Today in 1971: Nixon Installs Taping System in White House Oval Office

On February 16, 1971—nearly 50 years ago today—President Richard Nixon’s order to his Chief of Staff became a reality, as the Secret Service installed the first of several recording devices to capture his conversations between 1971 and 1973. While the infamous “smoking gun” tape would ultimately lead to Nixon’s downfall, there was one woman who might have gotten there first. Slow Burn, a new docuseries from EPIX based on the hit podcast, features new interviews and analyses that shed light on the elements of the Watergate scandal previously left out of the narrative. 

One of those stories is the almost unbelievable tale of Martha Mitchell, the wife of the head of the Committee to Re-Elect President Richard Nixon, who was held captive the week following the burglary to keep her from discovering the truth. Over the course of six episodes, Leon Neyfakh takes a look back at politically tumultuous times not so far removed from today—covering everything you never knew, from the silencing of Martha Mitchell to the wide-spread promulgation of conspiracy theories. Tune in to the premiere of Slow Burn, tonight, February 16 at 10/9c, on EPIX.