Dateline: Season 18
Season 18 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Picks up essential narrative continuity directly following the events of Dateline Season 17.
- Character alliances, factions, and personal loyalties undergo significant shifts under escalating stakes.
- Addresses unresolved cliffhangers and thematic mysteries introduced during previous seasons.
- Establishes the primary seasonal conflict that drives serialized character arcs toward the finale.
Episode Guide
Season 18 Progress Shield
Behind Closed Doors: Bad Chemistry/The Mystery in the Master Bedroom
Sep 18, 2009 · 43 min
In "Bad Chemistry", Keith Morrison reports on a story involving a messy divorce where a man is murdered and found in a vat filled with acid In "The Mystery in the Master Bedroom",
The Michael Jackson Tapes
Sep 25, 2009 · 43 min
Rabbi Shmuley first met Michael Jackson in 1999, and began recording their conversations a year later, when Jackson was 42 years old. Theirs was an unlikely friendship -- but the O
In Plain Sight: Jaycee Dugard
Oct 2, 2009 · 43 min
A mother’s prayers answered: A kidnapped child rescued after 18 years. But why wasn’t Jaycee Dugard’s alleged kidnapped stopped sooner? NBC’s Keith Morrison reports. Watch “In Plai
Through the Pouring Rain
Oct 9, 2009 · 43 min
He came out of the woods, in the night, in the rain, into the homes of victims. Over 14 years, more than a dozen women were raped by a stranger who left no clues – except for one.
The Grifters
Oct 14, 2009 · 43 min
The crimes of the murderous con artist Sante Kimes, who was aided by her son Kenneth
M-A-S-O-N on the Dollar Bill
Oct 16, 2009 · 43 min
Is there a secret hidden on U.S. currency?
When the Smoke Clears
Oct 23, 2009 · 43 min
Her name was Christie, and she was just 25 when she was murdered. The case soon grew cold. There were few clues at the crime scene, except for a cigarette. Could it have belonged t
Mystery at Lost Dog Road
Oct 30, 2009 · 43 min
When a well-liked young man lost his wife and son on a family outing, an entire town mourned. Keith Morrison reports.
The Friday the 13th Mystery
Nov 13, 2009 · 43 min
Could a man's murder be connected to a rekindled high school flame? Josh Mankiewicz reports.
The Night MaryJane Disappeared
Nov 20, 2009 · 43 min
Can a three-year-old's words be the key to solving her mother's murder? Rob Stafford reports.
The Trial of Amanda Knox
Dec 4, 2009 · 43 min
It started out as an adventure - a semester abroad in Italy - and ended in horror. Who killed American student Amanda Knox's roommate? After a yearlong trial, the jury weighs in.
The Secret Life of Tiger Woods
Dec 11, 2009 · 43 min
The inside story of how it all began -- what happened before Tiger Woods' accident and before the headlines. Plus, one of Tiger's alleged 'other women' speaks out.
The Trouble at Twin Wrecks
Dec 17, 2009 · 43 min
A deadly puzzle in paradize: What happened on that fateful Carribean dive? Dennis Murphy reports.
Christmas Terrorist Plot; Caught on Camera
Jan 10, 2010 · 43 min
Events that led to the thwarted Christmas terrorist attack on a Detroit-bound airplane; an undercover police operation in Las Vegas....
The Mystery at Empire Lake
Jan 15, 2010 · 43 min
A wealthy car dealer and his family live a seemingly idyllic life in upstate New York. Until one night his wife vanishes, never to be found again. Keith Morrison Reports.
A Matter of Time
Jan 24, 2010 · 43 min
Though organ transplants save thousands of lives every year, there is a shortage of organs, partly because of fear the procedure could be abused. Dateline NBC's Keith Morrison repo
Critical Condition
Jan 24, 2010 · 43 min
What will happen to health care reform in America? Dateline takes a look at the health care crisis through the eyes of American families.
Behind the Badge
Jan 29, 2010 · 43 min
In the lore of the Lone Star state, Texas lawmen rank pretty high: the good guys in the white hats. Their badge brought prestige - their gunfights, the history books. But in the mo
On the Trail of the Pink Panthers (2010)
Jan 31, 2010 · 43 min
Keith Morrison follows the trail of the notorious "Pink Panthers," a gang of jewel thieves who are responsible for a series of high profile robberies around the globe, fooling the
Death of a Golden Girl
Mar 21, 2010 · 43 min
Dateline investigates the murder of model and aspiring Playboy Playmate Paula Sladewski who charred body was discovered in a Miami dumpster.
The Secret Life of Michael Jackson
Feb 5, 2010 · 43 min
Dateline has traveled the world, retracing Michael Jackson's footsteps to uncover the mysteries of the last years of his life, and uncovering evidence that may hold the key to his
Recipe for Murder
Mar 26, 2010 · 43 min
Keith Morrison reports on the dramatic undercover operation in Palm Beach, Florida to save a wife and mother who had no idea she was in danger.
The Valentine's Day Mystery
Mar 26, 2010 · 43 min
Authorities charge an Oklahoma doctor in his wife's death.
The Doctor's Wife
Mar 12, 2010 · 43 min
A wife married to a doctor for 11 months turns up dead.
The Family Secret
Apr 2, 2010 · 43 min
Chris Hanson reports on investment scams; For 27 years, Judy Gough’s children kept a dark secret. The terrible truth was only unleashed when one of them could no longer live a lie
Heroes of Children's Hospital
Jan 31, 2010 · 43 min
What does it take to become a doctor? Take a look at one of the most intense jobs on the planet: A year in the life of a medical resident. Dateline NBC goes behind the scenes and c
The Desperate Hours
Mar 5, 2010 · 43 min
A courageous mother works with a hostage negotiator in hope of freeing her husband from kidnappers in Mexico. Keith Morrison reports.
America Now: Circle of Friends
Mar 28, 2010 · 43 min
The disappearance of 21-year-old Bethany Like the rest of the country, Grafton, Wisc. was hit hard by the recession. Despite their own troubles, the people in this small blue colla
Rescue on the High Seas
Apr 4, 2010 · 43 min
A year after being taken captive by Somali pirates, Captain Richard Phillips talks with Matt Lauer about his harrowing experience and brave rescue.
Too Fat to Kill?
Apr 26, 2010 · 43 min
A devoted father gunned down in his own home by someone on the stairs. It was a crime that made national news because of its unusual defense. The suspect argued he was simply too o
Bitter Pill
Apr 26, 2010 · 43 min
When a mother of two died after a fender-bender, her loved ones were left shaking their heads and looking for answers. The more they learned, though, the more it seemed that it was
Cracked: The Case of Janelle Patton
Apr 16, 2010 · 43 min
When a young woman named Janelle Patton moved to a tiny tropical island, she didn't have to worry about the crime rate.
America Now: City of Heartbreak and Hope
Apr 18, 2010 · 43 min
2010 - They litter the landscape, the thousands of abandoned homes. And just like these buildings, Detroit is a shell of its former self. One third of the people live in poverty. A
What Were You Thinking?
Apr 25, 2010 · 43 min
Dateline NBC investigates why people are so easily fooled with the help of several experiments.
Twisted Faith
Apr 9, 2010 · 43 min
A charismatic pastor who offered his counseling services to married couples in trouble had lost his wife in a house fire. What many in his church didn’t know was that this pastor w
Apollo 13: The Real Story
Apr 11, 2010 · 43 min
Dateline NBC commemorates the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 13 with interviews with the astronauts, NASA controllers, and more. Watch the full hour with NBC's Matt Lauer here.
The Girl with the Blue Mustang
Apr 30, 2010 · 43 min
A popular college freshman is gunned down in her car for no apparent reason. Police had no clues: no fingerprints, no information about trouble in Michelle O'Keefe's life. Then an
The Seduction
May 7, 2010 · 43 min
Something happens when love turns to obsession, and it is rarely good. In tonight's story an obsessed lover was willing to do almost anything to keep the woman he loved, even if it
Too Good to be True: Internet Scams
May 2, 2010 · 43 min
Confronting people behind common e-mail scams.
The Strange Story of Seduction
May 7, 2010 · 43 min
How Far will a young man go to prove his love for an older woman?
Abducted to Japan
May 9, 2010 · 43 min
Stories of families torn apart by parental child abductions to Japan
The Secret Life of the Homecoming Queen
May 21, 2010 · 90 min
A former prom queen and mother of four starts seeing her husband's best friend.
Miracle on the Wild Coast
May 23, 2010 · 43 min
A harrowing, dramatic story of heroism at sea after a cruise ship starts to take on water and sink with nearly 600 people on board. Almost every moment of the crisis was captured o
Deadly Connection?
Jun 11, 2010 · 43 min
In an exclusive interview, the attorney for Natalee Holloway's family speaks to NBC’s Chris Hansen about the alleged plot by Joran van der Sloot to extort money in exchange for inf
Against All Odds - Hughes
Jun 13, 2010 · 43 min
A spunky 2-year-old named Erica Hughes' incredible story captivated a city. It all started after she was found shot in the head deliberately, left for dead by a killer who disappea
The Years of Living Dangerously
Jun 22, 2010 · 43 min
Husband keeping secret from wife after years of marriage.
The Disappearance of Debbie Hawk
Jun 19, 2010 · 43 min
A father is accused of stealing money from his children's trust funds and murdering his ex-wife. Keith Morrison reports.
Circle of Friends
Jul 23, 2010 · 43 min
In one instant, a loud and crazy party became a moment that would affect Ryan Thompson and his friends for the rest of their lives. One gunshot was all it took to tear their friend
Did You See That?!
Jul 16, 2010 · 43 min
Social experiments focusing on visuals and illusions are documented. Chris Hansen reports.
A Father's Mission
Jun 27, 2010 · 43 min
NBC News' Chief Foreign Correspondent and award-winning chronicler of America's War on Terror, Richard Engel reports from Afghanistan and around the country on one of the deadliest
America Now: Faces Against Violence
Aug 15, 2010 · 43 min
Lester Holt reports on youth violence in Chicago and the efforts being made to combat gangs and get guns off the streets.
A Gathering Storm
Aug 16, 2010 · 43 min
She told police the call came late one night -- her husband saying he was terrified of someone or something, and needed... ... Suddenly she was the one who needed help... from a la
Deadly Current
Aug 20, 2010 · 43 min
Two friends were an odd couple - one was a man of the cloth, the other never went to church. One died and the other was charged with his murder.
Dangerous Connection
Aug 21, 2010 · 43 min
After a college student commits suicide, friends and family begin to question the identity of a friend she had met in a suicide chat room. Bob McKeown reports.
Hurricane Katrina: The First Five Days
Aug 22, 2010 · 43 min
Five years later, NBC News's Brian Williams looks back on one of the most devastating natural disasters in US history. In 2005, he and the rest of New Orleans listen to the storm's
Family Portrait
Aug 30, 2010 · 43 min
A husband is found dead in a stable in what appears to be a horse accident. But when bullet casings and a bloody pipe are found nearby, blame shifts to his wife, whose daughter and
The Case of the Girl Who Never Came Home
Sep 3, 2010 · 43 min
For eight years following Cindy's disappearance, her case was treated as a runaway - until an odd-couple investigative team worked on the case.
How Lucky Can You Get? (2010)
Sep 6, 2010 · 43 min
Clerks steal winning lottery numbers from unsuspecting customers and claim the prizes.
On the Run
Sep 10, 2010 · 43 min
Dateline NBC brings you the story of a devoted mother-of-two, an American living overseas, with her foreign-born husband. But soon a vague suspicion would become a dark fear, turni
Joran van der Sloot Behind Bars
Sep 10, 2010 · 43 min
Joran van der Sloot’s criminal odyssey came to a halt with his recent arrest and imprisonment in Lima, Peru, where he revealed his own feelings to Dutch crime reporter, John van de
Standing up to Bullying in School
Sep 13, 2010 · 43 min
As the age-old problem of bullying grows more intense, parents and school districts are looking at new ways to fight back. NBC's Kate Snow reports
FR1852 Behind Closed Doors: Bad Chemistry / The Mystery in the Master Bedroom
Sep 18, 2009 · 45 min