Parts of this article (those related to Season 42 (2023–24)) need to be updated. The reason given is: Recent episodes airing, plus some upcoming. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (January 2024)
Frontline is an investigative journalism television program from PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), producing in-depth documentaries on a variety of domestic and international stories and issues, and broadcasting them on air and online. Produced at WGBH-TV in Boston, Massachusetts, and distributed through PBS in the United States, the critically acclaimed program has received every major award in broadcast journalism.[1] Its investigations have helped breathe new life into terrorism cold cases,[2] freed innocent people from jail, prompted U.N. resolutions, and spurred both policy and social change.[3]
As of November 21, 2023,[update] 813 episodes of Frontline have aired.
A look at the battle between the U.S. and Soviet Union to turn outer space from a world of exploration to one of strategic defense, including the then-recent introduction by U.S. President Ronald Reagan of the Strategic Defense Initiative.
Charlie Cobb explores how a rift between two of Zimbabwe's leaders threatens to divide the country among tribal lines.
14
14
"Air Crash"
Transportation
60 minutes
May 2, 1983 (1983-05-02)
114
How human greed and legal machinations led to the July 1982 crash of Pan Am Flight 759.
15
15
"Looking For Mao"
Asian politics
60 minutes
May 9, 1983 (1983-05-09)
115
A look at a new cultural revolution inside China, one that finds political and social relaxations that run counter to Mao Zedong's anti-capitalist dictates.
16
16
"Israel: Between The River and The Sea"
Biographies
60 minutes
May 16, 1983 (1983-05-16)
116
The story of Rafik Halabi, the only Arab reporter working in the Hebrew section of Israeli Television, and how his identity and loyalty became a national controversy.
This Oscar-nominated documentary looks at the Kaler family's 6-year battle with local and federal officials over contamination (from a nearby landfill) of their water well in South Brunswick, New Jersey.
18
18
"Vietnam Memorial"
Military; psychology
60 minutes
May 30, 1983 (1983-05-30)
118
A look at the October 1982 dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the pain and emotions that survivors, parents, and friends of the memorialized still feel about the war.
A look at the plight of people seeking refuge from US-allied governments in Central America focuses on a Guatemalan family's journey through a new "underground railroad".
24
24
"Moneylenders"
Finance
60 minutes
July 11, 1983 (1983-07-11)
124
Anthony Sampson looks at the difficulties developing countries have in repaying loans to Western banks, who fear financial catastrophe as a result.
A collaboration with the BBC looks into how U.S. intelligence relied on Klaus Barbie in their anti-Communist efforts, and whether the government was culpable in protecting the former Gestapo officer from being brought to justice for his crimes in World War II.[4]
Season 2 (1984)
Season 2 of Frontline saw Judy Woodruff become the show's host after Jessica Savitch's death.
A look at efforts to counter the street gang problem in Los Angeles, where violent conflicts have claimed the lives of gang members and innocent bystanders alike.
An intimate look into the issues doctors, lawyers, and parents face regarding medical treatment for infants born with severe physical and mental injuries.
A rare look inside Vietnam 10 years after the fall of Saigon and the tangible and emotional legacies of the war on the country.
5152
23
"Shootout on the Imperial Highway (Parts 1 and 2)"
Criminal justice; gang violence
60 minutes
January 22, 1985 (1985-01-22)January 29, 1985 (1985-01-29)
302303
A two-part report on gang wars in the Watts section of Los Angeles. Part 1 focuses on the efforts of James Hawkins, Sr. and his family to combat youth gangs and their criminal activities. Part 2 focuses on how gangs form and the threat they pose to the general public.
53
4
"The Lifer and the Lady"
Prison reform
90 minutes
February 5, 1985 (1985-02-05)
304
The story of the relationship between convicted murder Ron Cooney and prison volunteer Lesley Earl.
54
5
"The Child Savers"
Family/children
60 minutes
February 12, 1985 (1985-02-12)
305
A profile of New York's Emergency Children's Service and their efforts to confront child abuse cases.
55
6
"Down for the Count"
Sports
60 minutes
February 19, 1985 (1985-02-19)
306
A look at the world of boxing; the fighters, promoters, and fans who love it; and the critics who want to ban it.
Seymour Hersh tells the story of a Pakistani businessman who tried to ship electrical devices which can be used as nuclear bomb triggers out of the US to Pakistan.
Part 1 of a 4-part look at the history of US relations in Central America and the Caribbean profiles American preeminence in the region from the Spanish–American War in the 1890s through the mid-1950s.
The premiere of footage from an unfinished 1945 documentary made by British and American filmmakers (Alfred Hitchcock among them) who followed Allied armies into Nazi concentration camps to capture post-liberation images.
68
19
"You Are in the Computer"
Housing
60 minutes
May 14, 1985 (1985-05-14)
319
Robert Krulwich investigates computerized information systems and their roles in landlords denying rentals to prospective tenants.
During its fourth season, Frontline presented Comrades, a 12-part documentary series that originally aired on the BBC in Great Britain. Comrades profiled everyday life in and citizens of the Soviet Union through interviews and fly on the wall filming. Frontline's presentation of Comrades featured "wraparound" segments where host Judy Woodruff interviewed Richard Denton and other Comrades producers about the episode's background.[6]
Profiles of the couples, lawyers, judges, and children caught in divorce proceedings.
77
7
"Who's Running this War?"
Foreign affairs
60 minutes
March 18, 1986 (1986-03-18)
407
A probe into the legality of covert aid provided by the U.S. to contra rebels in Nicaragua.
78
8
"AIDS: A National Inquiry"
Health
120 minutes
March 25, 1986 (1986-03-25)
408
A look into the AIDS crisis begins with the case of a homosexual prostitute who, before he succumbed to the disease, continued to have unprotected sex with several men. In the second hour, Harvard Law School professor Charles Nesson moderates a discussion on issues of civil liberties, public safety, education, and medical progress about AIDS.
A look into the fantasy and reality of the multibillion-dollar motion picture industry.
85
15
"The Bloods of 'Nam"
Military; discrimination
60 minutes
May 20, 1986 (1986-05-20)
415
Wallace Terry interviews black veterans of the Vietnam War who fought three battles—against Communist forces, discrimination in the military, and post-war disillusionment at home.
An examination of mental illness from the point of view of residents in a St. Paul home, who deal with not only their psychological demons but also social stigma.
Audio clips from this episode were featured in the Pearl Jam song "Stupid Mop".
Ofra Bikel looks at the strained social structure in Great Britain, where unemployment is common in northern areas but power and privilege prevail in the south of the country.
A look into the 20-year conflict over affirmative action policies in the U.S.
Comrades documentary
90
20
Comrades I: The Education of Rita
Biography
60 minutes
July 1, 1986 (1986-07-01)
COM101
The life and ambitions of a Komsomol member and school graduate as she begins her first teaching job in Moscow.
91
21
Comrades II: Hunter and Son
Biography
60 minutes
July 8, 1986 (1986-07-08)
COM102
The story of a hunter and his young son hunting for sable and other valuable fur animals in the Siberiantaiga.
92
22
Comrades III: All that Jazz
Music
60 minutes
July 15, 1986 (1986-07-15)
COM103
A look at musical subcultures (jazz and rock) unapproved by Soviet government features the performances of Sergey Kuryokhin.
93
23
Comrades IV: The Trial of Tamara Russo
Criminal justice
60 minutes
July 22, 1986 (1986-07-22)
COM104
The Soviet justice system is examined through the trial of a hospital orderly accused of theft and the female judge presiding over the case.
94
24
Comrades V: Master of Samarkand
Religion
60 minutes
July 29, 1986 (1986-07-29)
COM105
A look at Muslim life in the USSR focuses on a master craftsman of Uzbek heritage who for 35 years has been restoring the great Islamic mosques in Samarkand.
95
25
Comrades VI: Pacific Outpost
Biography
60 minutes
August 5, 1986 (1986-08-05)
COM106
A profile of a workaholic communist official; her husband, who cares for their two daughters; and their lives in the Soviet Pacific coast town of Nakhodka.
96
26
Comrades VII: Steel Mill Soccer
Biography; sports
60 minutes
August 12, 1986 (1986-08-12)
COM107
The lives of players on a factory soccer team in Azerbaijan as they fight for the town championship.
97
27
Comrades VIII: Doctor in Moscow
Biography
60 minutes
August 19, 1986 (1986-08-19)
COM108
A day in the life of a successful, well-to-do Moscow eye surgeon reveals what life is like for privileged Soviet citizens.
98
28
Comrades IX: Baltic Chic
Culture
60 minutes
August 26, 1986 (1986-08-26)
COM109
The influences of Western culture on Soviet society and fashion as seen through a fashion designer in Tallinn, Estonia.
99
29
Comrades X: Soldier Boy
Biography
60 minutes
August 26, 1986 (1986-08-26)
COM110
A look at the exertion and boredom of basic Soviet military training focuses on an 18-year-old recruit and his parents who worry he may be sent to fight in Afghanistan.
100
30
Comrades XI: October Harvest
Biography
60 minutes
September 2, 1986 (1986-09-02)
COM111
Collective farm life in southern Russia as seen through one family's work during harvest time.
101
31
Comrades XII: Leningrad Movie
Entertainment
60 minutes
September 9, 1986 (1986-09-09)
COM112
A profile of a director in the state-funded Soviet film industry who controversially dares to depart from the state-approved script.
Season 5 (1987)
The end of Frontline's 5th season featured the documentary Apartheid. Spanning over 3 centuries, the 5-part historical documentary looked into the background and practice by South Africa's government of apartheid, the institutionalized form of racial segregation that favored the country's white minority at the expense of its indigenous black population.
February 10, 1987 (1987-02-10)February 17, 1987 (1987-02-17)
503504
A two-part examination of America's War on Drugs. Part 1 looks at the effectiveness of drug treatment programs and addicts' struggles. Part 2 looks into the effectiveness of anti-drug efforts in schools.
A look into the practice of childless couples turning to private adoption deals brokered by lawyers and counselors, and the ambiguity and heartbreak that can result.
A look into tensions between Philadelphia'spolice and the black liberation group MOVE, which led to a May 1985 standoff that ended with police bombing MOVE's compound.
A look at the effects of corruption on a city government's day-to-day operations.
Apartheid documentary
117
16
"Apartheid Part 1: 1652–1948"
History, race/multicultural
60 minutes
December 14, 1987 (1987-12-14)
516
A look at the precursors to apartheid in South Africa, from colonial times to the rise of the ANC, Afrikaner nationalism, and practices of white favoritism by governments.
118
17
"Apartheid Part 2: 1948–1963"
History, race/multicultural
60 minutes
December 14, 1987 (1987-12-14)
517
A white nationalist government implements strict segregational practices (racial classifications, separate-and-unequal schooling, forcible relocation of Blacks) and gives it the name "apartheid" — but not without facing a Nelson Mandela-led resistance.
119
18
"Apartheid Part 3: 1963–1977"
History, race/multicultural
60 minutes
December 15, 1987 (1987-12-15)
518
A look at the South African government's establishment of rural bantustans and the rise of Back resistance to homeland policy, which culminates in the 1976 Soweto uprising.
120
19
"Apartheid Part 4: 1978–1986"
History, race/multicultural
60 minutes
December 15, 1987 (1987-12-15)
519
Prime minister P. W. Botha implements reforms to maintain white supremacy in South Africa, moves that provoked negative reactions from Afrikaners and Blacks alike.
A look at an unprecedented meeting in Dakar, Senegal where dissident white Afrikaners and Black leaders from the ANC met to discuss strategies for change in South Africa.
The rise and fall of Jim & Tammy Bakker and why government agencies failed to investigate claims of corruption within their evangelical empire.
123
2
"Operation Urgent Fury"
Foreign affairs
60 minutes
February 2, 1988 (1988-02-02)
602
Seymour Hersh investigates the US Military's October 1983 invasion of Grenada, the military shortcomings it laid bare, and whether it jeopardized the lives of the American college students it was meant to protect.
A look at the difficulties facing the air traffic system, which have included an environment of delays, cancellations, and near-collisions post-deregulation.
Twenty years after moving to Moscow on assignment for TIME, journalist Jerry Schecter and his family return to renew friendships and explore the USSR under glasnost.
Joe Rosenbloom looks into the Defense Department's poor record of cleaning up the ground water pollution it has caused.
130
9
To a Safer Place
Family/children
60 minutes
April 12, 1988 (1988-04-12)
609
Sexually abused by her father from infancy until running away at 14, Shirley Turcotte returns to her Winnipeg hometown to face the adults who failed to protect her, the siblings who were also abused, and the horrific childhood she seeks to make peace with.
Mark Trahant looks at how the business and treaty success of the Quinault Indian Nation is countered by issues of poverty and unemployment among its people.
140
19
"My Husband is Going to Kill Me"
Social issues
60 minutes
June 28, 1988 (1988-06-28)
619
How the justice system in Colorado failed to protect Pamela Guenther from her violent husband, who murdered her in front of their children in February 1987.
Season 7 (1988–89)
Frontline's 7th season was Judy Woodruff's last as on-air host.
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Topic(s)
Running time
Original air date
Prod. code
141
1
"The Politics of Prosperity"
Economics
60 minutes
October 10, 1988 (1988-10-10)
700A
In the last weeks of the 1988 presidential campaign, correspondent William Greider explores the private but increasingly intense debate about what the next president should do to avoid economic disaster, how and when should he do it, and who will be asked to bear the burden. Frontline focuses on four communities that have not shared in the prosperity of the Reagan years.
In Frontline's first quadrennial profile of the presidential candidates, Garry Wills offers backgrounds of and thoughts from people who know candidates George Bush and Michael Dukakis. (A Frontline collaboration with TIME)
A look at the 1988 presidential run of Jesse Jackson.
147
7
"Children of the Night"
Social issues
60 minutes
February 14, 1989 (1989-02-14)
705
The problem of teenage runaways and suicides as seen through the case of Iain Brown, who left home at 13 for the life of a male hustler in San Francisco.
Bob Ray Sanders explores how one Dallas neighborhood is struggling to combat the drugs and violence plaguing its community.
151
11
"Murder in the Amazon"
Environment
60 minutes
April 11, 1989 (1989-04-11)
709
The life of Brazilian trade union leader and environmentalist Chico Mendes, and how his December 1988 murder put a focus on the ecological pillage of the Amazon rainforest.
A look at the struggles of Calvert City, Kentucky, a town plagued by pollution and toxic waste generated by the chemical plants that drive its economy.
Season 8 (1989–1990)
Beginning with Season 8, Frontline would eschew from using a regular on-air host, using an off-screen narrator to introduce each episode.
As part of its 8th season, Frontline aired the 4-part documentary Decade of Destruction. Produced by Adrian Cowell, the series spotlighted the destruction of Brazil's Amazon rainforest, regarded as one of Earth's "last great frontier[s]", during the decade of the 1980s.[7]
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Topic(s)
Running time
Original air date
Prod. code
160
1
"Tracking the Pan Am Bombers"
Terrorism
60 minutes
November 28, 1989 (1989-11-28)
800
A look into the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing in December 1988, including those suspected to have been responsible and whether unheeded warnings and blunders by German police may have contributed to the tragedy.
161
2
"The Right to Die?"
Social issues
120 minutes
December 13, 1989 (1989-12-13)
801
An expanded examination into the subject of Season 6's "Let My Daughter Die", delving into the broad issues surrounding a right to diecase argued before the US Supreme Court one week before this broadcast. (A collaboration of Frontline and Fred Friendly's Media & Society Series)
162
3
"The Bombing of Pan Am 103"
Terrorism
60 minutes
January 23, 1990 (1990-01-23)
802
The efforts of those who lost loved ones in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing to seek justice, improve air security, and improve government efforts to respond to terrorists and their supporters.
A behind-the-scenes look at the Soviet Union's first beauty pageant and the broader struggles facing women in the communist country.
165
6
"Throwaway People"
Race
60 minutes
February 13, 1990 (1990-02-13)
805
Roger Wilkins investigates the economic and social roots of the African American underclass, focusing on the struggles of young Black men in one Washington, DC neighborhood.
Thirty years after Edward R. Murrow's Harvest of Shame documentary, David Marash looks at the continuing plight of migrant farm workers and the forces that keep their lives so desperate.
171
12
"Hilary in Hiding"
Family/children
60 minutes
April 24, 1990 (1990-04-24)
811
A look at the case of Elizabeth Morgan, who served a 25-month jail term for civil contempt after refusing to divulge the whereabouts of her daughter, Hilary, who Morgan suspected had been sexually assaulted by Hilary's father.
Carl Nagin looks into how ancient artifacts looted from pre-Columbian tombs in Latin America wound up in auction houses, galleries, museums, and private collections in the United States.
The hopes and frustrations of public school teachers in one Midwestern town as they face the threat of funding cutbacks, the criticism of parents, and a growing number of troubled children from troubled homes.
177
18
""The Arming of Iraq: Frontline Special""
Middle East
60 minutes
September 11, 1990 (1990-09-11)
817
Hodding Carter investigates the complicity of US and European governments & corporations in creating Saddam Hussein's military machine in Iraq.
Decade of Destruction documentary
178
19
""Decade of Destruction Part 1: Ashes of Forest""
Environment
120 minutes
September 18, 1990 (1990-09-18)
818
The series begins with the expansion of peasants into the Amazon, their slashing and burning of the forest land, and the natives' retaliatory actions against one settler's family.
179
20
""Decade of Destruction Part 2: Killing for Land""
Environment
60 minutes
September 19, 1990 (1990-09-19)
819
Lawless battles break out between corporate owners of Amazon farmland (who want the land left idle for speculation) and the migrant peasants who farm the plots.
180
21
""Decade of Destruction Part 3: Mountains of Gold""
Environment
60 minutes
September 20, 1990 (1990-09-20)
820
Prospectors illegally swarm over private gold reserves in the Amazon, with the government fighting to protect the untapped reserves.
181
22
""Decade of Destruction Part 4: Chico Mendes""
Environment
60 minutes
September 21, 1990 (1990-09-21)
821
The rise of Chico Mendes, his unionization of rubber tappers, and his fight to halt the rainforest's devastation and create protective areas.
Special
182
23
"Global Dumping Ground: Frontline Special""
Environment
60 minutes
October 2, 1990 (1990-10-02)
822
Bill Moyers investigates the big business of shipping of toxic waste from the US to third-world countries.
David Dimbleby examines how fractures between and within Afrikaner and Black groups threatens to disrupt negotiations for a new South Africa.
190
8
"The Spirit of Crazy Horse"
Race/multicultural
60 minutes
December 18, 1990 (1990-12-18)
908
One century after the Wounded Knee Massacre, Milo Yellow Hair recalls the story of his fellow Sioux people, from loss of land to invading whites through the present-day revival of Sioux cultural pride.
191
9
"To the Brink of War"
Foreign affairs
60 minutes
January 15, 1991 (1991-01-15)
909
On the day a UN resolution for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait reaches its deadline, Hodding Carter examines US government decisions that brought the nation to the brink of war.
192
10
"Cuba and Cocaine"
War on drugs
60 minutes
February 5, 1991 (1991-02-05)
910
A revelation into how drug smuggling became Cuban state policy.
193
11
"The Man Who Made the Supergun"
Biographies
60 minutes
February 12, 1991 (1991-02-12)
911
A profile of Gerald Bull, a designer of long-range artillery, and the questions surrounding his 1990 assassination.
194
12
"Guns, Tanks, and Gorbachev"
Foreign affairs
60 minutes
February 19, 1991 (1991-02-19)
912
Hedrick Smith looks at recent violent occurrences in the Soviet Union and the ramifications in US/USSR relations.
Harvard law professor Charles Ogletree leads a town meeting exploring the attitudes of Black Americans toward the Gulf War, a conflict in which nearly 30% of US soldiers were African American.
An investigation into the scandal surrounding a Colorado psychiatrist who had an affair with one of his patients, who ended up suing him for sexual abuse.
How New York City's child welfare service failed to protect four children from their abusive parents, who were sent to prison for the beating death of one of the children.
A profile of Reverend Sun Myung Moon, who after reemerging from a prison sentence for conspiracy and false tax returns, has become a notable figure in conservative-leaning politics, media, and causes.
214
10
"The Last Communist"
Biographies
60 minutes
February 11, 1992 (1992-02-11)
1010
A look at Cuban leader Fidel Castro from his days as a revolutionary to his defiant leadership in present day.
Shuichi Kato narrates over a controversial 30-year history between Matsushita Electric Company and the U.S. and explores the issues that confronts Japan in its economic expansion.
Hedrick Smith follows up on his 1990 series Inside Gorbachev's USSR by reviewing how post-Soviet Russia is handling newfound freedoms while dealing with financial struggles.
217
13
"Who Is David Duke?"
Biographies
60 minutes
March 3, 1992 (1992-03-03)
1013
Hodding Carter investigates the life of David Duke, his background in extremist ideology, and the reshaping of his image into a national political figure.
The legal battle by the family of Nancy Cruzan, who was left in a persistent vegetative state after a 1983 auto accident and was the subject of the first right-to-diecase heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
219
15
"Saddam's Killing Fields"
Middle East
60 minutes
March 31, 1992 (1992-03-31)
1015
Kanan Makiya secretly returns to Iraq to investigate rumors of an official extermination program aimed at the Kurdish people.
William Greider examines the widening divide between those in government and the citizens they serve and represent, and how the press and the political parties are failing the public.
A look at Arkansas' child welfare crisis, the struggle to reform the state's system, and whether governor (and presidential candidate) Bill Clinton avoided any effort toward systemic improvements.[8]
How China is embracing economic reforms and open society even as a firm hold on political dissent remains in place three years after pro-democracy protests were brutally silenced.
225
21
"Dear Frontline"
Viewer interaction, follow-up reports
30 minutes
June 2, 1992 (1992-06-02)
1021
A presentation of viewer responses to and updates on some of Frontline's reportage.
A look at the case of Damien Bynoe, a 15-year-old charged in the shooting deaths of two Boston youngsters; the Boston gang culture; and the passage of juvenile crime laws in Massachusetts.
The effects of discriminatory mortgage-lending practices by American financial institutions. (A co-production with the Center for Investigative Reporting)
Season 11 (1992–93)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Topic(s)
Running time
Original air date
Prod. code
228
1
"Thomas and Hill: Public Hearing, Private Pain"
Race/Multicultural
60 minutes
October 13, 1992 (1992-10-13)
1101
How the bitter issues surrounding Clarence Thomas's Supreme Court confirmation hearing affected Black America, and how Blacks and whites had little common understanding about the nomination battle.
Nick Kotz looks at the issues plaguing America's energy policy and how it remains guided by special interests and dependent on foreign oil. (A co-production with the Center for Investigative Reporting)
Robert Krulwich looks into the money givers funding the 1992 presidential campaigns and the access and influence they gain as a result. (A co-production with the Center for Investigative Reporting)
Al Austin examines the sexual assault epidemic and Washington's decision to keep offenders locked up until they are no longer considered a danger to the public.
J. Edgar Hoover amassed secret files on prominent Americans during his time as FBIDirector, but his own private life left him open to blackmail, which may have led to the mafia going unchecked by the Bureau for decades.
A look into the progresses gained and compromises made in negotiations to peacefully end Apartheid rule in South Africa.
241
14
"Choosing Death: Health Quarterly Special"
Health
120 minutes
March 23, 1993 (1993-03-23)
1114
Roger Mudd anchors a look into the complexities and dilemmas of euthanasia, including issues about the practice in the Netherlands and an in-studio discussion about the euthanasia debate in the U.S. (A co-production of Frontline and Health Quarterly)
Bill Moyers reports on U.S. Government failures to certify the safety of agricultural chemicals and why the pesticide industry is the only source of safety data.
243
16
"The Trouble with Baseball"
Sports
60 minutes
April 6, 1993 (1993-04-06)
1116
How the economic power struggle between Major League Baseball's owners and players is putting the sport on the brink of disaster.
244
17
Iran and the Bomb
Middle East
60 minutes
April 13, 1993 (1993-04-13)
1117
How Iran is quietly building an arsenal of biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons.
A look at Los Angeles, one year after the riots, through the eyes of five people who have thought and written about the city from the perspectives of its different communities, races, and classes.
How post-Cold War cutbacks in military spending have affected the industries and people whose livelihood was invested in the military-industrial complex.
A look at President Bill Clinton's efforts to transform health care reform from a campaign issue to a social reality. (Produced in association with The Health Quarterly)
July 20, 1993 (1993-07-20)(Parts I & II; 60 minutes each)July 21, 1993 (1993-07-21)(Parts III & IV; 60 minutes each)
11211122
A follow-up to 1991's Innocence Lost details the Little Rascals day care sexual abuse trial (at which owner Bob Kelly was convicted and sentenced to 12 consecutive life terms) and the lingering issues of dealing with child sexual abuse cases. Parts I & II use previously aired and unaired footage to track the earliest days of the case. Parts III & IV explores testimony of the victims and actions by prosecutors, defense attorneys, and jurors.
Season 12 (1993–94)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Topic(s)
Running time
Original air date
Prod. code
250
1
"The Heartbeat of America"
Industry
90 minutes
October 12, 1993 (1993-10-12)
1201
How General Motors went from being the undisputed top carmaker in America to suffering the biggest financial loss in U.S. corporate history. A co-production with the Center for Investigative Reporting)
Why a federal grand jury investigating potential crimes at Colorado's Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant went public with what they learned while hearing secret testimony in the case. (A co-production with Oregon Public Broadcasting)
253
4
"Showdown in Haiti"
Foreign affairs
60 minutes
November 9, 1993 (1993-11-09)
1204
A look into the diplomatic confrontation between Haiti's military government and a Clinton Administration that wants to restore deposed Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power.
How the FDA and American Red Cross failed to safeguard the nation's blood supply from the AIDS virus in the early 1980s, and why some of America's largest blood banks are still not in full compliance with federal regulations on blood safety.
256
7
"Behind the Badge"
Criminal justice
60 minutes
December 14, 1993 (1993-12-14)
1207
Jack Newfield looks at the effects of police brutality and corruption cases on police officers themselves, specifically the rank and file of the New York City Police Department.
How South Africa's Oppenheimer family helped fuel a cartel that cultivated the scarcity myth — and in turn inflated the monetary value — of the world's diamond supply.
John Zaritsky's documentary of a young Bosnian couple — Serb Boško Brkić and Bosniak Admira Ismić — whose deaths by sniper fire, while trying to cross a bridge into Serb-held territory, led to one of the more widely seen images from the siege of Sarajevo. (A Frontline co-production with Germany's WDR and Canada's CBC and NFB)
Robert Krulwich surveys the mining industry's practice of extracting millions of dollars in minerals and precious metals from public lands at no cost to them. (A co-production with the Center for Investigative Reporting)
How the practice of moving money to secret, low-regulated off-shore accounts has played a role in the crimes of money laundering, fraud, and tax evasion.
The rapid rise and stunning fall of Phar-Mor, and how president/co-founder Michael "Mickey" Monus and other top executives were able to hide one of the largest corporate frauds in U.S. history from the company's auditors.
April 4, 1995 (1995-04-04)April 11, 1995 (1995-04-11)
13121313
Ofra Bikel's 2-part look into the validity of repressed memories in sexual abuse cases. Part 1 examines how memory works and the different kinds of therapies used to help patients remember. Part 2 looks at how remembered abuse has affected families involved and how real memories are distinguished from those that are not true.
283
14
"The Homecoming"
Biographies
60 minutes
April 25, 1995 (1995-04-25)
1314
Two decades after his exile from the USSR, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn returns to Russia, offering words of advice and courage to the struggling people he meets along the way.
284
15
"When the Bough Breaks"
Family/Children
60 minutes
May 2, 1995 (1995-05-02)
1315
Intimate hidden-camera looks into how young children's behavior is affected by the fraying of the parent/child bond.
285
16
"The Vanishing Father"
Family/Children
60 minutes
May 16, 1995 (1995-05-16)
1316
How living in fatherless households can adversely affect children's behavior no matter the economic status.
A look at a Washington, DC woman and the unending loop of crime, prostitution, and addiction surrounding her and her family, and how her Washington Post profile by Leon Dash influenced policymakers and community leaders.
A look at Rupert Murdoch's drive to establish the first global telecommunications network, and how his success in media has been dogged by controversy over journalistic standards and political influence.
293
5
"Natasha and the Wolf"
Criminal justice
90 minutes
November 14, 1995 (1995-11-14)
1405
How a Russian gangster and killer charmed and seduced all who crossed his path, including the state prosecutor who aided in his escape from prison.
Bill Moyers follows up with two Milwaukee families he first profiled in a 1991 documentary who, after suffering layoffs from blue-collar employment, now struggle to provide for their families while working less-secure jobs.
Five years after Operation Desert Storm, a look into the diplomatic maneuvering and military assaults in the Gulf War, as well as the post-war rebellion inside Iraq.
Peter J. Boyer offers an investigative biography of House SpeakerNewt Gingrich, from his childhood roots through his years of ambition and his becoming the face of the Republican Revolution.
A look into the internal corporate and journalistic conflicts news organizations deal with in covering big business, centering on the legal battles surrounding ABC and CBS reports on the tobacco industry. (A co-production with CBC Television's the fifth estate)[11]
301
13
"Angel on Death Row"
Biographies
60 minutes
April 9, 1996 (1996-04-09)
1414
A profile of Sister Helen Prejean, her role as spiritual advisor to death row inmates, and her crusade against the death penalty.
Jeff Madrick looks behind the political rhetoric to see how companies, workers, and civic leaders are wrestling with global competition and the end of an era of industrial affluence.
The effects of the Tailhook scandal on the U.S. Navy and the controversy over the introduction of women into combat roles and positions of greater military authority.
309
3
"Why America Hates the Press"
Media
60 minutes
October 22, 1996 (1996-10-22)
1503
With public respect for the press at an all-time low, several notable journalists take a self-examination into the dynamics of the news business and its effect on American politics.
Frontline producer June Cross tells her story as the daughter of a white mother and an African-American father (vaudevillian Jimmy Cross), and how her mother kept June and her parentage a secret to protect the career of June's white stepfather (actor Larry Storch).
A look at the seduction of investing in the stock market and its implications on Americans' finances.
313
7
"Six O'Clock News"
Media
90 minutes
January 21, 1997 (1997-01-21)
1507
Ross McElwee looks at the "nagging metaphysical questions" behind life-shattering events — the type covered (sometimes in graphic fashion) by TV news — and the individuals who lives were altered by the incidents.
Jennifer Thompson recounts her brutal 1984 rape and how she has dealt with the exoneration, thanks to DNA evidence, of the man she mistakenly accused of the crime.
A look at violent crimes committed by young children centers on a Richmond, California case in which a 6-year-old badly beat an infant neighbor while stealing a tricycle from the infant's home.
320
14
"The Opium Kings"
War on drugs
60 minutes
May 20, 1997 (1997-05-20)
1514
Adrian Cowell looks at the international heroin business, centering on the case of Shan warlord Khun Sa.
Ofra Bikel revisits the Little Rascals day care sexual abuse trial (a subject of Frontline episodes in Seasons 9 & 11), focusing on the fates of the defendants and those who were encouraged to take plea deals from prosecutors.
A look at Switzerland's wartime support of Nazi Germany, including its work to replenish Nazi military supplies, its barring of Jewish refugees, and the disappearance of Jewish savings from Swiss banks. (A co-production with BBC)
The mysterious disappearance of Fred Cuny, a maverick humanitarian aid expert who helped millions and fought to change how the world responds to disaster.
The secret history of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and its equally formidable political arm, Sinn Féin, which have waged a bloody campaign in Northern Ireland for over a quarter of a century.
Orville Schell explores the clash of values between American opinion of China's human rights record (shaped by powerful forces in Hollywood) and an uncomprehending and intransigent Chinese leadership.
329
5
"A Whale of a Business"
Business; environment
60 minutes
November 11, 1997 (1997-11-11)
1605
A look at America's marine theme park business and the treatment of marine mammals, centering on the plight of the orca whale Keiko.
330
6
"The Princess and the Press"
Media
90 minutes
November 18, 1997 (1997-11-18)
1606
How the British royal family's relationship with the British press, once governed by unwritten rules of privacy, evolved into the media circus that surrounded Princess Diana in her final years.
331
7
"Last Battle of the Gulf War"
Health
60 minutes
January 20, 1998 (1998-01-20)
1607
A definitive account of what's behind the bitter Gulf War Syndrome controversy, as well as the broad scope of veterans affairs and the psychology of war.
Biblical scholars recount the rise of Christianity within the Roman Empire, the rift between Christians and Jews, and the evolution of the Jesus Movement into the Christian Movement. Hour 1 profiles how Judaism and the Roman empire shaped Jesus' life. Hour 2 traces the beginnings of the Jesus Movement as a sect within Judaism. Hour 3 follows the story of the first attempts to write the life of Jesus--the Gospels. Hour 4 chronicles how the Christian movement became separate from Judaism.
Donald Smaltz takes viewers inside his investigation of former Agriculture SecretaryMike Espy, while correspondent Peter Boyer examines how independent counsels such as Smaltz work and how far they'll go to get what they want.
September 21, 1998 (1998-09-21)September 22, 1998 (1998-09-22)September 23, 1998 (1998-09-23)
170117021703
David Sutherland's 3-part profile of a Nebraska farm couple and their struggles to keep their farm and marriage afloat. (A co-production of David Sutherland Productions and Frontline in association with the Independent Television Service)
A special report by Bill Moyers on the 1996 election campaign, showing how both political parties contrived to bend and break laws regulating campaign donations to their own benefit.
A report on the threat of biological weapons, how the Soviet Union secretly amassed an arsenal of such weapons, and how U.S. officials and scientists are racing to find a defense against their use.
Peter Boyer looks at Janet Reno's zeal in investigating and prosecuting cases of child sexual abuse, a model that prosecutors across the country would emulate.
3 year journalistic analysis of the life, crimes, impact and execution of Clifford Boggess, who was put to death in June 1998, by the State of Texas for two robbery/murders committed in 1986.
An investigation into the safety and security of the Russian nuclear arsenal and the potential for accidental launch or diversion of its nuclear weapons.
A look into allegations that UNSCOM, a U.N. commission created to find and destroy weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, was turned by the U.S. into a spy agency against Saddam Hussein.
Joel Meyerowitz and his son go on a trip with Joel's 87-year-old father, Hy Meyerowitz, who still offers wit and wisdom despite the ravages of Alzheimer's disease.
A look at the obsession over standardized tests, the test scores they produce, and their impact on the college admission process and American education in general.
An investigation into how Russian organized crime figures are extorting Russian-born National Hockey League players and using those connections to establish a criminal presence in North America.
Bill Moyers investigates the influence of campaign contributions in the judicial election process and how they may be corrupting the court system. The hour his highlighted by Moyers' interview with U.S. Supreme Court justices Anthony Kennedy and Stephen Breyer, who voice their concerns about the monetary campaign system in judicial races.
A look into DNA testing in criminal cases and the reluctance of legal & judicial figures and governors to employ such testing — which has led those convicted of rape & murder yet proven innocent through testing to remain imprisoned.
The troubled life of Kipland 'Kip' Kinkel, a 15-year-old Oregon high school student who, in a May 1998 incident, killed both of his parents and then killed 2 classmates and wounded 25 others at his high school.
Peter Boyer examines the political constraints, internal divisions and miscalculations that shaped in NATO's war against Serbia over the Kosovo region. The broadcast highlighted by an in-depth interview with Wesley Clark, who led the war as NATO's supreme allied commander in Europe.
A look at the impact of global warming, the political struggle between environmentalists and industrialists, the tentative balance of reducing greenhouse gases with the needs of a technologically-based 21st century world economy. (A co-production of Frontline and NOVA)
Shelby Steele examines Thomas Jefferson's relationship with his slave and mistress Sally Hemings, and follows their descendants as they undergo DNA testing to verify their ancestry.
An in-depth look at Russia, almost decade after the fall of the Soviet Union, finds a country becoming more militarized and influenced by anti-Western propaganda — just as Vladimir Putin is set to ascend to the Russian presidency.
An investigation of the political and educational clash over charter schools, voucher programs, and school choice options, as well as the allure of for-profit inner-city academies.
October 9, 2000 (2000-10-09)October 10, 2000 (2000-10-10)
19021903
A 2-part history of America's war on drugs as told from both sides of the battlefield. Part 1 spans the origins of the anti-drug campaign to the rise & fall of Columbia's drug cartels. Part 2 examines the impact of both the crack cocaine epidemic and Mexico's role in supplying drugs to meet American demand.
381
4
"The Future of War"
Military
60 minutes
October 24, 2000 (2000-10-24)
1904
A look at the U.S. Army's internal debate over evolving from a Cold War force to one ready for 21st century conflicts.
November 14, 2000 (2000-11-14)November 21, 2000 (2000-11-21)
19051906
A 2-part warts-and-all look inside the halls of the Suffolk County, Massachusetts court system (District Court in Part 1, Superior Court in Part 2)
384
7
"The Clinton Years"
Biographies
120 minutes
January 16, 2001 (2001-01-16)
1907
A look at Bill Clinton's life from the Arkansas governor's mansion through a hard-fought presidential campaign and his eight years in the White House. (A co-production of Frontline and ABC News' Nightline)
An observation of how Santa Clara County, California's juvenile court system prosecutes crimes against a quartet of young offenders (1 white, 2 Hispanic, 1 African American) who have committed violent crimes.
Ofra Bikel examines how Elián González became a symbol in the struggle for freedom from Cuban communist oppression that has long enveloped Miami's Cuban-American community.
387
10
"Hackers"
Criminal justice, technology
60 minutes
February 13, 2001 (2001-02-13)
1910
A report on the exploits of hackers and how their actions have highlighted the Internet's insecurities.
Douglas Rushkoff examines the techniques businesses and marketers use to cater to the teenage consumer demographic, as well as the resulting cultural ramifications.
March 27, 2001 (2001-03-27)April 3, 2001 (2001-04-03)
19121913
A 2-part look at xenotransplantation, the experimental process of transplanting genetically modified cells and organs into humans, and the possible benefits and medical risks that may result.
391
14
"Medicating Kids"
Health/Medical
60 minutes
April 10, 2001 (2001-04-10)
1914
An intimate look into the growing use of prescribing behavior-modifying drugs (e.g. Ritalin, Prozac, Adderall) to children, and whether the practice is medically necessary or just a quick fix.
392
15
"Harvest of Fear"
Science
120 minutes
April 24, 2001 (2001-04-24)
1915
A look into the practice of genetically modifying food crops, and whether its potential is a boon or a threat to mankind. (A co-production of Frontline and NOVA)
Airing two days after the September 11 attacks, this updated version of a Season 17 report retraces the evidence linking Osama bin Laden and his terror network to 9/11 and other attacks against American interests.
Bill Moyers anchors this investigation, led by Lowell Bergman, into why the CIA and FBI failed to uncover the 9/11 hijackers, as well as the U.S. government's failure to fully understand the hatred Muslim fundamentalists have for America and its interests. (Produced in partnership with The New York Times)
A look into the troubled diplomatic relations between the United States and China, and how issues over Taiwan and China's support of some Islamic states have fostered the strain. (Produced in partnership with The New York Times)
A look at the debate within the U.S. government over how to deal with Saddam Hussein over the Iraqi leader's state sponsorship of terrorist activities.
An exploration into America's fragile post-9/11 ties with Saudi Arabia and whether support within the kingdom toward Islamic fundamentalism threatens the stability of their relationship and the Middle East. (Produced in partnership with The New York Times)
How multinational conglomerates, profit-minded studio executives, and a yearning to make blockbuster films have changed Hollywood's motion picture industry.
An investigation into a bizarre case of injustice: Terence Garner is implicated, convicted, and sentenced for his role in a robbery and attempted murder, despite sharing only the first name as the man the lead suspect in the crime implicated.
How science may help to explain why adolescents behave the way they do, and how it may lead to changes in how we parent, teach, or understand teenagers.
A look into how the Israeli/Palestinian conflict has evolved from sticks & stones into an all-out combat involving commando units, militants, target killings, and suicide bombings.
How a man convicted of rape & murder remained on Florida's death row, despite possible evidence of innocence, and why he wasn't exonerated until 10 months after his death from cancer.
A Frontline investigation calls into question the seemingly ironclad case against a Cuban immigrant convicted of sexually abusing numerous children at his family's day care service in Miami.
A look into the terror threat from Iran and whether U.S. actions against the country help or hinder moderates' struggle to reform the country's hard-line conservative government.
How market deregulation, an oversight system gone soft, and conflicts of interest between accounts and the companies they were auditing allowed the scandal that engulfed Enron to go unchecked — and why that company's downfall might be only the tip of the iceberg.
A look into the quest for Middle East peace that began with the Oslo Accords was endlessly threatened, and ultimately undone, by the dynamics of politics and violence on both sides.
The story of FBI agent John P. O'Neill, an FBI counter-terrorism expert whose warnings about al Qaeda fell generally on deaf ears. Pressured to leave the bureau, he became security director for the World Trade Center, where he died during the September 11 attacks.
An examination of the personal, political, and societal fallout from the colliding of the legal and psychiatric worlds, centering on the 1994 story of a paranoid schizophrenic who held a college classroom hostage.
An investigation into whether McWane Inc. prioritized the production and profitability of its iron ore foundries ahead of worker and environmental safety. (A joint investigation of Frontline, The New York Times, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
A probe into the death of a 5-year-old girl in foster care in Maine examines what led to her decline in well being and whether she should have been placed in foster care in the first place.
A companion to "The Taking of Logan Marr", Hour 1 of this episode follows the work of a group of foster care caseworkers. Hour 2 is a town hall-style discussion on child welfare policy.
An investigation into the Bush administration's desire to go to war with Iraq and whether the publicly stated reasons (e.g. fear of weapons of mass destruction) are masking the real reasons for war.
This special report draws on Frontline's previous reportage on Iraq to examine the conflict between the U.S. and Saddam Hussein that has led to the brink of war.
An examination of Prime MinisterTony Blair's role in support of the Iraq War (despite strong opposition in the United Kingdom) and how it has laid bare the strain of relations between the U.S. and its western allies.
A look at the unstable relationship between the U.S. and North Korea and how the world has wound up on the brink of a nuclear showdown with the "Hermit Kingdom".
Profiles of recently released inmates who, despite receiving full exoneration for crimes they did not commit, do not receive any financial compensation or transitional assistance from the states that wrongfully imprisoned them.
Hedrick Smith looks at the hidden ties that enabled big banks and Wall Street insiders to profit while leaving ordinary investors holding worthless stock.
A look at the Lackawanna Six, whether they were an Al Qaeda sleeper cell (as government officials claimed), and whether the powers the FBI and CIA have been granted by the Patriot Act have any effectiveness.
A look at the integrity of America's drug safety system, the influence of pharmaceutical companies on the FDA's drug approval process, and whether that process is adequate in protecting the American public.
Coinciding with the 40th anniversary week of the Kennedy assassination, this encore of a 1993 episode explores the life of Lee Harvey Oswald and whether he was the man responsible for killing Kennedy.
The story of Katrina Leung, an FBI asset (code named "Parlor Maid") who, the U.S. government alleges, conspired with her FBI handler and lover, Special Agent James J. Smith, compromised American intelligence on behalf of China's Ministry of State Security.
Martin Smith journeys the length and breadth of Iraq to examine what it will take to stabilize the fractured country, establish democracy, and transfer power to its people.
Hedrick Smith looks at the use of tax shelters by corporations and wealthy individuals, the role of accounting firms in these deals, and how ordinary taxpayers wind up footing the bill.
How various diets are competing for marketshare and the attention of those wanting to shed weight, how they often contradict each other, and whether they actually work.
The story of Abdurahman Khadr, who was raised to be an Al Qaeda terrorist (his father was a longtime friend of Osama bin Laden) yet became an anti-terror informant for the CIA. (A Canadian Broadcasting Corporation production for Frontline)
How his Christian faith plays a role in George W. Bush's governance and how his views mirror those of America's politically influential evangelical movement.
How everything from industry consolidation to internet piracy to MTV have contributed to a perfect storm that envelopes and endangers the music industry.
An examination of the push to resolve criminal cases through plea bargains and its moral, judicial, and constitutional implications on the American jurisprudence system.
Douglas Rushkoff takes an in-depth look at the "persuasion industries" of advertising and public relations, and how marketers have developed new ways of deciphering and creating marketing messages that resonate with and influence Americans.
Hedrick Smith examines whether Wal-Mart, in its zeal to offer low-cost goods to shoppers, is the main force driving the production of American products to China (resulting in a decreased standard of living back home).
Lowell Bergman looks at how credit cards have become the most profitable sector of the American banking industry, whose marking, techniques, and political influence have contributed to a rise in personal debt and bankruptcies. (A joint investigation of Frontline and The New York Times)
A look at how Saudi Arabia's ruling royal family has maintained its hold on power in the face of ever-growing tensions between Islam and modernity, as well as its relations with the U.S. from the 1930s to the present day.
Dan Setton's investigation of the rise of right-wing religious extremism in Israel and how it could play as a "spoiler" in peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
A look into the political history and modus operandi of Karl Rove, who has been on the inside of every political and policy decision of the Bush administration. (A joint report by Frontline and The Washington Post)
An re-airing of Antony Thomas' controversial 1980 docudrama (which aired on Frontline's predecessor program World) depicting the public execution of a Saudi Arabian princess and her lover for adultery. The rebroadcast features new interviews with those involved with the film, a look at the controversies that surrounded it, and how the lives of Arab women have and have not changed in 25 years.
A close-up look inside Ohio's state prison system highlights this exploration of the issue of mentally ill inmates serving time in America's prisons and jails.
Holocaust survivor Marian Marzynski sets out to find out how Germans are willing to build a memorial to the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust — and in turn how Germans young and old are dealing with their country's dark history.
How decisions within the Bush administration led to its robust yet controversial policy of applying "coercive interrogation" on enemy fighters in the war on terror.
January 9, 2006 (2006-01-09)January 10, 2006 (2006-01-10)January 11, 2006 (2006-01-11)
240424052406
David Sutherland's 3-part documentary profile of two boys struggling to overcome hardship and poverty while coming of age in the Appalachian region of eastern Kentucky.
An undercover exploration of the world of global sex trafficking and how it has gone unchecked, centering on one man's journey to liberate his kidnapped wife from the sex trade. (A co-production of Frontline, Channel 4, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and Canal D)
An investigation into how and why methamphetamine abuse has become the fastest-growing drug abuse problem in America. (A reporting partnership of Frontline and The Oregonian)
A look at the people who are fighting against U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, the civilians who have been targeted, and whether the insurgents can be contained.
Antony Thomas searches for the identity of the unknown protester who stood before a column of Chinese army tanks in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, while in the process examining the cultural and technological divides in China and how its government has sought to erase the protests from the country's collective history. (A co-production with Channel 4)
Hedrick Smith looks at how pension cuts, corporate bankruptcies, and stock market upheaval have led to the crisis for baby boomers: Whether they'll have enough money to live off of during their retirement years.
May 30, 2006 (2006-05-30)May 31, 2006 (2006-05-31)
24122413
A look at the HIV/AIDS epidemic, covering the early concerns, subsequent medical advancements, and cultural and political fears that have been alleviated or still linger in the 25 years since the disease was first diagnosed.
Interviews and documented evidence buoy this investigation into the Bush administration's mission (spearheaded by Vice President Dick Cheney) to expand executive power, transform American intelligence, bring the war on terror to Iraq, and project American superiority worldwide in the years post-9/11.
Season 25 (2006–07)
As part of its 25th season, Frontline presented a four-part series titled News War.[12] Featuring 3 Frontline episodes and a fourth on its offshoot series Frontline World, News War explored the news media's reaction to the various internal and external forces (political, cultural, legal, economic) that changes and challenges its role in society. News War was a co-production of Frontline and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.
Reports from the lawless Pakistani tribal areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and reveals how the area has fallen under the control of a resurgent Taliban militia.
Lowell Bergman looks at major domestic terrorism cases and reveals major flaws in the U.S. government's investigation efforts. (Co-produced with The New York Times)
A look at multiple failures in the reconstruction efforts headed by the ORHA and the CPA, and how those involved became hardened to the realities of post-SaddamIraq.
A look into the scandal surrounding Spokane mayor Jim West, who gained prominence as a socially conservative politician yet, as revealed by a Spokesman-Review sting, surfed online for sexual relationships with young men.
A look into the repercussions of Americans living longer than ever (into their 80s and 90s) on not only them and their loved ones, but on the American health care system.
Joe Cultrera documents efforts by his brother, Paul, to reveal Paul's abuse by their Catholic church priest in the 1960s.
News War documentary
493
7
News War: Secrets, Sources & Spin, Part I
Media
60 minutes
February 13, 2007 (2007-02-13)
2505
Lowell Bergman explores controversies over journalism's use of anonymous sources, the relationship between the press and the Bush administration, and the unintended (and damaging) consequences of the Valerie Plame investigation.
494
8
News War: Secrets, Sources & Spin, Part II
Media
60 minutes
February 20, 2007 (2007-02-20)
2505A
A look into recent First Amendment legal battles between the U.S. government and the press, how and why reporters are compelled to reveal their confidential sources, and how much the press can reveal about government secrecy in the war on terror.
495
9
News War: What's Happening with the News
Media
60 minutes
February 27, 2007 (2007-02-27)
2506
How mainstream media and in-depth reporting has been upended in a changing world of profit pressures, corporate cost cutting, and increased competition from cable news networks and the internet.
496
10
News War: Stories from a Small Planet
Media
60 minutes
March 27, 2007 (2007-03-27)
2506A
In Frontline World's entry in the News War series, Greg Barker looks at the international forces influencing journalism and politics, specifically the rise of Al Jazeera and its impact on Arab media and the clash between the West and Islam.
How bi-partisan political and economic forces prevented the U.S. government from confronting what may be one of the most serious problems facing humanity today — climate change — and how state & local governments and the private sector are filling the leadership void on the topic. (An investigation by Frontline and the Center for Investigative Reporting)
Hedrick Smith profiles how the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program and whether it is jeopardizing Americans' privacy and civil liberties.
How strategic and tactical mistakes and an early mandate to create a quick American exit led to the chaos and sectarian strife that has brought Iraq to the brink of civil war.
How Vice President Dick Cheney pulled levers of power to give the presidency extraordinary executive power in times of war, even without the approval of Congress or review from the court system.
A look at the increase in diagnoses of bipolar disorder and other psychiatric disorders in children, and how they're being prescribed anti-psychotic drugs that have had little or no prior testing.
Lowell Bergman revisits a Season 21 report on worker safety concerns at McWane's iron ore plants, and how the company has changed its ways in the face of regulatory and legal woes after the report. (A Frontline co-production with the Center for Investigative Reporting, Inc.)
An examination of a 2005 massacre of unarmed civilians by Marine forces in Haditha, which led to one of the largest criminal cases against U.S. troops in the Iraq War.
March 23, 2008 (2008-03-23)March 24, 2008 (2008-03-24)
26082609
A two part analysis of the Iraq War looks at the war's beginnings, how it has been fought, and the conflicts within the Bush administration over its progress.
Deborah Scranton provides cameras to California National Guard soldiers (part of "The Bad Voodoo Platoon"), allowing them to tell their own stories of deployment in Iraq.
David Breashears tells the story of what happened on a 1996 climb of Mount Everest, when a fast-moving blizzard trapped two climbing teams and led to the deaths of 8 climbers.
Martin Smith (documentarian) looks at how oil and coal companies, electric utilities, and car manufacturers are reshaping their approach to the environment after years of resistance to change.
Stefan Forbes' documentary profile of Lee Atwater, the Machiavellian (and influential) GOP campaign operative who sought forgiveness from those hurt by his "politics as war" tactics before succumbing to a brain tumor at 40.
An illuminating look at Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, his mercurial rise to power, and how the mercurial leader has sparked socialist revolutions not only throughout his country but also through television.
The difficulties of rebuilding post-KatrinaNew Orleans as seen through producer June Cross' profile of 82-year-old Herbert Gettridge and his family, and how urban planning, public health, and insurance industry decisions affected their attempts to rebuild their homes and lives.
On the day Barack Obama takes office, Michael Kirk explores how Obama's life experiences and political career allowed him to his becoming America's first Black president.
Dave Iverson explores the scientific, ethical, and political debates that surround Parkinson's disease, speaking with scientists exploring cutting-edge cures and therapies, as well as fellow Parkinson's sufferers (Iverson was diagnosed with the disease in 2004). (A joint production of Frontline and ITVS)
Hedrick Smith examines the rising hazards to human health and ecosystem caused by polluted U.S. waterways, as well as the difficulties to keep our waters clean.
The inside story of how big bets and hopes of billions of dollars in revenues led instead to massive losses for investment banks, in particular Bank of America.
A look at American counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a fight that promises to be longer and more costly than most Americans understand.
536
2
"The Warning"
Business/Economy
60 minutes
October 20, 2009 (2009-10-20)
2802
An examination into why the financial crisis happened and how it might have been prevented, in particular the hesitancy to regulate the derivatives markets.
537
3
Close to Home
Business/Economy
60 minutes
October 27, 2009 (2009-10-27)
2803
Ofra Bikel turns to a New York City hair salon she frequents and sees the struggles of a small business owner, her sister's risk of imminent foreclosure on her Florida home, and how their various clients are getting buy in turbulent financial times.
538
4
"Alaska Gold"
Environment
60 minutes
November 10, 2009 (2009-11-10)
2804
The growing battle in Alaska's Bristol Bay region between two industries — fishermen who prize the bay's salmon population, and mining companies who want to reap its enormous mineral deposits.
539
5
"A Death in Tehran"
Middle East
60 minutes
November 17, 2009 (2009-11-17)
2805
How Neda Agha-Soltan, whose lost her life during election protests, became the face of a movement that threatened the hard-line Iranian government's hold on power.
540
6
The Card Game
Business/Economy/Financial Crisis
60 minutes
November 24, 2009 (2009-11-24)
2806
Lowell Bergman examines the future of the massive consumer loan industry, its impact on a fragile national economy, and what's ahead for customers and banks as possible new regulations await. (A joint project with The New York Times)
A look at "the risks and possibilities, myths and realities" of "life on the digital frontier".
542
8
Flying Cheap
Transportation
60 minutes
February 9, 2010 (2010-02-09)
2810
How low-cost airlines and regional carriers have changed the airline business, and whether safety has been sacrificed in the quest for greater profits.
543
9
Behind Taliban Lines
Afghanistan/Pakistan, Iraq/War on Terror
60 minutes
February 23, 2010 (2010-02-23)
2813
An Afghan journalist's 10 days living with an insurgent cell allied with Al Qaeda that's planning to sabotage a key U.S./NATO supply route.
John Zaritsky follows a Chicago native suffering from ALS as he travels to Switzerland in order to take his life with help of a nonprofit organization that offers legally assisted suicides.
545
11
The Quake
World
60 minutes
March 30, 2010 (2010-03-30)
2814
An in-depth look at the earthquake in Haiti examines problems with relief efforts and issues with governmental management, as well as the quake's effects on people's lives.
The debate between those in scientific medicine and public health who tout the medical benefits of vaccines and a populist coalition who express hesitancy over their administration.
A look at the violence, depression, and stress exhibited by a platoon of Iraq War veterans whose members who have committed murder and assault or have taken their own lives.
The 400-year history of the intersection of religion and public life in the United States of America. (A co-production of American Experience and Frontline)
At the center of the national death penalty debate today is the controversial case of Cameron Todd Willingham, put to death for the arson-murder of his three little girls. But was he guilty?[15]
554
2
The Spill
Business and Economy
60 minutes
October 26, 2010 (2010-10-26)
2902
Frontline investigates BP's record of safety violations and accidents in the years leading up to the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf.
555
3
The Confessions
Criminal Justice
90 minutes
November 9, 2010 (2010-11-09)
2903
Frontline looks at the case of the Norfolk Four in which four men were convicted of the rape and murder of a woman on the basis of coerced confessions.
556
4
Facing Death
Health/Medical
60 minutes
November 23, 2010 (2010-11-23)
2904
The end-of-life choices made by physicians and families
557
5
Battle for Haiti
Foreign affairs
60 minutes
January 11, 2011 (2011-01-11)
2905
In the chaos of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, thousands of the country's worst criminals seized the opportunity to stage a mass escape from the National Penitentiary. One year later, the gang leaders are re-asserting control in the capital, threatening the country's stability.
558
6
Are We Safer?Flying Cheaper
War on terror
22 minutes20 minutes
January 18, 2011 (2011-01-18)
2906
Are We Safer?: Dana Priest investigates the terrorism-industrial complex that grew up in the wake of 9/11. Flying Cheaper: A follow-up to Season 28's Flying Cheap examines the trend of airlines outsourcing Maintenance; a co-production with the Investigative Reporting Workshop.
559
7
Post Mortem
Criminal justice
60 minutes
February 1, 2011 (2011-02-01)
2907
A collaboration with NPR and ProPublica reveals how dysfunction, low standards, and lax oversight impacts investigations into sudden or suspicious deaths.
Money and March MadnessWho's Afraid of Ai WeiweiThe Private Life of Bradley Manning
Biographies
22 minutes18 minutes10 minutes
March 29, 2011 (2011-03-29)
2910
Money and March Madness: An inside look at the multibillion-dollar business of the NCAA and its brand of amateur college sports. Who's Afraid of Ai Weiwei: How Ai Weiwei dares to walk the fine line between freedom and censorship in China. The Private Life of Bradley Manning: Exclusive interview with Private Manning's father, who speaks out for the first time about his son's upbringing and troubled youth.[17]
562
11
Football High
Education, Sports
60 minutes
April 12, 2011 (2011-04-12)
2911
High school football has never had a higher profile ... but is winning worth the risks?
563
12
The Silence
Criminal Justice / Religion and Beliefs
60 minutes
April 19, 2011 (2011-04-19)
2912
Frontline reveals a little-known chapter of the Catholic Church sex abuse story: decades of abuse of Native Americans by priests and other church workers in Alaska.
564
13
Fighting for Bin Laden
Afghanistan/Pakistan
60 minutes
May 3, 2011 (2011-05-03)
2913
The fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
565
14
Kill/Capture
Afghanistan/Pakistan, Iraq/War on Terror
60 minutes
May 10, 2011 (2011-05-10)
2914
Goes inside the "kill/capture" program to discover new evidence of the program's effect and its costs.
The Child Cases: Ernie Lopez to prison for 60 years when a child dies under suspicious circumstances. Now a Texas judge has moved to overturn Lopez's conviction, and questions are raised about the quality of expert testimony in this and many other cases. Educating Sergeant Pantzke: In a follow-up to College, Inc., FRONTLINE investigates how the for-profit schools are recruiting veterans with educational promises that they may not keep.
568
17
The Pot RepublicDoctor HotspotThe Atomic Artists
Business and Economy / Social Issues HealthWorld
25 minutes13 minutes12 minutes
July 26, 2011 (2011-07-26)
2917
The Pot Republic: FRONTLINE and The Center for Investigative Reporting team up to investigate California's marijuana market. Doctor Hotspot: Dr. Jeffrey Brenner and his team are pioneering a practice called "hotspotting", in which medical care is focused on the hardest-to-treat to improve their health and dramatically reduce costs. The Atomic Artists: FRONTLINE with PRI's The World meet Chim?Pom, a provocative group of young artists using art to challenge the status quo and ask Japan to rethink their way of life.
Frontline, with ProPublica and McClatchy Newspapers, takes a hard look at the FBI's investigation of the country's most notorious act of bioterrorism.
573
2
Lost in Detention
Immigration / Social Issues
60 minutes
October 18, 2011 (2011-10-18)
3002
An investigation into the Obama administration's enforcement strategies and immigrant detention, particularly who is being detained and what is happening to these detainees.
574
3
Syria Undercover
War and Conflict / World
60 minutes
November 8, 2011 (2011-11-08)
3003
Reporter Ramita Navai goes undercover for a rare look at the uprising from inside Syria. Plus a profile of the dictator who has managed to hold on longer than any amidst the Arab unrest—President Bashar al-Assad.
Frontline reports on the unexpected collateral damage of the counter-narcotics effort in Afghanistan.
577
6
Nuclear Aftershocks
Environment, Health/Science/Technology
60 minutes
January 17, 2012 (2012-01-17)
2921
Frontline travels to three continents to explore the debate about nuclear power: Is it safe? What are the alternatives? And could a Fukushima-style disaster.[19] happen in the U.S.?[20]
578
7
The Interrupters
Biographies, Criminal Justice
120 minutes
February 14, 2012 (2012-02-14)
3006
An intimate journey across the violent landscape of our cities through the eyes of those fighting to sow peace and security.[21]
Frontline tells the inside story of the global financial crisis.[23] (four one-hour episodes, May 4 premier concluded).
586
15
Cell Tower DeathsSix Billion Dollar Bet
Business and Economy
30 minutes21 minutes
May 22, 2012 (2012-05-22)
3007
Cell Tower Deaths: Learn about the hidden cost of better and faster cell phone service and unreliable medical evidence in several child death cases. Six Billion Dollar Bet: Jon Corzine, former head of Goldman Sachs and political power broker, took over MF Global in the spring of 2010 and lost a massive bet on European debt, with more than a billion dollars of customer funds missing. FRONTLINE investigates how Corzine's traders went around MF Global's risk officers and how he swayed regulators in Washington to allow risky practices to continue.
587
16
Al Qaeda in Yemen
Terrorism / World
60 minutes
May 29, 2012 (2012-05-29)
3016
Frontline travels into the heart of Yemen's radical heartland, and shows how Al Queda is taking control of towns and cities in an attempt to establish its own state.
A tracing of the AIDS epidemic and how it has affected the Black community (nearly one-half of those with the disease are Black men, women, and children).
590
19
Fast Times at West Philly HighMiddle School Moment
Education
36 minutes14 minutes
July 17, 2012 (2012-07-17)
3015
Fast Times at West Philly High: Students and teachers from West Philadelphia High School, a public school serving one of Philly's most disadvantaged neighborhoods, defy expectations as they design and build two super-hybrid cars for international competition and compete for the chance to be part of a technological revolution. Middle School Moment: With new evidence suggesting that the make-or-break moment for high school dropouts may actually occur in middle school, this film explores how one Bronx school is using a novel form of data collection and analysis to predict and prevent dropouts before they happen.
Frontline probes the fault lines of a growing battle in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, home to the world's last great wild sockeye salmon fishery-and enormous mineral deposits.[24]
592
21
The Battle for Syria
Foreign Affairs/Defense
60 minutes
September 18, 2012 (2012-09-18)
3019
Frontline takes you inside the heart of the insurgency, where rebel groups are waging a full-scale assault on the forces of President Bashar al Assad.
Explore the shadow world of assisted suicide, where the lines between legality and criminality are blurred.
598
5
Poor Kids
Business/Economy/Financial
60 minutes
November 20, 2012 (2012-11-20)
3024
Poverty And surrounding issues in USA.
599
6
Secret WarOpium Brides
Terrorism / World World
18 minutes33 minutes
January 3, 2012 (2012-01-03)
3105
Secret War: Stephen Grey and Martin Smith go inside the deepest front in America's war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban: Pakistan. Opium Brides: Najibullah Quraishi reports on the harrowing story of the collateral damage of the counter-narcotics effort.
600
7
The Education of Michelle Rhee
Education, Family/Children
60 minutes
January 8, 2013 (2013-01-08)
3102
Biography and in depth look at one of the most controversial educational reformers in the modern era.
601
8
Inside Obama's Presidency
Government/Elections/Politics
60 minutes
January 15, 2013 (2013-01-15)
3103
A look inside the first term of the Barack Obama presidency and an eye to the second.
The inside history of how Washington has failed to solve the country's problems of debt and deficit
604
11
Newtown Divided Raising Adam Lanza
Social Issues Biographies, Criminal Justice
20 minutes32 minutes
February 19, 2013 (2013-02-19)
3106
Newtown Divided : In depth look at the Newtown shooting and all surrounding issues.
Raising Adam Lanza : In depth look at the history of Adam Lanza, the Newtown shooter.
605606
1213
Kind Hearted Woman(Parts 1 & 2)
Biographies
120 minutes180 minutes
April 1, 2013 (2013-04-01)April 2, 2013 (2013-04-02)
3199
A portrait of Robin Charboneau, a 32-year-old divorced single mother and Oglala Sioux woman living on North Dakota's Spirit Lake Reservation. Kind Hearted Woman is a special co-presentation of FRONTLINE and Independent Lens.
607
14
Syria Behind the Lines
Foreign Affairs/Defense
60 minutes
April 9, 2013 (2013-04-09)
3107
Everyday life of both the Syrian rebels and the Bashar al-Assad regime.
An updated version of Top Secret America which traces the journey from 9/11 to the Boston Marathon bombings and investigates the secret history of the 12-year battle against terrorism.
610
17
Never Forget to Lie
Family/Children, Social Issues
60 minutes
May 14, 2013 (2013-05-14)
3109
Filmmaker Marian Marzynski returns to Poland to explore his own wartime childhood and the experiences of other child survivors of the Holocaust.
611
18
Outlawed in Pakistan
Afghanistan/Pakistan
60 minutes
May 28, 2013 (2013-05-28)
3110
The story of a girl in Pakistan whose life is at risk for daring to allege rape.
612
19
Rape in the Fields
Criminal Justice, Social Justice
60 minutes
June 25, 2013 (2013-06-25)
3111
Lowell Bergman investigates the hidden reality of rape on the job for immigrant women working in America's fields, farms and factories. Co-produced with Documentales Univisión and the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR).
613
20
Two American Families
Family/Children, Social Issues
85 minutes
July 9, 2013 (2013-07-09)
3112
Bill Moyers chronicles the lives of two ordinary families over more than 20 years as they battle to keep from sliding into poverty.
614
21
Life and Death in Assisted Living
Family/Children, Social Issues
60 minutes
July 30, 2013 (2013-07-30)
3113
Frontline and ProPublica investigate assisted living in America.
Frontline investigates the rise of deadly drug-resistant bacteria.
618
4
Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?
Biographies
85 minutes
November 19, 2013 (2013-11-19)
3204
50th anniversary shortened repeat of 1993 broadcast: Investigative biography examining the Kennedy assassination by exploring the life of Lee Harvey Oswald.
619
5
A Death in St. Augustine
Criminal Justice
60 minutes
November 26, 2013 (2013-11-26)
3115
What happens when the police face the possibility of domestic violence within their ranks?
Syria's Second Front: Three years into Syria's war, another enemy has emerged: extremists aligned with Al Qaeda. Children of Aleppo: Three years into Syria's war, another enemy has emerged: extremists aligned with Al Qaeda.
Battle for Ukraine: Explores the deep-seated hatreds on both sides of the conflict. Syria: Arming the Rebels: Reporter Muhammad Ali crosses into the war zone, and finds Syrian rebel fighters who say they're being secretly armed and trained by the United States.
631
17
Separate and UnequalOmarina's Story
Social Issues / Race / Education
28 minutes23 minutes
July 15, 2014 (2014-07-15)
3214
Separate and Unequal: Sixty years after the Supreme Court declared separate schools for Black and white children unconstitutional, school segregation is making a comeback.Omarina's Story: As part of an examination of the school dropout crisis, FRONTLINE catches up with Omarina Cabrera, who was profiled in Season 30's Middle School Moment and is now excelling in a New England prep school.
632
18
Losing Iraq
Foreign Affairs/Defense
90 minutes
July 29, 2014 (2014-07-29)
3215
U.S. troops withdrew from Iraq in 2011, ending America's military commitment in the country. Now, chaos is once again engulfing Iraq.
Ebola Outbreak: From the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak, Frontline follows health officials tracking the deadly disease and trying to stop its rampant spread. With special access to teams fighting Ebola in Sierra Leone, the film shows how the outbreak is endangering health- care workers, overwhelming hospitals and getting worse. Also this hour, Frontline investigates accounts that members of the Nigerian military have been committing atrocities in the fight against Boko Haram – the Islamist militants who kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls in April. Hunting Boko Haram: FRONTLINE investigates evidence that in the fight against Boko Haram, members of the Nigerian military and state-sponsored militias have been committing atrocities against suspects, many of them innocent civilians.
634
2
The Trouble with Antibiotics
Health/Science/Technology
60 minutes
October 14, 2014 (2014-10-14)
3301
Frontline investigates the widespread use of antibiotics in food animals and whether it is fueling the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance in people. Also this hour: An exclusive interview with the family of a young man who died in a nightmare bacteria outbreak that swept through a hospital at the National Institutes of Health.
635
3
The Rise of ISIS
Foreign Affairs/Defense
60 minutes
October 28, 2014 (2014-10-28)
3302
Frontline investigates the miscalculations and mistakes behind the brutal rise of ISIS. Correspondent Martin Smith, who made "Truth, War & Consequences", "Beyond Baghdad", "Private Warriors" and "Gangs of Iraq", reports from Iraq on how the country began coming undone after the American withdrawal and what it means for the U.S. to be fighting there again.
Frontline and ProPublica investigate the relationship between Firestone and the infamous Liberian warlord Charles Taylor. Based on the inside accounts of Americans who ran the company's Liberia rubber plantation, and diplomatic cables and court documents, the investigation reveals how Firestone conducted business during the brutal Liberian civil war.
September 29, 2015 (2015-09-29)October 6, 2015 (2015-10-06)October 13, 2015 (2015-10-13)
3313
In My Brother's Bomber, an emotional and suspenseful three-part series, Dornstein embarks on a quest for answers about the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
655
4
Immigration Battle
Immigration / U.S. Politics
60 minutes
October 20, 2015 (2015-10-20)
3316
Independent filmmakers take viewers behind closed doors in Washington's corridors of power to explore the political realities surrounding one of the country's most pressing and divisive issues.
656
5
Inside Assad's Syria
War and Conflict / World
60 minutes
October 27, 2015 (2015-10-27)
3302
Correspondent Martin Smith goes Inside Assad's Syria to report from government-controlled areas as war rages, with on-the-ground reporting and firsthand accounts from Syrians caught in the crisis.
657
6
Terror in Little Saigon
Criminal Justice / World
60 minutes
November 3, 2015 (2015-11-03)
3317
An investigation of a wave of terror that targeted Vietnamese-American journalists.
Najibullah Quraishi reveals on film the degree to which ISIS is gaining a foothold in the country, and how they're focusing their efforts on training a new generation of jihadists.
An investigation into the heroin crisis in the United States
663
12
Saudi Arabia Uncovered
Middle East
60 minutes
March 29, 2016 (2016-03-29)
3407
Undercover footage and on-the-ground reporting inside Saudi Arabia profiles those who seek to bring change to the kingdom.
664
13
Children of Syria
Middle East
60 minutes
April 19, 2016 (2016-04-19)
3408
The story of four children surviving in war-tornAleppo, Syria, and their escape to a new life in Germany.
665
14
Benghazi in CrisisYemen Under Siege
Foreign affairs
18 minutes35 minutes
May 3, 2016 (2016-05-03)
3409
Benghazi in Crisis: A report from Benghazi, birthplace of Libya's 2011 uprising and the site of ongoing battles against ISIS. Yemen Under Siege: Journalist Safa al Ahmed looks at the human toll of the war in Yemen.
A Frontline/NPR joint investigation into insurance company profits, fraudulent claims, and FEMA difficulties resulting from the cleanup after Hurricane Sandy
668
17
Policing the Police
Law enforcement
60 minutes
June 28, 2016 (2016-06-28)
3412
Jelani Cobb's report from Newark, New Jersey highlights a look into the difficulties in reforming troubled police departments
669
Special
Mosquito Hunter
Health
12 minutes
August 2, 2016 (2016-08-02)
Special
A look at Brazil's efforts to combat mosquito-borne illnesses, most notably Zika fever.
A look at the successes, failures and challenges in the U.S.-led effort to degrade and destroy ISIS.
673
3
Terror in Europe
Foreign affairs
60 minutes
October 18, 2016 (2016-10-18)
3503
As Europe reels from a terror onslaught, top security officials describe their struggle to contain the unprecedented threat revealed by attacks in France and Belgium.
674
4
Exodus
Europe
120 minutes
December 27, 2016 (2016-12-27)
3414
First-person accounts of refugees and migrants fleeing war and persecution for a safe haven in Europe.
675
5
President Trump
Biographies
60 minutes
January 3, 2017 (2017-01-03)
3504
The key moments in Donald Trump's life that lead to him becoming the 45th American president.
676677
67
Divided States of America Parts 1 and 2
Government/Elections/Politics
120 minutes120 minutes
January 17, 2017 (2017-01-17) January 18, 2017 (2017-01-18)
35053506
A 2-part examination of the polarization dividing Washington and the U.S. as a whole begins with a look at how Barack Obama's promise of change and unity collided with racial and political realities.
678
8
Trump's Road to the White House
Biographies
60 minutes
January 24, 2017 (2017-01-24)
3507
A look at how Donald Trump defied expectations to win the U.S. presidency, how he rallied millions of supporters and defeated adversaries, and who he's bringing with him to the White House.
679
9
Battle for IraqHunting ISIS
Foreign affairs/Defense
30 minutes30 minutes
January 31, 2017 (2017-01-31)
3508
Battle for Iraq: Reporter Ghaith Abdul-Ahad goes inside the battle against the Islamic State for control of the Iraqi city of Mosul. Hunting ISIS: A look at an elite special operations unit at the center of the fight against ISIS in Iraq.
680
Special
Betting on Trump: WaterBetting on Trump: CoalBetting on Trump: Jobs
Out of Gitmo: Frontline and NPR examines the struggle over freeing prisoners once deemed international terrorists. Forever Prison: A Frontline/Retro Report collaboration into the untold history of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
682
11
Iraq Uncovered
Iraq/war on terror
60 minutes
March 21, 2017 (2017-03-21)
3516
A look into allegations of abuse of Sunni Muslim civilians by powerful Shia militias.
683
12
Last Days of Solitary
Criminal justice
60 minutes
April 18, 2017 (2017-04-18)
3519
A look at Maine's ambitious attempt to decrease its use of solitary confinement and what happens when prisoners who have spent considerable time in isolation try to integrate back into society.
684
13
The Fish on My Plate
Health
90 minutes
April 25, 2017 (2017-04-25)
3415
Writer Paul Greenberg spends a year on a diet almost exclusively of fish in pondering the question of what type of fish is good for the human body and the planet.
685
14
Second Chance Kids
Social issues
60 minutes
May 2, 2017 (2017-05-02)
3511
Inside the fight over the fate of juveniles serving lifetime prison sentences for murder, 5 years after a landmark Supreme Courtruling that such sentences without the possibility of parole were unconstitutional.
686
15
Poverty, Politics and Profit
Housing
60 minutes
May 9, 2017 (2017-05-09)
3512
A Frontline/NPR investigation into why, despite billions being spent on public/private housing initiatives, so few low-income people get the housing they need.
687
16
American Patriot
Law enforcement/Militias
60 minutes
May 16, 2017 (2017-05-16)
3510
Inside the armed uprising against the federal government: how the Bundy family's uprising invigorated armed militias and "patriot" groups.
688
17
Bannon's War
Biographies
60 minutes
May 23, 2017 (2017-05-23)
3513
A look at Trump adviser Steve Bannon; his confrontational style; his personal crusade to transform America; and his wars with radical Islam, traditional Washington politics, and rivals inside the White House.
An inside look at an effort in Connecticut to change the way parole works and reduce the risk of recidivism, focusing on a quartet of former prisoners navigating the challenges of their first year on parole. (Reported in collaboration with The New York Times)
How Donald Trump's use of inflammatory rhetoric and attacks on fellow Republicans gave him control of the GOP and further divided the country in his first year as U.S. President.
700
11
McCain
Biographies
60 minutes
April 17, 2018 (2018-04-17)
3608
A look at John McCain's life and politics, including his time as a Vietnam POW, his 2008 run for U.S. President (and his selection of Sarah Palin as a running mate), and his complicated relationship with President Trump and fellow Republicans (including his dramatic vote against a GOP health care bill).
701
12
Trafficked in America
Law enforcement
60 minutes
April 24, 2018 (2018-04-24)
3609
A labor trafficking investigation reveals a criminal network forcing Guatemalan teens to work against their will in Ohio.
702
13
Blackout in Puerto Rico
TBA
60 minutes
May 1, 2018 (2018-05-01)
3610
An in-depth look why Puerto Rico was left struggling to survive after Hurricane Maria.
703
14
Myanmar's Killing Fields
Asia
60 minutes
May 8, 2018 (2018-05-08)
3518
Secret footage going back years shows the effort to kill and expel Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar.
704
15
UN Sex Abuse Scandal
TBA
60 minutes
July 24, 2018 (2018-07-24)
3611
An investigation into sex abuse by United Nations peacekeepers in the world's conflict zones.
705
16
Separated: Children at the Border
Immigration / Social Issues / U.S. Politics / World
The inside story of what happened to immigrant children separated from their parents at the border.
706
17
"Documenting Hate: Charlottesville"
Criminal Justice / Social Issues / U.S. Politics
60 minutes
August 7, 2018 (2018-08-07)
3613
In Documenting Hate: Charlottesville, FRONTLINE and ProPublica investigate the white supremacists and neo-Nazis involved in the 2017 Charlottesville Unite the Right rally.
707708
1819
Our Man in Tehran(Parts 1 & 2)
World
120 minutes120 minutes
August 13, 2018 (2018-08-13)August 14, 2018 (2018-08-14)
New York Times correspondent Thomas Erdbrink offers this 2-part revelation of life inside the closed society of Iran, where citizens lead their private lives and deal with the challenges of the country's conservative clerics and theocratic leaders.
A look at the economic and social forces shaping Dayton, Ohio, a once-booming rust belt city hit hard by the Great Recession (nearly 35% of Dayton's residents live in poverty). (In partnership with ProPublica and WNET/New York's "Chasing the Dream" initiative)
Follow-up to August 2018’s "Documenting Hate: Charlottesville". An investigation into white supremacist groups in America – in particular, a neo-Nazi group, Atomwaffen Division, that has actively recruited inside the U.S. military.
FRONTLINE and NPR investigate the rise of severe black lung disease among coal miners, and the failure to respond. Also in this two-part hour, a report from Yemen.
Thousands of New Yorkers with severe mental illnesses won the chance to live independently in supported housing, following a 2014 federal court order. FRONTLINE and ProPublica investigate what's happened to people moved from adult homes into apartments and find more than two dozen cases in which the system failed.
In a special presentation from FRONTLINE, Independent Lens and VOCES, acclaimed filmmaker David Sutherland, examines the U.S. immigration system through two unforgettable protagonists whose lives reveal the human cost of deportation.
FRONTLINE offers a haunting look at how disturbing childhood experiences and unimaginable loss have affected the daily lives and relationships of some of the Holocaust's youngest victims.
Inside the no-holds-barred war for control of the Supreme Court, and how a 30-year-old grievance transformed the high court and turned confirmations into bitter, partisan conflicts.
Sex Trafficking in America tells the unimaginable stories of young women coerced into prostitution – and follows one police unit that's committed to rooting out sexual exploitation.
Kids Caught in the Crackdown: Frontline and The Associated Press investigate the mass confinement of migrant children, revealing traumatic stories of kids detained under President Trump's immigration policies. Iraq's Secret Sex Trade: A report on the sexual exploitation of women and girls in Iraq.
In a time of conflict and darkness in her home in Aleppo, Syria, one young woman kept her camera rolling — while falling in love, getting married, having a baby, and saying goodbye as her city crumbled.
A two-night (four-hour) Frontline special investigating America's increasingly bitter, divided and toxic politics. Part 1 traces how Barack Obama's promise of national unity collapsed as increasing cultural and political divisions laid the groundwork for the rise of Donald Trump. Part 2 examines how the country's political divisions led to Trump's successful presidential campaign, how his presidency has unleashed anger on both sides of the divide, and what America's polarization could mean for the country's future.
Taliban Country: Reporter Najibullah Quraishi goes on a dangerous journey inside both Taliban- and ISIS-held territory in Afghanistan and reveals two harsh realities: The Taliban is once again wielding power, and the threat from ISIS looms large. The Luanda Leaks: How Africa's richest woman, Isabel dos Santos, built a business empire with access to Angolan state funds — and the role U.S. companies have played in helping her amass her fortune. (Reported in partnership with International Consortium of Investigative Journalists)
Unique inside access powers this profile of pro-democracy protesters during several months of violent protests against influence over Hong Kong by China's communist government.
How Jeff Bezos built Amazon into one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world, and how politicians and regulators are considering its global impact.
An undercover report from China's secretive Xinjiang region profiles the Communist regime's mass imprisonment of Muslims and its use of surveillance technology against the Uyghur community.
Miles O'Brien and Kate McMahon investigate how the United States responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a look into the first known case that was identified in the country.
Italian producer Sasha Achilli documents the struggle of doctors at the Maggiore di Cremona Hospital to combat the COVID-19 outbreak in Northern Italy.[70]
Martin Smith examines why different U.S. government officials, including the president, were slow to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic despite early warnings to prepare against the inevitable contagion.[73]
How Insys Therapeutics bribed doctors and committed insurance fraud to secure prescriptions for a fentanyl-based opioid 50 times stronger than heroin. (Joint investigation with Financial Times)
Civilians, journalists, and soldiers from both sides of the conflict explain their experience during the Iraq War, from the 2003 invasion through the 17 years that followed.
How the likes of Alex Jones, PresidentDonald Trump, and Trump confidant Roger Stone have propelled fringe conspiracy theories and misinformation into the mainstream American political dialogue.
750
25
Undocumented in the Pandemic[82]Love, Life & the Virus[83]
Health / Social Issues / Immigration
21 minutes34 minutes
August 11, 2020 (2020-08-11)
TBA
Twin segments that profile immigrant families in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: Undocumented in the Pandemic looks at one woman's struggle to keep her children safe and housed, while ICE detains her husband in a virus-ravaged facility. Love, Life & the Virus profiles another emigrant mother who gave birth after her COVID diagnosis, and the Connecticut schoolteacher who assisted her newborn and her family. (Both segments produced with The Marshall Project and Pulitzer Center)
Jelani Cobb follows up on his 2016 report Policing the Police with a look at the feasibility of police reform in the context of the George Floyd protests.
How dealing with COVID-19 exposed cracks in America's medical supply chain and left healthcare workers scrambling for critical equipment. (Reported in partnership with Associated Press and Global Reporting Centre)
COVID-19 / Election 2020 / Social Issues / U.S. Politics
54 minutes
November 17, 2020 (2020-11-17)
3907
Filmed during much of 2020, this documentary looks at the lives, fears, and hopes of Americans in the chaotic months leading up to the election.
757
7
Supreme Revenge: Battle for the Court
U.S. Politics
TBA
November 24, 2020 (2020-11-24)
3714
An updated version of Season 37's Supreme Revenge examines the bitter partisan war for the Supreme Court, and how it led to the controversial nomination and confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett in Autumn 2020.
758
8
Return from ISIS
Terrorism / War and Conflict
TBA
December 15, 2020 (2020-12-15)
3612
How an Indiana mother, with her children in tow, followed her Morocco-born husband into the Syrian heart of the self-declared ISIS caliphate, and what happened when the family returned to the United States.
Centering on Filipino journalist Maria Ressa, former CNN correspondent and co-founder of the news site Rappler, Ramona Diaz's documentary explores the conflicts between the press and the Philippine government under President Rodrigo Duterte.
An examination of how Donald Trump aggravated political divisions and stoked violence throughout his presidency, as well as how his party's leaders failed to heed the warning signs.
Iraq's Assassins: How Iranian-backed Shia militias are terrorizing Iraq Yemen's COVID coverup: How the coronavirus pandemic has deepened Yemen's humanitarian crisis.
Terrorism / War and Conflict Social Issues / World
25 minutes 28 minutes
July 20, 2021 (2021-07-20)
TBA
Leaving Afghanistan: FRONTLINE investigates the consequences of America's withdrawal from Afghanistan India's Rape Scandal: FRONTLINE investigates a wave of shocking rape cases in India.
Pandora Papers: A massive leak of financial documents reveals the hidden assets and secret deals of the world's most wealthy and powerful. Massacre in El Salvador: The ongoing fight for justice for the El Mozote massacre.
778
5
Shots Fired
Social Issues
60 minutes
November 23, 2021 (2021-11-23)
TBA
An investigation into the use of deadly force by police in Utah amid record police shootings.
An examination of the events that shaped Russian president Vladimir Putin, the grievances that drive him, and how a growing conflict with the West exploded into war in Europe.
A look at House SpeakerNancy Pelosi's life and legacy, her political journey across three decades, and how she has faced challenges to her leadership and to American democracy.
An expose into the sources of misinformation about the 2020 election, and how a few people have had a massive impact on the current crisis of democratic legitimacy in the U.S.
Business and Economy / Climate and Environment / U.S. Politics
85 minutes 54 minutes 54 minutes
April 19, 2022 (2022-04-19) April 26, 2022 (2022-04-26) May 3, 2022 (2022-05-03)
4015-90 4016 4017
Part One charts the fossil fuel industry's early research on climate change and investigates industry efforts to sow seeds of doubt about the science. Part Two explores the industry's efforts to stall climate policy, even as evidence about climate change grew more certain in the new millennium. As leading climate scientists issue new warnings about climate change, Part Three examines how the fossil fuel industry worked to delay the transition to renewable energy sources — including by promoting natural gas as a cleaner alternative.
A look at the aftermath of George Floyd's death, former police officer Derek Chauvin's trial and murder conviction, and ongoing struggles for police accountability and reform in Minneapolis.
How many in the Republican Party have embraced and enabled Donald Trump and his false claims of election fraud, and how their actions have undermined and threatened American democracy.[114]
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Michael Flynn's Holy War
Religion, Conservatism in the United States
55 minutes
October 18, 2022 (2022-10-18)
TBA
A look at how retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn went from fighting wars overseas to waging a "spiritual war" in America as a proponent of Christian nationalism and far-right conspiracy theories. (Reported in collaboration with Associated Press)
At look at "harrowing evidence" that links possible war crimes in Bucha to one of Russia's top generals — and possibly to Russian president Vladimir Putin — as well as the challenge of holding the Russian president and others in his chain of command to account. (Reported in collaboration with Associated Press)
Global Spyware Scandal: Exposing Pegasus, Part 1: The ListGlobal Spyware Scandal: Exposing Pegasus, Part 2: Fallout
Technology
60 minutes60 minutes
January 3, 2023 (2023-01-03)January 10, 2023 (2023-01-10)
TBA
A 2-part investigation into the Pegasusspyware and how it was used to hack into the files of journalists, activists, and the wife and fiancée of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Reported in partnership with Forbidden Films)
794
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Putin and the Presidents
U.S.-Russian relations
55 minutes
January 31, 2023 (2023-01-31)
TBA
Vladimir Putin clashes with American presidents over five administrations as he tries to rebuild the Russian empire.
795
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Age of Easy Money
Economy
115 minutes
March 14, 2023 (2023-03-14)
TBA
How the consequences surrounding the Federal Reserve's record pace of raising of interest rates in the face of high inflation and recession fears. (In partnership with WNET/New York's "Chasing the Dream" initiative)
796–798
10–12
America and the Taliban
Afghanistan/Pakistan
54 minutes54 minutes54 minutes
April 4, 2023 (2023-04-04)April 11, 2023 (2023-04-11)April 25, 2023 (2023-04-25)
TBA
A 3-part investigation into how America's 20-year investment in Afghanistan culminated in the Taliban regaining power, focusing on missteps and consequences.
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Clarence and Ginni Thomas: Politics, Power and the Supreme Court
Soldiers, journalists, and ordinary Iraqis tell to James Bluemel the story of the First Battle of Fallujah, one of the defining episodes of the Iraq War.
A FRONTLINE/ProPublica investigation into legal maneuvering, political influence, lax regulation, and industry opposition to measures that could reduce the risk of deadly accidents involving semi-trailer trucks (in particular those involving underride guards).
803
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Inside the Iranian Uprising
Middle East
54 minutes
June 29, 2023 (2023-06-29)
TBA
Footage filmed by protestors augments this documentary look into the Mahsa Amini protests and the unprecedented pressure facing the Iranian government.
Two Strikes: How a troubled former West Point cadet got life in prison in Florida over an attempted carjacking. (Produced with The Marshall Project as part of FRONTLINE's fellowship with Firelight Media)Tutwiler: A window into the lives of incarcerated pregnant women and what happens to their newborns.
How Elon Musk went from one of Twitter's most provocative users to its sole proprietor, and how his ownership of what he has rebranded "X" impacts both the company and free speech.
