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American Masters

1986 – nowShow41 seasons316 episodesTV-14

Documentary
76
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb8.2

A nostalgic, wholesome documentary series about a real life story and pop culture.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for scares, brutality or laughs.

Shows with

Episodes

41 seasons · 316 episodes · best: S13E5 "The Lives of Lillian Hellman" 9.0

Episodes

7.6
7.5
7.6
7.5
7.6
7.1
7.8
7.9
7.9
7.5
7.7
7.3
7.9
7.7
7.8
7.6
7.7
7.9
8.3
7.4
7.7
7.8
7.6
7.3
7.7
7.7
7.7
7.7
7.6
7.7
7.8
7.8
7.5
7.4
7.8
7.7
7.0
7.6
8.1
7.9

Story

American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.

Feels like

  • Celebrity Biographies
  • Pop Culture History
  • Documentary Series
  • Entertainment Industry Insight
  • Nostalgic Retrospective
  • Educational & Informative
  • Star Power Analysis
  • Cultural Impact Study

Cast

24 of 129 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Sam Pollard, Martin Scorsese, Mick Csáky
Written by
Barak Goodman, Rita Coburn Whack, Michael Mayhew
Produced by
Elizabeth Trojian, Sally Rosenthal, Randall MacLowry
Music by
Simon Farmer, Mark Leggett, Garth Neustadter

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

June 23, 1986 · August 25, 2026 · Still running

First aired
June 23, 1986
Latest episode
August 25, 2026
Status
Still running
Length
41 seasons · 316 episodes
Age rating
TV-14
Genres
Documentary
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
1 country

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream American Masters?"

Questions about American Masters

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is American Masters worth watching?

76
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 76 (IMDb 8.2).

Which season of American Masters is best?

Season 19, with an IMDb average of 8.3. Season 37 is the weakest at 7.0. The highest-rated episode is The Lives of Lillian Hellman (season 13, episode 5) at 9.0, and the lowest is Frederic Remington: The Truth of Other Days (season 6, episode 5) at 3.3.

Is American Masters okay for kids?

TV-14

Yes: it's rated TV-14 in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

How long does it take to watch American Masters?

474 h

About 474 hours: 316 episodes in 41 seasons of about 90 minutes each since 1986, and it's still in production.

Is American Masters plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (8 of 10) and dialogue centrality (8 of 10) more than on its plot.