The Prison Experiment: The New Stanford Experiment hits Netflix on October 21, 2026. This documentary series puts thirty volunteers inside a real prison, then randomly assigns them to the roles of guard or inmate.
The setup takes inspiration from the Stanford Prison Experiment conducted in 1971 by psychologist Philip Zimbardo. Intended to last two weeks, the study was halted after just six days in response to the abusive behavior and psychological distress observed among the participants.
This new production sets out to examine whether ordinary individuals inevitably conform to the roles thrust upon them in a power-based, hierarchical, and tightly controlled system. It also aims to explore whether empathy, morality, and personal identity can resist this collective pressure.
The 1971 study casts a shadow over the program, making it especially fraught, as the original experiment is now contested for its methods, biases, and serious ethical lapses. The series is produced by Alfred Street Industries, with Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth among the executive producers.
The Prison Experiment: The New Stanford Experiment will be available on Netflix on October 21, 2026.
To discover the rest of this month’s new releases, check out our guide to Netflix October releases, our guide to streaming releases across all platforms, and today’s streaming picks: what to watch today in streaming.
This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.
