Entertainment · TV & Streaming · 1 hr ago
Netflix’s prison experiment reboot draws mixed reviews
Netflix has turned the Stanford Prison Experiment into a reality series called The New Stanford Prison Experiment.
It puts 30 participants in guard and prisoner roles inside a working county jail in Georgia.
The original 1971 study assigned volunteers similar roles at Stanford University, but it was stopped after six days amid concerns about how guards treated prisoners.
That study helped prompt American universities to tighten ethics rules for research that could cause participants undue stress.
The TV version is not a scientific repeat: participants know they are on camera, and producers change roles and group structures to create drama.
They can leave at any time by saying the safe word “Pineapple,” and several participants do so.
Reviews say the show offers little psychological insight, though one reviewer found it compelling television.
The series has six episodes, and no further plans are described.
Netflix’s six-part The New Stanford Prison Experiment puts 30 participants in guard and prisoner roles inside an operating county jail in Georgia.
The series presents itself as an examination of whether power corrupts, but both reviews say it offers little serious scientific insight.
The Guardian calls it reality television rather than a credible study, while the Independent describes it as relatively tame and potentially compelling entertainment.
Participants can leave at any time by saying the safe word “Pineapple,” and several do so during the series.
The original Stanford prison experiment, conducted in 1971, was stopped after six days amid concerns about the treatment of participants.
- Who
- Netflix and 30 participants: eight guards and 22 prisoners.
- What
- A six-part reality series recreates prison roles and presents itself as examining whether power corrupts.
- When
- Published on October 21, 2026. The series’ filming or release date is not stated.
- Where
- An operating county jail in Georgia.
- Why
- The stated aim is to examine whether power corrupts in an institutional environment.
Guardian review
Independent review
Scientific value
Guardian review
It says the series is reality TV at its core and does not create credible conditions for studying behavior.
Independent review
It says there is little real scientific insight, but notes that the series takes steps to protect participants.
Entertainment value
Guardian review
It calls the show insulting and says its staged conflicts undermine any sense of reality.
Independent review
It calls the series relatively tame by current TV standards and says it can be compelling entertainment.
Philip Zimbardo recruited volunteers for the original Stanford prison experiment, which was stopped after six days.
The BBC aired The Experiment, a television version described as a more rigorous take on the prison-role-play stunt.
The Guardian and Independent published reviews of Netflix’s The New Stanford Prison Experiment.
- Participants
- 30: eight guards and 22 prisoners
- Location
- Operating county jail in Georgia
- Episodes
- Six
- Safe word
- Pineapple
- Original experiment
- Conducted in 1971 and stopped after six days
3 sources
What people are saying
They’re playing to the cameras.
This is how prison always is, bro. It’s gonna be a long two weeks.