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Episode No.
Date
Length
No. 40

Prosthetic Limbs

More and more Americans rely on prostheses. They’re custom-fitted, highly personal, and extremely expensive. Zachary Crockett investigates.

3/17/24
21:22
No. 39

Houseplants

Interest in houseplants has exploded in recent years. But what causes floral trends, and prices, to grow? Zachary Crockett sows a few seeds.

3/10/24
18:18
No. 9

Bowling Alleys (Replay)

Once America’s favorite recreational activity, bowling has been in the gutter for decades. But some surviving alleys are resetting the pins. Zachary Crockett laces up.

3/3/24
19:51
No. 38

Junk Mail

Why does the mailman bring us so many catalogs, credit card offers, and pizza coupons? Because his job depends on it. Zachary Crockett checks the mailbox.

2/25/24
22:04
No. 37

Personal Injury Lawyers

If you can make it through three years of law school, you too might end up on a billboard. Zachary Crockett makes the case.

2/18/24
21:03
No. 36

ATMs

Why do you have to pay $4 to get $40 cash at a bar? And who does it go to? Zachary Crockett checks his balance.

2/11/24
24:02
No. 35

Dental Insurance

Why is it separate from medical insurance? And is it really insurance at all? Zachary Crockett goes in for a cleaning.

2/4/24
19:38
No. 34

Store-Brand Products

Those low-priced staples on grocery-store shelves — where do they come from? Zachary Crockett finds out at a national convention for private-label manufacturers.

1/28/24
20:59
No. 33

Sex Scenes

Behind these steamy sequences, there are body doubles, pubic wigs, legal documents, and dedicated choreographers who make sure everyone is comfortable. Zachary Crockett fast-forwards straight to the good parts.

1/21/24
22:18
No. 32

Used Golf Balls

American golfers lose 300 million balls a year — and all those bad swings are someone else’s business opportunity. Zachary Crockett hits the links.

1/14/24
21:27
No. 31

Superhot Chili Peppers

The market for gustatory pain is surprisingly competitive. Zachary Crockett feels the burn.

1/7/24
18:10
No. 30

Card Counting

Casinos think they can stop skilled gamblers from eking out a tiny edge at blackjack. Is that a losing bet? Zachary Crockett doubles down.

12/31/23
21:55
No. 10

Michelin Stars (Replay)

Only the finest restaurants have a chance to bask in their glow. Sometimes, it’s a bit too bright. Zachary Crockett squints at the menu.

12/24/23
18:32
No. 29

Greeting Cards

The tradition of sending cards to loved ones was in decline — until it was rescued by a new generation. But millennials have their own ideas about what sentiments they want to convey. Zachary Crockett is thinking of you on your special day.

12/17/23
19:24
No. 28

Horseshoe Crab Blood

How does the blood of a 450-million-year-old arthropod help prevent lethal infections in humans? And could we exhaust the supply? Zachary Crockett wades in.

12/10/23
17:50
No. 27

Romance Novels

How did love stories about vampires, cowboys, and wealthy dukes become the highest-grossing fiction genre in the world? Zachary Crockett gets swept away.

12/3/23
22:15
No. 3

My Sharona (Replay)

Can a hit single from four decades ago still pay the bills? Zachary Crockett f-f-f-finds out.

11/26/23
18:47
No. 26

Graffiti

Is graffiti public art, or public nuisance? It depends who you ask. Zachary Crockett tags in where it all started.

11/19/23
16:18
No. 25

Private Jets

Executives shell out millions of dollars for the privilege of flying private — but that convenience comes at a steep cost to the rest of us. Zachary Crockett prepares for takeoff.

11/12/23
21:11
No. 24

Pistachios

How did a little green nut become a billion-dollar product, lauded by celebrities in Super Bowl ads? Zachary Crockett cracks open the story.

11/5/23
19:32
No. 23

Cadavers – Part 2

In the final part of our series, Zachary Crockett talks to a man with a storied — and controversial — career in the body parts business.

10/29/23
18:27
No. 22

Cadavers – Part 1

In the first of two episodes, Zachary Crockett digs into the strange and discomfiting history of cadavers, and the industry that has emerged around them.

10/22/23
21:40
No. 21

Car Washes

Why are these sudsy roadside stops one of the fastest growing industries in America? Zachary Crockett takes a look under the hood.

10/15/23
19:34
No. 20

Tattoo Parlors

More people than ever before are getting tattoos — but social media has flipped the trade’s business model on its head. Zachary Crockett dips into the ink.

10/8/23
19:37
No. 19

Pizza Boxes

There’s more than meets the eye to the box that stores the pie. Zachary Crockett cracks the lid.

10/1/23
16:45
No. 4

Used Hotel Soaps (Replay)

Hotel guests adore those cute little soaps, but is it just a one-night stand? Zachary Crockett discovers what happens when we love ’em and leave ’em.

9/24/23
16:52
No. 18

Mobile Home Parks

They’ve long been associated with crime and blight. Now, the investors are moving in. Zachary Crockett follows the trail.

9/17/23
22:29
No. 17

Truffles

It takes fungi-sniffing dogs, back-room deals, and a guy named “The Kingpin” for the world’s most coveted morsel to end up on your plate. Zachary Crockett picks up the scent.

9/10/23
20:55
No. 16

Prop Money

Who makes the stacks of fake cash used in movies — and how do they stay clear of counterfeit law? Zachary Crockett follows the fake money.

9/3/23
21:52
No. 15

Home Staging

How do you turn an empty house into a buyer’s dream home? Zachary Crockett pulls back the curtain.

8/27/23
22:42
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