Netflix to revisit Stanford Prison Experiment in new unscripted series

Netflix is set to revisit the controversial Stanford Prison Experiment through a new unscripted series titled “The New Stanford Prison Experiment.”

According to Variety, the series will feature 30 participants who will enter a real prison and be randomly assigned as either guards or prisoners.

Based on Netflix's official synopsis, which Variety ran, the experiment will examine how people respond to power, hierarchy, and control, and whether empathy and morality can withstand the pressures of their assigned roles.

“As the pressure builds and the balance of power begins to shift, the central question feels more urgent than ever: Does power corrupt?” the synopsis reads.

“The New Stanford Prison Experiment” is produced by Alfred Street Industries, with Jane Lipsitz, Dan Cutforth, Nan Strait, Dan Volpe, Jeff Grogan, and Mike Odair serving as executive producers.

The original Stanford Prison Experiment was conducted at Stanford University in 1971 under psychology professor Philip Zimbardo and was initially planned to run for two weeks but was stopped after less than a week after guards began abusing participants assigned as prisoners, among other ethical concerns.

The experiment has since faced significant criticism over its methodology and ethics. It also helped contribute to broader discussions that led to stricter protections for human participants in research.

The original experiment has been explored in books, documentaries, docuseries, and scripted adaptations, including the 2015 film “The Stanford Prison Experiment,” which starred Billy Crudup as Zimbardo.

“The New Stanford Prison Experiment” will premiere on October 21 with six episodes. — Carby Basina/LA, GMA News