Dateline: Season 26
Season 26 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 25.
- 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 26 Progress Shield
Scorned
Sep 29, 2017 · 43 min
A love triangle leads to years of stalking, property destruction, threats, and murder.
Mystery on the Mississippi
Oct 6, 2017 · 43 min
When a mother of four dies unexpectedly on Valentine's Day, her death is attributed to natural causes, but a detective suspects that someone murdered the woman.
At The Bottom of The Pool
Oct 13, 2017 · 43 min
When a model and up-and-coming YouTube celebrity turns up dead, police question her husband in the hope he can shed some light on the situation.
One Moment
Oct 20, 2017 · 43 min
As a murder victim's sisters dedicate themselves to finding the killer, an unexpected source turns the case upside down.
The Halloween Party
Oct 27, 2017 · 43 min
A community comes together to search for a young woman who goes missing from a Halloween party.
Secret In Silver Lakes
Nov 3, 2017 · 43 min
A young father's murder at work leads investigators to deep secrets about sex, friendship, religion and family.
The Prophet's Daughter
Nov 10, 2017 · 43 min
Author Rachel Jeffs talks about what it was like to grow up as the daughter of the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Warren
Black Friday
Nov 10, 2017 · 43 min
An investigation of a woman found murdered in Fort Worth, Texas.
Unthinkable: The Menendez Murders
Nov 17, 2017 · 43 min
A comprehensive look at the 1989 murders of José and Kitty Menendez by their sons, Lyle and Erik; featuring interviews with key players in the case, including Lyle Menendez.
Poisoned
Dec 1, 2017 · 43 min
An anonymous letter leads authorities investigating the poisoning death of a chiropractor to an unlikely suspect.
The Favorite Son
Dec 8, 2017 · 43 min
A small-business owner and his bride are murdered shortly after their wedding; police suspect a family feud is the cause.
Silent No More
Apr 22, 2018 · 43 min
Former USA Gymnastics national team coordinators Bela and Martha Karolyi talk with Savannah Guthrie about the Olympic sex abuse scandal; Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney descr
The Women and Dirty John
Jan 12, 2018 · 43 min
A look at the case of con man John Meehan, including interviews with his wife and her daughter, his ex-wife, law enforcement officers, and the Los Angeles Times reporter who shined
Unspeakable
Jan 19, 2018 · 43 min
A couple's anniversary celebration ends in murder during what appears to have been a home invasion, but investigators believe the suspect might be connected to the victim.
Out There In The Dark
Jan 26, 2018 · 43 min
Brandy Daniels believed someone was stalking her. Then, the single mother was found slumped over in her car, shot dead. Investigators would spend years navigating the twists and tu
The Pink Gun Mystery
Apr 6, 2018 · 43 min
When a complicated Texas love triangle ends in murder, a pink gun leads to an arrest, until new evidence prompts investigators to rethink the case.
The Farm
Feb 2, 2018 · 43 min
A murder outside Pleasantville, Iowa, divides a family and forces one man to take the investigation into his own hands.
Secrets of Emerald Coast
Mar 2, 2018 · 43 min
When a young mother disappears after leaving her infant in the care of her local pastor and his wife, Florida detectives search for her for five years, uncovering a web of secrets
No Way Out
Apr 15, 2018 · 45 min
The idyllic town of Montecito was threatened by the worst wildfire in California history, then inundated by catastrophic mudslides. Keith Morrison reports on four families who bare
Deep In The Woods
Mar 16, 2018 · 43 min
When a young Army medic based at Ft. Bragg, N.C., goes missing, police can't solve the case despite having a suspect until an unorthodox private investigator steps in to help.
The Night of The New Moon
Mar 23, 2018 · 43 min
A former marine who once was the hero for a woman in an abusive marriage may have let his desire to help go too far.
A Crack in Everything
Mar 30, 2018 · 43 min
A woman's death is initially ruled a suicide, but when a new investigation begins, police begin to suspect murder.
Fire and Faith
Apr 1, 2018 · 43 min
When dozens of homeowners find themselves on a Napa Valley hilltop surrounded by fire, two teams of daring chopper pilots risk their lives in a mission to rescue them.
Inside the Hunt for El Chapo
Apr 8, 2018 · 43 min
Former DEA agent Andrew Hogan details his search for Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán with never-before-seen videos and photographs.
Cold Blooded
Apr 13, 2018 · 43 min
When a young Florida law professor is shot, baffling his family, friends and police, a complicated investigation leads police to a surprising theory of the crime; the victim's fami
No Way Out
Apr 15, 2018 · 43 min
The idyllic town of Montecito was threatened by the worst wildfire in California history, then inundated by catastrophic mudslides. Keith Morrison reports on four families who bare
Simply Diabolical
Apr 20, 2018 · 43 min
A bizarre cyber-revenge case lands a young woman in jail and makes national headlines. Dennis Murphy reports on the unexpected twist that revealed the real culprit and the new deve
Deadly Circumstances
Apr 20, 2018 · 43 min
Andrea Canning reports on a murdered Tennessee woman whose case stumps investigators.
Into The Night
Apr 27, 2018 · 43 min
The disappearance of a young woman from Bend, Ore., leads to an intense manhunt after the suspect embarks on a two state crime spree.
Twisted in Texas
Apr 29, 2018 · 43 min
When one woman breaks off her relationship with a boyfriend she says abused and stalked her, he moves on to something even worse.
The Creek
May 4, 2018 · 43 min
After a 15-year-old girl disappears, investigators discover a creek where the local teenagers hang out that may hold the answer to her disappearance.
Dreams and Nightmares: The Meek Mill Story
May 6, 2018 · 43 min
Rapper Meek Mill interview; exploring controversies surrounding the criminal justice system, including the parole system, wrongful convictions, challenges faced by law enforcement,
Silent Witness
May 11, 2018 · 43 min
When a young woman is found dead in a field on the outskirts of Green Bay, Wis., a fitness tracker helps detectives solve the mystery.
The House on Pitch Pine Crescent
May 18, 2018 · 43 min
In a suburb of Toronto, a family lives in fear as one relative after another is found dead over the years in the same house.
Growing Promise
May 20, 2018 · 43 min
A look at the future of marijuana in the United States, including state-of-the-art science and interviews with patients, their families, leading scientists, doctors, federal legisl
Swept Away
May 27, 2018 · 45 min
Two young people from opposite sides of the world find themselves falling in love on the eve of one of the biggest natural disasters in recent memory. Keith Morrison reports.
Bringing Down Bill Cosby
Jun 1, 2018 · 43 min
Interview with Andrea Constand, the first woman to pursue charges against Bill Cosby, and four other Cosby accusers who testified against him.
The College Fraternity Crisis
Jun 3, 2018 · 43 min
Sixteen parents fighting to end college hazing at fraternities speak out together for the first time; cases of alleged hazing at various universities.
The Watcher
Jun 8, 2018 · 43 min
A recent law school graduate in Georgia who has a promising future disappears without a trace.
The Other Side of Paradise
Jun 15, 2018 · 43 min
Keith Morrison follows a cold case for nearly 10 years, as a father fights to bring his daughter’s killer to justice through one setback after another.
Fathers Day
Jun 17, 2018 · 43 min
A woman's DNA test sends her father halfway around the world to confront his past.
Deadly Detour
Jun 22, 2018 · 43 min
When a prominent attorney claims to have accidentally shot his wealthy wife, the local prosecutor questions his story.
The Dividing Line
Jun 24, 2018 · 43 min
The reality of life along the U.S.-Mexico border, including interviews with families seeking asylum, news on the controversial policy of separating migrant families, and fact check
Unraveled
Jun 29, 2018 · 43 min
A woman whose ex-husband killed six people in Arizona, allegedly targeting individuals with connections to their divorce; interviews with experts on the topics of domestic violence
The Threat
Jul 9, 2018 · 43 min
A mother is murdered in her home and police suspect her husband is the killer. It takes 14 years before he’s caught and convicted. But it’s feared he could kill again. Keith Morris
Jonestown: An American tragedy
Jul 13, 2018 · 43 min
An in-depth look at the journalists who exposed the dangers of cult leader Reverend Jim Jones; interviews with witnesses to murders carried out by Jones' followers.
Noises In The Night
Jul 16, 2018 · 43 min
A Knoxville, TN community is shaken when a popular high school student is found murdered in her bed. Two students who helped police solve the case speak to Andrea Canning.
A Good Son
Jul 23, 2018 · 43 min
When two mothers meet after one of their sons disappears after a college party, their search for answers leads them down an unexpected path.
The Figure in the Garage
Jul 30, 2018 · 45 min
When a beloved former firefighter is found dead in his garage, police are desperate for answers. Dennis Murphy reports.
A Mother's Mission
Aug 6, 2018 · 45 min
Actress Catherine Oxenberg shares how she tried to save her daughter India, who Catherine says was brainwashed by the controversial self-help group NXIVM for several years. Megyn K
Prairie Confidential
Aug 13, 2018 · 45 min
A murder case considered closed by North Dakota detectives is suddenly reopened when a confidential informant comes forward with a tip about an unlikely suspect. Keith Morrison rep
City of Angels
Aug 19, 2018
In-depth look at the growing homeless epidemic affecting half a million Americans, including an eye-opening tour of L.A.’s Skid Row, the nation’s epicenter of homelessness. Craig M
The Match
Sep 7, 2018
A high school girl, nearly beaten to death in her own home, goes under hypnosis in an attempt to identify her attacker. Andrea Canning reports.
Evil Was Waiting
Sep 14, 2018 · 45 min
When a soldier who just returned from Afghanistan is gunned down on the side of the road in Kentucky; detectives quickly uncover a secret that could solve the case.
A Deal with the Devil
Sep 21, 2018 · 45 min
Keith Morrison reports on a notorious serial killer, nicknamed Hannibal, who murdered several people while working as a confidential informant for the FBI.