Hazardous History with Henry Winkler
Hosted by the iconic Henry Winkler, each 60-minute episode of this nostalgia-drenched series tells the stories of the things we did—for fun, for money, or out of plain boredom—that you can’t do anymore. Pastimes, practices, and products that were once allowed—even encouraged—which you will never see again in modern America.
Seasons
1. Perilous Play
Air Date: 2025-06-15
Remember when childhood came with a side of danger? Think back to the outrageous toys and daredevil playground antics that once defined growing up; we uncover explosive science kits, high-flying kite tubes and more.
2. Spectacular Stunts
Air Date: 2025-06-22
Buckle up as we take you on a wild journey into the world of vintage daredevils who risked it all for a rush. From the enigmatic Human Fly to skateboard speed demons and diving horses, these stunts were as reckless as they were unforgettable.
3. Mad Medicine
Air Date: 2025-06-29
Ever taken medical advice from a cigarette commercial? There was a time when any and all "cures" could be sold to the public indiscriminately.
4. Very Extreme Sports
Air Date: 2025-07-06
The modern concept of "extreme sports" is a product of marketing, but back in the old days, the rules (or lack thereof) of our nation's sports made them truly extreme.
5. Treacherous Travel
Air Date: 2025-07-13
Exploding cars and blimp disasters to kids sent through the mail and doomed personal helicopters, the past is packed with jaw-dropping travel tales and the remarkable misfires that paved the road to modern transportation.
6. Food Fiascos
Air Date: 2025-07-20
We uncover the incredible things people once ate without a second thought that can only mean one thing: you'll never look at your next bite the same way again.
7. Precarious Products
Air Date: 2025-07-27
Welcome to the unreal truth about everyday products of the past that were way more dangerous than meets the unsuspecting eye.
8. Occupational Hazards
Air Date: 2025-08-03
You thought your job was tough? Uncover the downright dangerous gigs of the past. In a journey through the wild frontier of the no holds-barred working world, we’ll find a dark side in the extreme lengths people went to just to earn a buck.
1. Killer Crazes
Air Date: 2026-04-19
Remember when "everybody's doing it" was reason enough to dive in headfirst? From gravity-defying flagpole sitting and phone booth cramming, to pet skunks and goldfish gulpers, we reveal the wildest crazes that once swept the nation. These over-the-top obsessions were risky, and impossible to resist. It's a jaw-dropping, head-shaking trip back to the fads that pushed the limits and made our hazardous history must-see mayhem.
2. Looks That Kill
Air Date: 2026-04-26
Remember when looking your best meant risking life and limb? From dentures that could explode at the dinner table and stiff shirt collars that strangled us to death, the pursuit of the perfect look once pushed us to surprisingly dangerous lengths.
3. Twisted Toys
Air Date: 2026-05-03
It's a mind-blowing, bone-rattling trip through the toys of yesteryear that remind us of a time when childhood was wilder, freer, and far more hazardous.
4. Hell on Wheels
Air Date: 2026-05-10
Henry Winkler explores the era when travel was a death trap. From exploding steam engines to seatbelt-free cars, find out how your commute used to be a high-stakes gamble with your life.
5. Domestic Dangers
Air Date: 2026-05-17
Henry dives into the hidden hazards found in and around the home. From backyard trash fires and the flood risks of waterbed mishaps to finger-pinching fans and toxic garden hoses, the risky domestic conveniences of the past that are now unthinkable today.
6. Thrills & Spills
Air Date: 2026-05-31
Henry Winkler revisits the bone-breaking fun of vintage amusement parks and fairs. From rickety wooden coasters to zero-safety carnival rides, see how our quest for a cheap thrill used to be a one-way ticket to the ER.
7. Hobbies Gone Haywire
Air Date: 2026-06-07
Remember when hobbies were more than just a way to pass the time - they were a chance to push the limits? From making model planes with glue that gets you high, to cooking up explosive rocket fuel in the backyard, to strapping ourselves to homemade kites and launching into the unknown, these hands-on pursuits often came with a dangerous edge. It's a thrilling, hair-raising trip back to the crafty obsessions that prove our hazardous history was never just a hobby.
8. Fatal Attractions
Air Date: 2026-06-14
Remember when popular tourist attractions came with real danger? From climbing onto the backs of live alligators, to hand-feeding hungry bears, to scoring front-row seats to atomic blasts, these heart-pounding experiences promised irresistible thrills you'd never forget - where the risk was part of the draw. It's a jaw-dropping, pulse-racing trip back to the places that prove our hazardous history wasn't just entertaining - it was a death-defying must-see!
9. Crowd Chaos
Air Date: 2026-06-21
Remember when being part of the crowd meant taking your chances? From packing in shoulder to shoulder for front row views of Civil War battles, to lining up to watch dead whales explode, to full-blown riots while shopping, the biggest shared moments didn't just bring people together - they stirred things up. It's a wild, edge-of-your-seat trip back to the gatherings that prove our hazardous history was anything but orderly - but always had an eager audience!
10. Anything for a Buck
Air Date: 2026-06-28
When earning a paycheck meant risking life and limb. From dangling off skyscrapers without safety harnesses and riding runaway logs down raging rivers, to digging up corpses for cash and selling your own blood to scrape by, people once took unbelievable risks no paycheck could truly cover. Whether racing pizzas across town at breakneck speed or pulling off death-defying Hollywood stunts, people once did whatever it took to earn a living.
11. Young & the Reckless
Air Date: 2026-07-05
When being young meant testing the limits of what our bodies could survive. From launching our bikes off homemade ramps and playing chicken in traffic, to using dangerous construction sites as our playground, childhood adventure was often intertwined with how far you were willing to go--and the consequences that came with it. Armed with cherry bombs, slingshots, and more confidence than caution, we pushed boundaries in ways that would make parents today shudder.
12. Insane Inventions
Air Date: 2026-07-12
From personal jetpacks that promised to send us sky-high, to electrified exercise machines that shocked us into shape, to firefighting hand grenades hurled straight into the flames, yesterday's boldest inventions were packed with promise - and risks nobody saw coming. These are the ambitious ideas, futuristic gadgets, and engineering marvels that aimed to revolutionize everyday life, but sometimes overshot the mark.
13. Animal Anarchy
Air Date: 2026-07-19
From perilous playgrounds to precarious products, Henry Winkler hosts a running cavalcade of the most exciting, reckless, unsupervised tales of Americana in our history.
14. Dangerous Dining
Air Date: 2026-07-26
From chocolate eaten out of the gutter, to a single cup of ice cream shared by the entire neighborhood, to breakfast cereal that produced colorful consequences, yesterday's culinary delights weren't always as wholesome as they seemed.
15. Harrowing Highways
Air Date: 2026-08-02
These are the engineering feats and automotive innovations that transformed the journey… even if not every bright idea belonged in the fast lane.
16. Precarious Parenting
Air Date: 2026-08-09
From babies suspended in window cages and kids bouncing in the backs of pickup trucks, to expectant mothers being encouraged to smoke, drink, and relax, the parenting playbook once looked very different.
17. Crazy Cures
Air Date: 2026-08-16
These are the curious cures and questionable treatments that offered hope to generations of patients… along with a host of side effects nobody expected.
18. School Dazed
Air Date: 2026-08-23
These are the classroom customs and schoolyard rituals that generations of students accepted without a second thought… for better or worse
19. Horrible Hygiene
Air Date: 2026-08-30
These are the everyday habits, grooming rituals, and routine remedies that promised to keep us fresh… but often went afoul. It's a headshaking, eye-opening trip back to the hygiene habits that prove our hazardous history was always a close shave.
20. Surviving the '70s
Air Date: 2026-09-06
From makeshift bike ramps and shaky amusement park rides to streaking and flammable waterbeds, 1970s freedom always outran caution. Revisit a wild, hair-raising era where danger was part of the fun and near-misses were a lifestyle.
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Rating
7.9/10
Release Date
2025-06-15
Episodes
25 (2 seasons)
Status
Returning Series
Cast
Videos
Production Companies
A+E Factual Studios
GroupM Motion Entertainment