Season 1 of Free to Choose premiered on March 2, 1980.

Free to Choose: A Personal Statement (1980) is a book by economists Milton and Rose D. Friedman, accompanied by a ten-part series broadcast on public television, that advocates free market principles. It was primarily a response to an earlier landmark book and television series The Age of Uncertainty, by the noted economist John Kenneth Galbraith.

Season 2 of Free to Choose premiered on January 5, 1990.

The original 1980 series was rebroadcast in 1990 with Linda Chavez moderating the episodes. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronald Reagan, Steve Allen and George Shultz give personal introductions for each episode. This time, after the documentary portion, Dr. Friedman sits down with a single opponent to debate the issues raised in the episode.