List of Frontline (PBS) episodes

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A list of episodes from the Public Broadcasting Service documentary series Frontline.

Title Date Topic Description
Abortion Clinic 1983 04 18 Health/Science/Technology The abortion debate.
Red Star Over Khyber 1984 12 11 Afghanistan/Pakistan The Persian Gulf five years after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Buying the Bomb 1985 03 05 Afghanistan/Pakistan 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.
A Class Divided 1985 03 26 Racism William Peters follows up on the 1970 TV documentary Eye of the Storm about Jane Elliott's experiment of dividing an otherwise homogenous group of school kids by their eye color.
Death of a Porn Queen 1987 06 09 Biographies The life and suicide of young girl involved in the porn industry.
The Man Who Shot Lennon 1988 02 09 Biographies Portrait of Mark David Chapman.
The Choice 1988 10 24 Biographies Profiles of George Bush and Michael Dukakis.
The Real Life of Ronald Reagan 1989 01 18 Biographies Profile of Ronald Reagan.
The Shakespeare Mystery 1989 04 18 Biographies Investigates the theory that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was the real Shakespeare.
The Faces of Arafat 1990 02 27 Biographies Profile of Yasser Arafat.
The Man Who Made the Supergun 1991 02 12 Biographies Gerald Bull designer of long-range artillery, assassinated in Belguim.
The Mind of Hussein 1991 02 26 Biographies Personal and political history of Saddam Hussein.
The Spy Hunter 1991 05 14 Biographies James Angelton, ex-chief of counter-intelligence for the CIA and his misguided pursuit of an agency mole.
In the Shadow of Sakharov 1991 10 15 Biographies Andrei Sakharov, the nuclear physicist turned human-rights advocate who became the father of the Soviet democracy movement.
The Choice 1992 1992 10 21 Biographies Biographies on Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
The Secret File on J. Edgar Hoover 1993 02 09 Criminal Justice The career and secrets of J. Edgar Hoover are explored.
Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald? 1993 11 16 Biographies Investigative biography examining the Kennedy assassination by exploring the life Lee Harvey Oswald.
Hillary’s Class 1994 11 15 Biographies In 1969, Hillary Rodham Clinton and four hundred other young women graduated from Wellesley College into a world opening its doors to women for the first time.
The Confessions of Rosalee 1995 05 23 Biographies Interrelationships of poverty, racism, crime, illiteracy, and drug use and their persistence over generations.
Who’s Afraid of Rupert Murdoch? 1995 11 07 Biographies Rupert Murdoch's drive to establish the first global telecommunications network.
The Long March of Newt Gingrich 1996 01 16 Biographies Biography of Newt Gingrich.
The Pilgrimage of Jesse Jackson 1996 04 30 Biographies Biography of Jesse Jackson and a portrait of race and politics in post-war America.
The Gate of Heavenly Peace 1996 06 04 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military A feature-length documentary about Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, reflecting the drama, tension, humor, absurdity, heroism, and many tragedies of the six weeks from April to June in 1989.
The Choice 1996 1996 10 08 Biographies Biographies on Bill Clinton and Bob Dole.
Secret Daughter 1996 11 26 Biographies June Cross tells her story as the daughter of a white woman and a well-known black vaudevillian Jimmy Cross who was handed over to a black couple for rearing.
The Lost American 1997 10 14 Biographies The mysterious disappearance of Fred Cuny, a maverick humanitarian aid expert, helped millions and fought to change how the world responds to disaster.
From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians 1998 04 06 and 07 Social Issues / Race / Religion Biblical scholars recount the rise of Christianity within the Roman Empire. (4 hours)
The World’s Most Wanted Man 1998 05 26 Biographies The hunt for indicted Serbian war leader Radovan Karadzic, and his role in the atrocities and genocide of the Bosnia war
The Farmer's Wife 1998 09 21 Family/Children A young Nebraska couple struggles on the family farm.
The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela 1999 05 25 Biographies In-depth profile of Nelson Mandela.
John Paul II: The Millennium Pope 1999 09 28 Biographies Comprehensive biography of John Paul II.
The Survival of Saddam 2000 01 25 Biographies Saddam Hussein’s rise to power and how he has maintained his grip despite opposition.
War in Europe 2000 02 22 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military NATO's 1999 war against Serbia over Kosovo.
Jefferson’s Blood 2000 05 02 Biographies Examines Thomas Jefferson's relationship with his slave and mistress Sally Hemings and follows their descendants as they undergo DNA testing.
Return of the Czar 2000 05 09 Biographies An in-depth look at Russia a decade after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The Choice 2000 2000 10 02 Biographies Biographies on Al Gore and George W. Bush.
The Clinton Years 2001 01 16 Biographies Follows Bill Clinton from the governor's mansion in Little Rock through a hard-fought campaign and his eight years in the White House.
The Merchants of Cool 2001 02 27 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis Corporations study teenagers to effectively market to them.
Medicating Kids 2001 04 10 Health/Medical The growing use of psychoactive drugs in children.
Hunting Bin Laden" 2001 09 13 The Middle East & the War on Terror Episode traces the evidence linking bin Laden to terrorism and explores the challenges in trying to crack bin Laden’s network.
Looking for Answers 2001 10 09 The Middle East & the War on Terror Produced in partnership with The New York Times, it looks into the roots of the Islamic terrorist network, and the anti-American hatred that feeds it, and traces how the trajectories of bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri met in the mountains of Afghanistan.
Saudi Time Bomb 2001 11 15 The Middle East & the War on Terror Can America still count on one of its most important allies in the Arab world -- Saudi Arabia? Or does an undercurrent of militant Islamic fundamentalism threaten the stability of both Saudi Arabia and the entire region?
An Ordinary Crime 2002 01 10 Biographies A bizarre case of injustice where two men with the same name are implicated in the same crime.
The Man Who Knew 2002 10 03 The Middle East & the War on Terror A story of FBI agent John P. O'Neill, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s leading expert on al Qaeda, who tried to warn the U.S. of the threat it faced, and came very close to uncovering the September 11th attacks. He was a maverick agent and was pressured to leave the FBI. He left the FBI for a job in security at the World Trade Center, where he died during the attack.
In Search of Al Qaeda 2002 11 21 Afghanistan/Pakistan Follows the trail of Al Qaeda fighters who survived U.S. airstrikes in the mountains of Afghanistan.
Much Ado About Something 2003 01 02 Biographies Did Shakespeare actually write his plays and poems, or was it Christopher Marlowe?
A Dangerous Business 2003 01 09 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis The McWane Inc. foundries' focus on production and profitability comes at a price. Raises accusations of safety and environmental shortcuts that may have been taken by the McWane corporation to increase production at the cost of workers lives and limbs.
Failure to Protect: The Taking of Logan Marr 2003 01 30 Family/Children The death of a five-year old in foster care forces Maine to reexamine its child protection system.
Failure to Protect: The Caseworker Files 2003 02 06 Family/Children Discussion with caseworkers, experts and reformers on the failings and possible solutions for the child welfare system.
China in the Red 2003 02 13 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military In China's economic reform there are stories of human success and cost, along with unknown political and social consequences.
The War Behind Closed Doors 2003 02 20 The Middle East & the War on Terror The key people and disagreements over Bush's determination to go to war with Iraq.
The Long Road to War 2003 03 17 The Middle East & the War on Terror The complicated history of conflict between the U.S. and Saddam Hussein as told by numerous Frontline reports.
Blair's War 2003 04 03 The Middle East & the War on Terror Facing strong opposition in Britain, Tony Blair supports the Iraq war in an attempt to gain access to the Bush administration decision process.
Kim's Nuclear Gamble 2003 04 10 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military Nuclear weapons provide North Korea protection and a bargaining chip, but also antagonizes the international community.
Cyber War! 2003 04 24 Science & Technology Counter-terrorism expert Richard Clarke creates defenses for cyberspace.
Burden of Innocence 2003 05 01 Criminal Justice What happens to the wrongly convicted?
The Wall Street Fix 2003 05 08 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis With the deception of big banks and corporations, can confidence be restored?
The Other Drug War 2003 06 19 Health/Medical The battle over high priced pharmaceuticals.
Public Schools, Inc. 2003 07 03 Family/Children Edison Schools are trying to run better public schools for profit.
Truth, War, and Consequences 2003 10 09 The Middle East & the War on Terror The consequences of using propaganda in the lead up to war with Iraq.
Chasing the Sleeper Cell 2003 10 16 The Middle East & the War on Terror Background of the Lackawanna six and the Patriot Act.
The Alternative Fix 2003 11 06 Health/Medical The big business and questionable science of alternative medicine.
Dangerous Prescription 2003 11 13 Health/Medical Pharmaceutical influence over the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug approval process.
From China with Love 2004 01 15 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military Philosophy and failure of counter-intelligence in the U.S..
Chasing Saddam's Weapons 2004 01 22 The Middle East & the War on Terror Hunting for Saddam's WMD's and unanswered questions.
Beyond Baghdad 2004 02 12 The Middle East & the War on Terror The dynamics of democracy across Iraq.
Tax Me if You Can 2004 02 19 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis Corporate Tax avoidance and its implications.
The Invasion of Iraq 2004 02 26 The Middle East & the War on Terror Strategies, key battles, surprises, and turning points of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Way the Music Died 2004 03 27 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis Business interests controlling creative endeavors.
Ghosts of Rwanda 2004 04 01 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military Accounting for the failure to stop The Rwandan genocide.
Diet Wars 2004 04 08 Health/Medical Diets are competing for marketshare, but do they work?
Son of Al Qaeda 2004 04 22 The Middle East & the War on Terror An informant from the inner circles of Al Qaeda.
The Jesus Factor 2004 04 29 Social Issues / Race / Religion The role religion played in Bush's rise to power.
The Plea 2004 06 17 Criminal Justice Harsh realities of U.S. jurisprudence.
Sacred Ground 2004 09 07 The Middle East & the War on Terror Debate over use of the World Trade Center site and designing the Freedom Tower.
The Choice 2004 2004 10 12 Government Biographies on John Kerry and George W. Bush.
The Persuaders 2004 11 09 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis Marketing, Advertising, emotions, elections, narrowcasting, with interviews with Acxiom, Frank Luntz, Karl Rove, Naomi Klein among others by Douglas Rushkoff.
Is WAL-MART Good For AMERICA? 2004 11 16 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis American jobs.
The Secret History of the Credit Card 2004 11 23 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis Credit card companies develop tactics to increase revenue.
Al Qaeda’s New Front 2005 01 25 The Middle East & the War on Terror An investigation into the threat radical jihadists pose to Western Europe and its allies
House of Saud 2005 02 08 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military Explores how the Al Saud family maintains its hold on power with the ever-growing tensions between Islam and modernity. Also traces America's relations with the Saudi royal family from the 1930s through September 11 and the present day.
Israel's Next War 2005 04 05 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military An investigation into the world of Israel's right-wing religious extremists and their efforts to derail the Middle East peace process.
Karl Rove -- The Architect 2005 04 12 Biographies Trace the political history and modus operandi of the man who has been on the inside of every political and policy decision of the Bush administration.
Private Warriors 2005 06 21 The Middle East & the War on Terror Examines the use of private contractors in the Iraq War.
Country Boys 2006 01 09 Biographies Two boys coming of age in eastern Kentucky's Appalachian hills, documenting their struggles to overcome hardship and poverty and find meaning in their lives.
The Meth Epidemic 2006 02 14 Social Issues / Race / Religion An investigation into the social, political, and corporate factors which influenced the spread of methamphetamine abuse in America during the 1980s and 90s.
The Tank Man 2006 04 11 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military After all others had been silenced, his lonely act of defiance against the Chinese regime amazed the world. What became of him? And 17 years later, has China succeeded in erasing this event from its history?
The Age of AIDS 2006 05 30 Health/Medical The history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. (4 hours)
The Dark Side 2006 06 20 Biographies A step-by-step examination of what happened behind the headlines on the war on terror.
Return of the Taliban 2006 10 03 Afghanistan/Pakistan 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.
The Enemy Within 2006 10 10 The Middle East & the War on Terror Looks at the America's response to homegrown terrorism.
The Lost Year in Iraq 2006 10 17 The Middle East & the War on Terror Documents multiple failures of the reconstruction efforts headed by the ORHA and the CPA.
Return of the Taliban 2006 10 3 The Middle East & the War on Terror An investigation into U.S vs. Taliban battles within the so-called "ungovernable" tribal lands along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
A Hidden Life 2006 11 14 Social Issues / Race / Religion The former mayor Jim West of Spokane, Washington, was caught leading a double life as a conservative Republican anti-gay legislator and as a gay man.
Spying on the Home Front 2007 05 15 The Middle East & the War on Terror Post 9/11 domestic spying with Narus, Nora (technology) and Total Information Awareness. Mark Klein of ATT uncovers a domestic spying program by the NSA in San Francisco.
The Medicated Child 2008 01 08 Health/Medical A look at child medication and the link between anti-psychotic drugs and bipolar disorder.
A Dangerous Business Revisited 2008 02 05 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis A return look at McWane, Inc. and the significant progress it has made in regard to safety at its plants.
Bush's War 2008 03 24 The Middle East & the War on Terror A two part series looking at the war's beginnings and conflicts within the Bush administration.
Sick Around the World 2008 04 15 Health/Medical Comparing health care systems in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and Taiwan.
Storm over Everest 2008 05 13 Personal struggles As darkness fell on May 10, 1996, a fast-moving storm of unimaginable ferocity trapped three climbing teams high on the slopes of Mount Everest.
Young and Restless in China 2008 06 17 Biographies Coming of age in modern China.
Young & Restless in China 2008 06 17 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military An intimate look into the lives of nine young Chinese, coming of age in a society that's changing at breathtaking speed.
The War Briefing 2008 10 08 Afghanistan/Pakistan The next president of the United States will inherit vast foreign policy challenges - an overstretched military, frayed alliances, and wars on two fronts.
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story 2008 11 11 Biographies The rise and fall of the charming, Machiavellian godfather of modern take-no-prisoners Republican political campaigns.
The Hugo Chavez Show 2008 11 25 Biographies An illuminating inside view of the mercurial Venezuelan president, his rise to power, and the new type of revolution he seems to be inventing -- on television
Dreams of Obama 2009 01 20 Biographies On the eve of Barack Obama's inauguration as 44th president of the United States, an exploration into who he is and what has brought him to this historic moment.
Inside the Meltdown 2009 02 17 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis How the economy went so bad, so fast and what Bernanke and Paulson didn't see, couldn't stop and weren't able to fix.
Ten Trillion and Counting 2009 03 24 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis The causes of the U.S. public debt is analyzed.
Black Money 2009 04 07 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military International bribery. It’s a trillion dollars a year, with corporations on one side, heads of state on the other. And it thrives in an invisible world.
The Madoff Affair 2009 05 12 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis Unraveling the story behind the world's first global Ponzi Scheme.
Obama’s War 2009 10 13 Afghanistan/Pakistan Examines the U.S. counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan - a fight that promises to be longer and more costly than most Americans understand.
The Warning 2009 10 20 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis After the economic meltdown, sifting the ashes for clues about why it happened and examines critical moments when it might have been prevented.
The Card Game 2009 11 24 Business/Economy/Financial Crisis Investigating the massive consumer loan industry and what's ahead for customers and banks.
The Vaccine War 2010 04 27 Health/Medical Examining the debate over medical risks vs. benefits.
God in America 2010 10 11 Social Issues / Race / Religion 400-year history of religion and public life in the United States of America, in partnership with American Experience.
Death by Fire 2010 10 19 Criminal Justice The Cameron Todd Willingham story
Revolution in Cairo 2011 02 22 Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military April 6 Youth Movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.
Behind Taliban Lines 2011 02 23 Afghanistan/Pakistan An Afghan journalist's 10 days living with an insurgent cell allied with Al Qaeda who plan to sabotage a key U.S./NATO supply route.
Fighting for Bin Laden 2011 05 03 Afghanistan/Pakistan The fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Kill/Capture 2011 05 10 Afghanistan/Pakistan Goes inside the "kill/capture" program to discover new evidence of the program's impact and its costs.
The Man Behind the Mosque 2011 09 27 Social Issues / Race / Religion the struggles of Sharif El-Gamal to build a mosque near the site of the World Trade Center.
Top Secret America 2011 Fall The Middle East & the War on Terror A report from the Washington Post on US Government intelligence spending. (See Top Secret America)
WikiSecrets Foreign Affairs/Defense/Military The inside story of Bradley Manning, Julian Assange (Wikileaks) and the largest intelligence breach in U.S. history.
An Optimist in Haiti 2011 09 27 Poverty The struggle of one man to develop a tourist destination in Haiti and bring economic prosperity.
Opium Brides 2012 01 03 Afghanistan/Pakistan Collateral damage caused in Afghanistan by counter-narcotics.

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