Dateline: Season 23
Season 23 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Dateline Season 22.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 23 Progress Shield
Before Dawn
Sep 26, 2014 · 43 min
The investigation into the death of a pregnant woman just months after she wed her high school sweetheart reveals secret lives and feuds.
The Wire
Oct 3, 2014 · 43 min
20 years after an attractive young nurse was murdered in her studio apartment, authorities try to piece together what little evidence that remains to solve the cold case, including
While She Was Sleeping
Oct 10, 2014 · 43 min
When a well-known woman from a prominent family is found dead in her Aspen, Colo. home, the entire community is left in a state of shock, leaving the authorities wondering who was
The Carrollton Plot
Oct 17, 2014 · 43 min
While away on business in California, Frank Howard, a high flying accountant from Carrollton, Texas, learns that his wife has been brutally attacked in their home.
Mystery In Orange County
Oct 24, 2014 · 43 min
A cryptic 911 call made days before a young Army veteran disappears helps detectives uncover the truth, exposing a twisted story of unrequited love Josh Mankiewicz reports..
Secret Lives
Oct 31, 2014 · 43 min
When young mother and wife from upstate New York mysteriously vanishes, the authorities on the case find some unexpected secrets that leave them wondering if her disappearance is r
Someone Was Out There
Nov 7, 2014 · 43 min
When two women from the same church are the victims of violent crimes one year apart, the authorities try to determine if there is a connection, and a photo surfaces that leads the
The Root of All Evil
Nov 14, 2014 · 43 min
The community of Jonesboro, Arkansas is stunned when a local father and real estate investor is found dead in his own kitchen, leaving the authorities on the case wonder who could
Mystery on the Early Shift
Nov 21, 2014 · 43 min
When a wife and mother is found dead in a Kentucky warehouse where she worked, detectives soon zero in on one person of interest.
Death in the Driveway
Nov 28, 2014 · 43 min
A well known lawyer from a southern town is found brutally murdered, with his girlfriend bound by duct tape, and as the authorities put together a list of potential leads, the prim
Toxic Relations
Dec 12, 2014 · 43 min
A newly married couple both manage to recover from the same strange illness, but months later, the wife ends up passing away after showing the same symptoms again, leaving the inve
After Midnight (2015)
Jan 4, 2025 · 45 min
The murder of 18-year-old Alexandra Kogut by her boyfriend at SUNY College at Brockport
Secrets of the Snake River
Mar 6, 2015 · 45 min
Authorities in the Pacific Northwest investigate the disappearance of a young mother.
Deadly Betrayal
Jan 16, 2015 · 45 min
When a loving mother is found brutally stabbed to death, police quickly determine who held the knife. But was it part of a cold-blooded conspiracy?
The Unusual Subject
Jan 23, 2015 · 45 min
Police suspect a serial killer when two women and their teenage daughters are murdered. Dennis Murphy reports.
The Mystery Man
Apr 5, 2015
A woman seeks the truth when her whirlwind romance turns into a mystery involving government agents.
Obsession (2015)
Jan 30, 2015 · 45 min
Wisconsin, 2013: Jessie Blodgett, a high school student, is strangled. Jessie is acting in a show, and had just gone to a cast party, so the cast and crew are interviewed. No one s
What Lies Beneath
Feb 6, 2015 · 45 min
A witness comes forward to help solve a 20 year-old cold case involving a woman who mysteriously vanished in Florida just days before she was going to move to a new city with her 5
Secrets at the Sunshine Motel
Feb 13, 2015
The story of a successful realtor who was attacked and left for dead while showing a home in what looks like a murder-for-hire, and the authorities are left to question his busines
Vendetta
Feb 27, 2015 · 45 min
A small Texas town is left in shock when an admired prosecutor is killed in front of the town courthouse, but when the District attorney and his wife are murdered months later, the
ESCAPE: The Wreck of the Costa Concordia
· 45 min
Six survivors of the 2012 Costa Concordia shipwreck share their stories.
The Trap
· 45 min
The suspected killer of a California housewife claims it was a burglary gone awry.
Escape: The Great California Fire
Apr 26, 2015 · 45 min
A look through the eyes of more than a dozen survivors of California's largest wildfire.
Spy Games
Mar 13, 2015 · 45 min
The poisoning death of former Russian spy and businessman Alexander Litvinenko, traveling to London, Moscow and Rome to take a closer look at the circumstances surrounding his murd
Infatuation
Mar 13, 2015 · 45 min
An art student from Dallas who was murdered in her own bed with no signs of forced entry, which leads the authorities to realize that she likely knew the person who ended up killin
Escape: Swept Away
Mar 27, 2015 · 45 min
Survivors of the 2004 tsunami that hit Thailand -- including Petra Nemcova -- share their stories.
Robert Durst: Inside the Long, Strange Trip
Mar 20, 2015 · 45 min
Murder case involving New York real estate heir Robert Durst, including interviews with the detectives and investigators, as well as close friends, as he outlines the lengthy journ
Deadly Twist
Mar 20, 2015 · 45 min
When an attractive young mother is murdered in California by four men, the authorities uncover information that forces them to take another look at a puzzling case from decades ear
The Fugitive Millionaire
Mar 26, 2015 · 45 min
Keith Morrison reports on John McAfee, the antivirus pioneer who remains a person of interest to police in their investigation into the murder of Gregory Faull in Belize. In a new
Lethal Weapon
Apr 2, 2015 · 45 min
When an accomplished young doctor is rushed to the hospital after collapsing in her home, her friends and co-workers are left perplexed, but when it turns out the cause was cyanide
The Last Dance
Apr 3, 2015
A popular kindergarten teacher and mother makes a lifestyle change, losing several hundred pounds, but when mysteriously vanishes from her home, the police suspect her dramatic wei
Bible Stories: The New Blockbuster (special)
Apr 5, 2015 · 45 min
Natalie Morales sits down with Hollywood power couple, producers Mark Burnett and his wife Roma Downey, for an in-depth interview about their highly anticipated television event, N
On the Brink
Apr 12, 2015
An inside look at what it's like to live with autism as a young adult, chronicling the lives of two people who live with the disorder as they transition into adulthood after gradua
A Perfect Spot
Apr 9, 2015 · 45 min
The authorities are left searching for answers while investigating a Georgia couple's private Valentine's Day getaway that turned deadly, but plot thickens when they uncover eviden
Fatal Attraction (2015)
Apr 10, 2015 · 45 min
A love triangle is uncovered after a doctor ingests a lethal chemical.
Shattered Bonds
Apr 13, 2015 · 45 min
A car belonging to a missing man erupts in a blaze, leading to clues regarding his whereabouts.
True Lies
Apr 16, 2015
After a mother is murdered in her own bed, the 911 dispatch center fields two calls, one from her son and one from her husband, both of whom claim the other is the killer, telling
Deadly Deceit (Update)
May 17, 2015 · 45 min
Questions surround a young father when his wife perishes in a house fire and a second tragedy takes his son's life. The Arson Investigator on the case speaks out to Dateline for th
On the Trail of the Pink Panthers
Apr 19, 2015 · 45 min
Pink Panthers, a gang of jewel thieves who are responsible for a series of high profile robberies around the globe, fooling the world's most experienced detectives. Dateline report
Queen of the County
Apr 23, 2015 · 45 min
When the head of a well known Texas dynasty passes, the once close family comes apart at the seams amidst accusations of distrust, betrayal and greed.
The Promise (2015)
Apr 24, 2015 · 45 min
The vanishing of a 20-year-old honors student is investigated in a mystery that would take more than 20 years to solve. Josh Mankiewicz reports
Deadly Exchange
Apr 30, 2015
German foreign exchange student and soccer player Diren Dede's dreams of studying in America came true when he began his junior year at a Montana high school. But when he decides t
Angels and Demons
May 1, 2015 · 45 min
Two sisters, who once belonged to a traveling commune, share horrifying stories of lies, greed and lust from the time that they were involved with the group, which was investigated
Deadly Exchange
May 3, 2015 · 42 min
A foreign exchange student and soccer player's participation in a dangerous game leads to deadly consequences.
The Wire
May 3, 2015 · 45 min
Authorities try to solve a thirty year old cold case involving a young nurse who was found murdered in her small apartment, where the only evidence the investigators could find was
Secrets on Hot Springs Drive
May 8, 2015 · 45 min
When a Georgia mother is killed during a home invasion, and the next night her best friend and neighbor is the victim of a shooting just outside of where they both worked, the auth
The Secret (2015)
May 15, 2015 · 45 min
A determined investigator from Orange County tries to solve a case involving Patricia Esparza, a woman hiding a 20-year-old secret, and who in that time managed to pull herself out
The Girl with the Blue Mustang
May 24, 2015 · 45 min
Police find very little evidence, fingerprints or other useful information when they investigate the murder of a popular college student who was gunned down inside of her own car,
The Evil to Come
May 28, 2015 · 45 min
When a successful businesswoman is found dead in her own home, the authorities find little in the way of forensic evidence, but wiretaps and data analysis provide them with a lead
The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom
May 29, 2015 · 45 min
When a single mother of three goes missing, her family and the authorities organize a huge search, but as the investigation continues, the police learn that she was living a double
Shattered
May 31, 2015
In 2006, 27-year-old Justine Abshire, a beloved teacher in a small Virginia town, dies as a result of an apparent hit-and-run by a mysterious stranger...until investigators start l
Dangerous Liaisons
Jun 4, 2015 · 45 min
When a 33-year-old Catholic high school tutor from Michigan uses an unbelievable defense in court after being charged with having an illegal relationship with a 15-year-old, the en
Growing Hope
Jun 7, 2015 · 45 min
Three mothers from Virginia band together to pursue an unconventional treatment for their desperately ill children.
My Kid Would Never Do That: Stranger Danger
Jun 7, 2015 · 45 min
My Kid Would Never Do That: Stranger Danger Hidden cameras capture the choices that children make when they are approached by an actor playing the part of a family contractor; Safe
Out of the Shadows
Jun 14, 2015 · 45 min
Summer is all about baseball games, laying out by the pool, barbecues in the sun. But there are a handful of kids who won't enjoy these activities this season, or at any time of th
Secrets on Shalimar Way
Jun 18, 2015 · 45 min
Two friends of a woman who appears to die in an accidental fall in the shower spend more than two years seeking justice on her behalf. Andrea Canning reports.
Game Night
Jun 25, 2015 · 45 min
Correspondent Keith Morrison reports on the death of a terminally ill woman, whose husband returned to their house in St. Louis and found her dead on the living room floor, as new
While He Was Sleeping
Jun 26, 2015 · 45 min
Correspondent Josh Mankiewicz reports on the death of a wealthy luxury car dealer, who was found murdered in his sleep, as one chance clue reopens the cold case and enables detecti
Avalanche (special)
Jun 28, 2015 · 45 min
The Madison climbers know that Mount Everest is as dangerous to adventurers as it is alluring. But as the group prepares to set out, they have no idea that their journey up the mou
My Kid Would Never Do That: Cyberbullying
Jun 28, 2015 · 45 min
The parents of teenagers get the hidden cameras turned back on them to see how they will react to a scenario involving bullying; "Queen Bees and Wannabes" author Rosalind Wiseman s
Miami Heat
Jul 10, 2015 · 45 min
When a woman kills the man she suspected to have been behind the murder of her husband a month earlier, she claims that she was acting in self-defense, but when new evidence comes
Shining Star
Jul 17, 2015 · 45 min
An intelligent young woman who overcame an upbringing in poverty to become a successful criminal defense attorney in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is found dead in her office, leaving aut
Indiscretion
Jul 31, 2015 · 45 min
Authorities in Baltimore find a young woman who was murdered in her own home, but they cannot crack the case until a decade later, when DNA evidence provides them with a new suspec
Finding Savanna
Aug 7, 2015 · 45 min
After losing a hard-fought custody battle, a mother vanishes with her nearly one-year-old daughter, forcing the father to embark on a desperate, two decade search for his child acr
Mystery at Heath Bar Farm
Aug 14, 2015 · 45 min
When Tom Foley becomes the top suspect in his wife's murder, he spends the next two years trying to prove his innocence.
Vanished
Sep 3, 2015 · 45 min
When Amber Dubois vanished in San Diego County, a search turned up nothing. Then, a year later, Chelsea King disappeared in a neighboring town. Keith Morrison reports on the myster
The Shadow
Sep 11, 2015 · 45 min
A home in a small Iowa town is disturbed in the middle of the night by an intruder. Keith Morrison reports.
The Accomplice
Sep 18, 2015 · 45 min
Joyce Mitchell comes to work at a prison tailor shop and meets two inmates -- David Sweat and Richard Matt -- serving life for murder.