Netflix Sets 21 October Launch for The New Stanford Prison Experiment

Netflix has commissioned an unscripted series based on the Stanford Prison Experiment, with The New Stanford Prison Experiment set to debut on 21 October, according to Variety. Unscripted means the show uses real participants rather than actors. A commission, in television terms, means the platform has ordered the show for its service.

The title is The New Stanford Prison Experiment. The first season will run for six episodes. Each episode runs 45 minutes. Put together, that is four and a half hours of television in a single season.

The format centres on 30 participants. They will enter a real prison for the series. Once inside, they will be assigned at random as guards or prisoners. Random here means the roles are drawn by chance, not chosen by the people taking part.

The series is produced by Alfred Street Industries. The executive producers are Jane Lipsitz, Dan Cutforth, Nan Strait, Dan Volpe, Jeff Grogan and Mike Odair. An executive producer credit typically covers senior oversight of creative decisions, budgets and delivery, with several names reflecting the size of the production team.

The story behind the title dates to 1971. The original Stanford Prison Experiment was conducted on the Stanford campus. It was led by psychology professor Philip Zimbardo. The set-up used students to fill the two sides of prison life.

That original study was designed to run for two weeks. It ended after less than a week. The early finish has kept the experiment in public discussion for decades. The Hollywood retelling followed in 2015 with the feature film The Stanford Prison Experiment, which starred Billy Crudup as Zimbardo.

For viewers, this means a familiar reality structure with an academic name attached. Two groups start apart. Six short episodes will show how the divide plays out.

Netflix has not announced beyond the opening season in the report. The six-episode order gives the story a clear beginning and end. Viewers can plan around a single launch date rather than a long rollout.

All episodes run to the same length. All follow the same group of 30. All will be available from 21 October as reported.