In 2001, there were 28 This American Life episodes.
- Episode 175 – "Babysitting"
- Act 1: What Big Teeth You Have – Hillary Frank
- Act 2: In the Event of an Emergency, Put Your Sister in an Upright Position – Susan Burton
- Act 3: Yes There Is A Baby – Ira Glass
- Episode 176 – "Two Nations, One President"
- Episode 177 – "American Limbo"
- Act 1: The Family That Flees Together, Trees Together – Alex Blumberg
- Act 2: What's French for 'Strike Three'? – Adam Gopnik
- Act 3: It's Julie Andrews' World, Sylvia Just Lives In It – Sylvia Lemus and Ira Glass
- Episode 178 – "Superpowers"
- Episode 179 – "Cicero"
- Act 1: Untouchables
- Act 2: The Inevitable
- Act 3: War By Other Means
- Act 4: They Say Our Love is Here to Stay
- Episode 180 – "Return to Childhood"
- Episode 181 – "The Friendly Man"
- Episode 182 – "Cringe"
- Act 1: What We Cringe About When We Cringe About Love – Nancy Updike
- Act 2: The Growing Aesthetic of Cringe – Adam Sternberg
- Act 3: M*A*S*H Notes – Ira Glass
- Act 4: Cringe and Purge – Bruce Jay Friedman
- Episode 183 – "The Missing Parents Bureau"
- Episode 184 – "Neighbors"
- Episode 185 – "Golden Calf"
- Act 1: Bowing Before the Famous – Ann Hepperman
- Act 2: Thou Shalt Worship No Other Trousers Before Me – Ira Glass
- Act 3: Don't Have a Golden Cow – Iggy Scam
- Episode 186 – "Prom"
- For her segment Tornado Prom Susan Burton won the 2001 Third Coast International Audio Festival Best New Artist award
- Act 1: Tornado Prom – Susan Burton
- Act 2: Save the Last Dance for Me... Again – Ira Glass
- Act 3: Only Two Things Are Certain in Life: Death and Tuxes
- Act 4: Only One Thing Missing – Wendy Dorr – Prom in Racine, Wisconsin
- Episode 187 – "Father's Day '01"
- Act 1: Driving the Divorcemobile
- Act 2: And If That Diamond Ring Don't Shine – Ian Brown
- Act 3: Legend of a Bankrobber's Son – Nick Flynn
- Episode 188 – "Kid Logic"
- Act 1: Baby Scientists with Faulty Data
- Act 2: The Game Ain't Over til the Fatso Man Sings – Howie Chackowicz
- Act 3: Werewolves in Their Youth – Michael Chabon
- Act 4: One Brain Shrinks, Another Brain Grows – Julie Hill
- Episode 189 – "Hitler's Yacht"
- Episode 190 – "Living the Dream"
- Episode 191 – "I Know What You Did This Summer"
- Episode 192 – "Meet the Pros"
- Act 1: Crispy with the Rock – Joel Lovell
- Act 2: Know When to Walk Away, Know When to Run – Ira Glass
- Act 3: Martha My Dear – David Rakoff
- Episode 193 – "Stories of Loss"
- Episode 194 – "Before and After"
- Episode 195 – "War Stories"
- Episode 196 – "Rashomon"
- Act 1: 1001 Arabian Nightly Newscasts – Julie Snyder
- Act 2: Bombs over Baghdad – Issam Shukri
- Act 3: Toto, I don't Think We're in Vietnam Anymore – Alex Blumberg
- Episode 197 – "Before It Had a Name"
- Act 1: Mr. Boder Vanishes – Carl Marziali
- Act 2: Of Course I Remember Your Name – Heather O'Neill
- Act 3: A Bad Day for Plates – Laura Tangusso
- Act 4: You Call That Love? – Jonathan Goldstein
- Episode 198 – "How to Win Friends and Influence People"
- Episode 199 – "House on Loon Lake"
- Episode 200 – "Hearts and Minds"
- Act 1: Don't Believe Anything You Hear on the Radio – Nancy Updike
- Act 2: Live on Stage by the Sword, Die on Stage by the Sword – Margy Rochlin
- Episode 201 – "Them"
- Episode 202 – "Faith"
- Act 1: Adventures in Turning the Other Cheek – Ira Glass
- Act 2: Does Size Matter If You're Talking About a Cross? – Josh Noel and Alex Blumberg
- Act 3: The Epiphany Biz – Bill Lychak
- Act 4: First Be Reconciled to Thy Brother, and Then Come and Offer Thy Gift – Susie Putz-Drury
