# Seven Deadly Sins (2008)

> A history documentary that traces how the seven deadly sins entered religious doctrine and examines historical figures who embodied each one.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/25092

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 7
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: documentary, history
- Network: History
- TMDB rating: 7.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392068/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: measured, sober, expository, reflective, educational

## What critics say

Audiences rate the docuseries positively for its engaging historical storytelling on the origins of the seven deadly sins.

## Synopsis

Seven Deadly Sins (2008-2009) is a American history documentary series created for History, produced by Flight 33 Productions. Across seven one-hour episodes, the series follows each of the traditional vices in turn, tracing where the idea came from, how it became part of religious doctrine, and what it looks like in the lives of real historical figures who embodied it. Each episode moves through a single sin in a clear arc: its origins and nature, the virtue set against it, and the punishment traditionally attached to it. Rather than a single continuing narrative, the show is a self-contained survey, so each hour stands on its own while the seven together build a broad portrait of moral failing across Western history. The tone is measured, expository and sober, with a scholarly register that feels more like a documentary essay than sensational true crime. Its subject sits in medieval and early modern European religious thought, with its historical figures drawn from across the centuries. Fans of The Men Who Built America, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and The Story of God with Morgan Freeman will find a similar blend of accessible history and reflection on ideas that still shape how people think about morality.

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