Maddox. Discusses
voluntary euthanasia. | ||||
88 | 9 | "Self-Esteem" | August 5, 2010 | 809 |
Argues that the public's obsession with improving one's
self-esteem is ineffective and that those with high self-esteem will develop
narcissism later in life. | ||||
89 | 10 | "Vaccinations" | August 12, 2010 | 810 |
Provides proof that there is no link between childhood
vaccinations and
autism rates. Covers a
controversial study claiming the link and an increase in autism awareness along with a broader definition being used around the same time. |