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Poster for American Masters

American Masters

1986 | 41 seasons | 90 min | Documentary

Weeknight Watchearly rating

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With little lasting buzz, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for the curious.
The mood: Eye-opening.
The pace: 41 seasons and 316 episodes: a long-haul commitment, hour-long episodes, about 474 hours in all.
What might put you off: Rated TV-14. Probably too much for younger kids.
A big time investment at 41 seasons.

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.

How it earned its rating

CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Reach & staying powerSolid
Ran for 41 seasons and reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 31K people sought it out in the past year

Season by season

The show overall is a Weeknight Watch. Here's how each season stacks up; Season 25 is the high point.

Season 11986 · 12 episodes · 8.0 out of 10
Saturday
Season 21987 · 10 episodes · 8.2 out of 10
Saturday
Season 31988 · 8 episodes · 8.5 out of 10
Friday
Season 41989 · 10 episodes · 8.4 out of 10
Friday
Season 51990 · 8 episodes · 7.7 out of 10
Saturday
Season 61991 · 9 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 71993 · 3 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 81993 · 2 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 91994 · 4 episodes · 7.0 out of 10
Sunday
Season 101995 · 5 episodes · 7.7 out of 10
Saturday
Season 111996 · 5 episodes · 6.5 out of 10
Weeknight
Season 121997 · 6 episodes · 8.5 out of 10
Friday
Season 131998 · 7 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 141999 · 7 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 152000 · 8 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 162001 · 8 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 172002 · 8 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 182003 · 8 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 192005 · 8 episodes · 8.8 out of 10
Friday
Season 202006 · 9 episodes · 6.0 out of 10
Monday
Season 212007 · 9 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 222008 · 9 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 232009 · 8 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 242010 · 8 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 252011 · 9 episodes · 9.0 out of 10
Friday
Season 262012 · 8 episodes · 8.0 out of 10
Saturday
Season 272013 · 5 episodes · 8.5 out of 10
Friday
Season 282013 · 10 episodes
Not rated yet
Season 292015 · 8 episodes · 1.0 out of 10
Monday
Season 302016 · 9 episodes · 1.6 out of 10
Monday
Season 312017 · 10 episodes · 2.8 out of 10
Monday
Season 322018 · 8 episodes · 3.4 out of 10
Monday
Season 332019 · 12 episodes · 1.3 out of 10
Monday
Season 342020 · 8 episodes · 3.1 out of 10
Monday
Season 352021 · 10 episodes · 1.0 out of 10
Monday
Season 362022 · 8 episodes · 2.0 out of 10
Monday
Season 372023 · 9 episodes · 1.0 out of 10
Monday
Season 382024 · 7 episodes · 2.4 out of 10
Monday
Season 392025 · 8 episodes · 1.0 out of 10
Monday
Season 402026 · 7 episodes · 1.0 out of 10
Monday
Season 412026 · 1 episode
Not rated yet

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Created by Susan Lacy