| Brad Meltzer's Decoded | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Investigation Mystery |
| Presented by | Brad Meltzer |
| Starring | Scott Rolle Christine McKinley Buddy Levy |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 23 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Gary Auerbach Julie Auerbach Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun Gene Stein Russ McCarroll |
| Camera setup | Multiple |
| Running time | 45 minutes (w/o commercials) |
| Production companies | Go Go Luckey and Berman/Braun |
| Original release | |
| Network | History |
| Release | December 2, 2010 (2010-12-02) – January 20, 2012 (2012-01-20) |
Brad Meltzer's Decoded (or simplyDecoded) is an American investigative television series focused on historical mysteries and alleged conspiracy theories, produced by Go Go Luckey and Berman/Braun, that premiered December 2, 2010, on theHistory Channel.[1] The series is hosted byBrad Meltzer, an author ofpolitical thriller novels and non-fiction works, and follows a team of investigators who try to determine the meanings behind various symbolism, alleged secret codes and conspiracies that surround us every day.History Decoded, a book by Meltzer that was inspired by the show, was published in October 2013.
The New York Times reviewer Ginia Bellafante gaveDecoded a critical review, writing, "[there] are the languorous crackpots who wonder if codes are embedded in theirHome Depot receipts, or ifGeorge Washington's wooden leg hid an alternate Constitution. It is for this group that the seriesBrad Meltzer's Decoded has been conceived" but says, "Decoded, though, at least returns the History channel to history" after its forays into reality TV such asIce Road Truckers andAx Men.[2]
PopMatters.com compares aspects ofDecoded toConspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura stating it has "some broadly questionable research and conclusions, all developed and pursued 'in the moment', to giveDecoded that sort of you-are-there-for-this-grand-adventure feel."[3]
| No. | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 (1) | "The White House" | December 2, 2010 (2010-12-02) | |
Brad and team continue the 200-year search for the mysteriousWhite Housecornerstone. Supposedly laid down in 1792 by members of the secretiveFreemasons, records are sketchy on the history of this stone which has been sought after by those such asHarry S. Truman andBarbara Bush. | |||
| 102 (2) | "Secret Presidential Codes" | December 9, 2010 (2010-12-09) | |
Brad and team investigate the suspicious suicide of one of the world's greatest explorers,Meriwether Lewis, (ofLewis and Clark fame), who may have died while in possession of secret codes for presidentThomas Jefferson and clues that his death may have been an assassination. | |||
| 103 (3) | "Statue of Liberty" | December 16, 2010 (2010-12-16) | |
Brad and team study the iconicStatue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom and prosperity, or so it seems until they uncover symbolism on the structure that may reflect a more sinister meaning and its significance to the "power number" of "7". | |||
| 104 (4) | "The Lincoln Assassination" | December 23, 2010 (2010-12-23) | |
Brad and team look into 150-year-old rumors thatJohn Wilkes Booth wasn't killed 12 days after he assassinated PresidentAbraham Lincoln, but escaped with the help of alook-alike and aided by theConfederate military to go on to live another 40 years. | |||
| 105 (5) | "Confederate Gold" | December 30, 2010 (2010-12-30) | |
Brad and team try to decipher secret messages and cryptic maps left behind by the mysterious "Knights of the Golden Circle" who may have hid millions of dollars' worth of silver and gold from the Confederate treasury in secret caches across America. | |||
| 106 (6) | "D.B. Cooper" | January 6, 2011 (2011-01-06) | |
Brad and team investigate evidence focusing on suspect Kenneth Christiansen, that he may have been hijackerD. B. Cooper, who in 1971, bailed out of an airliner at 10,000 feet overWashington state, with $200,000 in ransom money and was never seen again – the only unsolved plane hijacking in U.S. history. | |||
| 107 (7) | "2012" | January 13, 2011 (2011-01-13) | |
Brad and team work to decipher the meanings behind numerous ancient prophecies, from the predictions ofNostradamus, toHopi andMayan legends, to Muslim and Christian texts, to even predictions made by an internet analysis program called theWeb Bot, that supposedly warn of worldwide destruction in the year 2012. | |||
| 108 (8) | "The President's Inner Circle" | January 20, 2011 (2011-01-20) | |
Brad and team look into the history and the people involved in theCulper Spy Ring – a covert team of ordinary citizens; shopkeepers, tavern owners and housewives – who played a vital role in helping save the United States by spying on the British during the Revolutionary War, over 200 years ago. | |||
| 109 (9) | "Secret Societies" | January 27, 2011 (2011-01-27) | |
Brad sends his team in to penetrate theBohemian Grove – a secretive and tightly guarded gathering of the elite in aNorthern Californiaredwood forest, to pursue rumors of bizarre rituals, sacrifices and secret meetings said to influence the lives of everyday Americans. Joining them is conspiracy talk radio hostAlex Jones who secretly video taped a grove ritual in July 2000. | |||
| 110 (10) | "Apocalypse in Georgia" | February 3, 2011 (2011-02-03) | |
Brad's team goes toElberton, Georgia to investigate theGeorgia Guidestones – a granite monument commissioned by a mysterious individual, "R.C. Christian", (who is suspected to be part of theRosicrucian sect), whereupon multilingual messages are written that some suggest are plans to rebuild civilization after an apocalyptic disaster. | |||
| No. | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201 (11) | "Ft. Knox" | October 5, 2011 (2011-10-05) | |
Brad's investigators look at one of the most secure places on Earth – theBullion Depository atFort Knox, where the U.S. Government reportedly keeps 147.3 million ounces (over 4,600tons) of gold. Because there has not been a public audit of the gold since 1974 however, the team looks into rumors that the vault is now empty, and if true, it could devastate the nation's economy. | |||
| 202 (12) | "Declaration of Independence" | October 12, 2011 (2011-10-12) | |
Brad's team looks into various mysteries surrounding theDeclaration of Independence, such as whether or not the document on display at theU.S. National Archives is the original copy; that the document wasn't authored byThomas Jefferson, but insteadThomas Paine; and the document was used as a cipher for theBeale Papers which supposedly leads to $65 million in pirate gold. | |||
| 203 (13) | "Mount Rushmore" | October 19, 2011 (2011-10-19) | |
Brad and team investigate allegations that the sculptor who created theMount Rushmore monument,Gutzon Borglum, was a member of theKu Klux Klan, and that his monument representswhite supremacy and not U.S.patriotism. They also learn that the evidence could be hidden within the "Hall of Records" – a time-capsule area located behind the monument that is off limits to the public. | |||
| 204 (14) | "Patton" | October 26, 2011 (2011-10-26) | |
Brad's team looks into the 1945 death of controversial WWII GeneralGeorge S. Patton, who died suddenly while recovering from injuries he sustained during an automobile accident in Germany. They also investigate rumors that the general may have been murdered by the Russians, or by an assassin working for theOSS under the orders of future presidentDwight D. Eisenhower. | |||
| 205 (15) | "Spear of Destiny" | November 16, 2011 (2011-11-16) | |
Brad's team investigates the possible locations of theHoly Lance alleged to have been used during the crucifixion ofJesus and looks into the rumored obsessionAdolf Hitler had in gaining possession of the spear. | |||
| 206 (16) | "Billy the Kid" | November 23, 2011 (2011-11-23) | |
Brad and team look into the life and adventures ofBilly the Kid and addresses the century-old debate of whether or not the legendary outlaw was shot dead by lawmanPat Garrett in 1881, or that he might have escaped and went on to live a longer life. | |||
| 207 (17) | "UFO" | November 30, 2011 (2011-11-30) | |
Brad's team interview members of the military and aviation organizations who have come forward to break their silence about their encounters with UFOs. From the famousRoswell UFO incident toArea 51, the team tries to piece together evidence of an alleged government coverup regarding the existence of extraterrestrial beings. | |||
| 208 (18) | "Da Vinci" | December 7, 2011 (2011-12-07) | |
Brad and team examine the life of legendary artist and engineerLeonardo da Vinci and look into the rumors that he hid cryptic prophecies in his work that are so dire, they were hidden away by theCatholic Church. To understand the mind of Da Vinci, the team looks at his controversial political views, his obsession with death, and the mysterious identity ofMona Lisa. | |||
| 209 (19) | "2012: It Has Begun" | December 14, 2011 (2011-12-14) | |
Brad and team study more apocalyptic prophecies of 2012 and look at evidence that they may be coming true. From ancientMayan legends to the texts ofKing James Bible, the team tries to answer if doomsday is upon us and what we can look forward to on December 21, 2012. | |||
| 210 (20) | "Mafia: Alive?" | December 21, 2011 (2011-12-21) | |
Brad and team look into the history of theMafia, beginning withAl Capone and hisChicago Outfit toWhitey Bulger and theIrish Mob. They also look into evidence that Mafia is still around, but has evolved into something more powerful; such as Mexican drug cartels bringing violence to American soil and the "cybermafia" – a gang of high-tech criminals who steal money and identities over the internet. | |||
| 211 (21) | "Vatican" | December 28, 2011 (2011-12-28) | |
Brad's team goes toRome to investigate rumors that theVatican may have been involved in the death of one of their own,Pope John Paul I, who was in power for only 33 days before he was found dead of mysterious causes. They look into a possible cover up that he was about to expose a banking scandal involving the Freemasons and the Mafia operating inside the Vatican itself. | |||
| 212 (22) | "Houdini: Murdered?" | January 4, 2012 (2012-01-04) | |
Brad's team researches the life of legendary magician and escape artistHarry Houdini, who died after a trick went fatally wrong, and looks into suspicions that his death was no accident, but an act of murder. To gain more insight, the team makes a list of possible suspects and motives, and uncovers Houdini's backstage life of love affairs, family feuds, and rumored involvement in international espionage. | |||
| 213 (23) | "Devil's Graveyard, Alaska" | January 20, 2012 (2012-01-20) | |
Brad and team investigate an area betweenAnchorage,Juneau andBarrow, Alaska, dubbed "Alaska'sBermuda Triangle," which has a disappearance rate sixteen times the national average. The team interviews local villagers, rescue workers and victim's families and listens to their theories as to why so many ships, planes and people have vanished here without a trace. | |||