Secrets of Playboy

10 Worst Episodes of Secrets of Playboy

Explore the hidden truths behind the fable and philosophy of the Playboy empire through a modern-day lens. The documentary series delves into the complex world Hugh Hefner created and examines its far-reaching consequences on our cultureโ€™s view of power and sexuality.

Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 08, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

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Secrets of Playboy - S1E6

#10 - The Corporate Game (Season 1 - Episode 6)

The Playboy corporate world was billed as a welcoming place for women, but Playmate and eventual Director of Playboy Promotions Miki Garcia and Bunny Mother PJ Masten reveal the rampant sexual harassment they faced within it.

The episode was rated 7.31 from 55 votes.

Secrets of Playboy - S1E1

#9 - The Playboy Legacy (Season 1 - Episode 1)

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Hugh Hefner sold himself as a champion of free speech who created the Playboy brand to set off a sexual revolution that would liberate men and women alike, but over the years he used Playboy to manipulate women to compete for his favor and silenced whistleblowers.

The episode was rated 7.17 from 99 votes.

Secrets of Playboy - S1E7

#8 - The Big Playboy Lie (Season 1 - Episode 7)

A roundtable of Playmates recount how decades of women modelled for the magazine because they believed that becoming a Playmate would lead to a lucrative career in a safe environment; instead, many faced a hostile environment.

The episode was rated 7.15 from 54 votes.

Secrets of Playboy - S1E8

#7 - Predators' Ball (Season 1 - Episode 8)

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Even in the earliest parties at the mansion, celebrities like Roman Polanski and Bill Cosby are a big part of the allure of the Playboy brand, but Hugh Hefner keeps some Hollywood A-listers happy at the expense of the women.

The episode was rated 7.15 from 48 votes.

Secrets of Playboy - S1E4

#6 - The Price of Loyalty (Season 1 - Episode 4)

This episode explores the 1970s DEA investigation into Hefner, Playboy, and drugs through the lens of two women who lived and worked at Playboy: Hefner's right-hand woman Bobbie Arnstein, who committed suicide while being investigated for drug trafficking, and Playboy Bunny Adrienne Pollack, who died of a drug overdose in 1973.

The episode was rated 7.13 from 64 votes.

Secrets of Playboy - S1E9

#5 - The Shadow Mansions (Season 1 - Episode 9)

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During the 1990s, Playmates, including Pamela Anderson and Anna Nicole Smith, reach peak fame and young women flock to Los Angeles in hopes of being the next centerfold; men in Hefner's inner circle set up shadow mansions where women are exploited.

The episode was rated 7.07 from 45 votes.

Secrets of Playboy - S1E2

#4 - The Girl Next Door (Season 1 - Episode 2)

In the 2000s, Hugh Hefner reinvented himself and his brand through the runaway success of the reality show โ€œGirls Next Door,โ€ starring his girlfriends. The series made mansion life seem like a fairytale, but Holly and Bridget reveal the reality.

The episode was rated 7.04 from 76 votes.

Secrets of Playboy - S1E12

#3 - The Aftermath (Season 1 - Episode 12)

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Former Playmates, girlfriends, and employees including Sondra Theodore, Susie Krabacher, Lisa Loving Barrett and Audrey Ann Huskey come together to share their experiences and struggles stemming from their time in the Playboy world. Alongside sex and trauma therapist Dr. Kate Balestrieri, the women reflect on the decades of fear and abuse they experienced and how the Playboy legacy has changed as a result of their decisions to come forward.

The episode was rated 6.85 from 39 votes.

Secrets of Playboy - S1E10

#2 - Predator Number One (Season 1 - Episode 10)

In public, Hefner continually professed that he wanted to protect his "girls next door." But he continually failed. Never before heard stories from Playmate Susie Krabacher, mansion employees Stefan and Stella Tetanbaum, and Sondra Theodore reveal the dark truth that Hefner was the Mansion's Predator Number One.

The episode was rated 6.84 from 44 votes.

Secrets of Playboy - S1E11

#1 - Behind "The Girls Next Door" (Season 1 - Episode 11)

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Former girlfriends of Hugh Hefner Karissa and Kristina Shannon, discuss their experience with Hefner and the hit television series "The Girls Next Door," which introduced a new generation to Hefner and the Playboy lifestyle. Telling their emotional story for the first time, Karissa and Kristina reveal that beneath the sugar-coated exterior was a darker world led by Hefner with increasingly stricter rules designed to control the women in order to maintain the Playboy image.

The episode was rated 6.64 from 39 votes.

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