Dateline: Season 27
Season 27 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 26.
- 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 27 Progress Shield
On the Outskirts of Town
Sep 28, 2018 · 43 min
Andrea Canning reports on a young, beloved woman who is found dead near a soccer field in Indiana. Detectives try to piece together a puzzle that leads them to the most unexpected
A Small Town Secret
Oct 5, 2018 · 43 min
When a beloved teacher and former beauty queen goes missing in Georgia, it triggers a decade-long investigation that makes national headlines. Andrea Canning reports.
At the Bottom of the Lake
Oct 12, 2018 · 43 min
A pilot flees after a deadly plane crash, and becomes a fugitive living a double life for decades. He tells his story for the first time to Keith Morrison.
Death Trap
Oct 19, 2018 · 43 min
The sister of a man who died after robbing a bank when a bomb that was placed around his neck detonated talks about the case.
Everything She Knew
Oct 26, 2018 · 43 min
A young woman’s murder remains unsolved until someone comes forward to reveal her own harrowing story. Keith Morrison reports.
The Landing
Nov 2, 2018 · 43 min
The parents of missing South Carolina woman Heather Elvis, Debbi and Terry Elvis, open up to NBC News’ Andrea Canning about the search for their daughter.
The Mansion on Ocean Boulevard
Nov 9, 2018 · 43 min
The mysterious deaths of 6-year-old Max Shacknai and 32-year-old Rebecca Zahau, who died within days of each other in 2011 at a California beachside mansion
The Ultimatum
Nov 16, 2018 · 43 min
When a mother is discovered dead inside her home, it appears to be a suicide. But when investigators start to interview those closest to her, an evil plot emerges. Dennis Murphy re
Final Curtain
Nov 23, 2018 · 43 min
A soon-to-be bride is caught in the middle of a twisted murder plot that has detectives questioning if she played a role in it.
Suspicion in Silver City
Nov 30, 2018 · 43 min
The mysterious death of a 23-year-old mother in New Mexico goes unsolved, and her family searches for answers. Keith Morrison reports.
In a Lonely Place
Dec 7, 2018 · 43 min
When a creative entrepreneur abruptly leaves his business for an international surfing adventure, his family’s worry turns into suspicion. Keith Morrison reports.
Under a Full Moon
Dec 14, 2018 · 43 min
When detectives track down the killer of a Las Vegas cocktail waitress and mother, it becomes clear that the investigation has just begun.
Stone Cold
Dec 21, 2018 · 43 min
When a hard-charging boss in Arizona is shot to death, police uncover a complex web of bruised egos in his professional life and a trail of broken hearts in his personal life.
The Alibi
Dec 28, 2018 · 43 min
The homicide of private first class soldier and young mother Karlyn Ramirez; a glimpse into the FBI's crime lab and an in-depth look at how multiple agencies uncovered a plot that
The Trap
Jan 13, 2019 · 43 min
Interviews with former journalist Amanda Lindhout and the undercover agent who spearheaded the international manhunt for the individual responsible for her 2008 kidnapping and tort
ACCUSED: The R. Kelly Story
Jan 18, 2019 · 43 min
An in-depth look at the history of allegations against singer R. Kelly, including interviews with several women who accuse Kelly of misconduct.
Finding Venus
Jan 25, 2019 · 43 min
A mother of two mysteriously vanishes from her parents' Michigan home while going to check the mailbox, leaving her phone and identification behind; police declare her dead without
Chasing O.J. Simpson: The Untold Stories
Feb 1, 2019 · 43 min
Looking back at O.J. Simpson's infamous Bronco car chase and subsequent standoff with the LAPD SWAT team, 25 years after the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
Reckless
Feb 8, 2019 · 43 min
Reckless A teenager is convicted of encouraging her boyfriend to kill himself; exclusive interviews with those on both sides of the case.
What They Saw
Feb 15, 2019 · 43 min
Dennis Murphy speaks to a Georgia father accused of murdering his ex-wife. While his friends work to prove his innocence, prosecutors count on his children to testify against their
Secrets of Lake Seminole
Feb 22, 2019 · 43 min
A man disappears after a duck hunting trip in Florida on his sixth wedding anniversary and is later found to have been murdered.
The Golden Child
Mar 1, 2019 · 43 min
The investigation into a woman's mysterious disappearance from inside her home in Washington, D.C., reveals a connection to the decades-old disappearance of another woman.
Vanishing of Kelsey Berreth
Mar 8, 2019 · 43 min
The investigation into a woman's mysterious disappearance from inside her home in Washington, D.C., reveals a connection to the decades-old disappearance of another woman.
Endgame
Mar 15, 2019 · 43 min
Andrea Canning reports on the murder of Shele Danishefsky, a wealthy New York City finance executive whose 2009 death was originally ruled accidental.
The Motive
Mar 22, 2019 · 43 min
A young woman finds out her boyfriend might have killed a college football player out of revenge. She struggles with going to officials, fearing she could lose her life. Keith Morr
Jagged
Mar 29, 2019 · 43 min
When Ohio mother Heather Bogle goes missing, a detective identifies multiple suspects, until he himself comes under scrutiny for his investigation. Josh Mankiewicz reports
Evil Was Watching
Apr 5, 2019 · 43 min
Two young girls in Washington are snatched in broad daylight. The case goes unsolved until a new detective tries to solve the mystery that haunted her childhood. Keith Morrison rep
Evil Intent
Apr 12, 2019 · 43 min
When a young woman fails to show up to work, her mother rushes to try to find her. What she discovers begins an investigation that leads to a suspect no one imagined. Keith Morriso
11 Minutes
Apr 19, 2019 · 43 min
An Alabama father calls police after his son throws a house party. Just 11 minutes after a deputy leaves his house, another 911 call is placed. What happened? Josh Mankiewicz repor
She Didn't Come Home
Apr 26, 2019 · 43 min
A mother in Pennsylvania disappears after co-workers see her leaving for lunch.
A Villainous Plan
May 3, 2019 · 43 min
A Connecticut bank executive is targeted by criminals who force him to rob his own bank.
The Call
May 10, 2019 · 43 min
When a dancer is murdered in her Virginia home, investigators are hopeful they can crack the case. Could an unexpected tip lead them to an unlikely person? Andrea Canning reports.
The Betrayal of Sarah Stern
May 17, 2019 · 43 min
The discovery of a teenager's car abandoned on a New Jersey bridge turns into a homicide investigation. Police uncover a plot involving money, close friends and betrayal. Keith Mor
Facing The Music
May 31, 2019 · 43 min
When a young teacher in Pennsylvania is murdered, her friends wonder if the killer will be caught. Following years without an arrest, investigators discover a new tool that may fin
The Overlook
Jun 7, 2019 · 43 min
Two young women are shot and left for dead on a beach in Texas. After one miraculously survives, she is determined to find out who the attacker is. When a man is eventually convict
She Did Everything Right
Jun 10, 2019 · 43 min
A University of Utah athlete is found murdered on campus. She had reached out to campus police for help multiple times before her death. Could it have been prevented? Josh Mankiewi
Return To The Farm
Jun 14, 2019 · 43 min
When Shirley Carter is gunned down in her kitchen in rural Iowa, the whole town is stunned. But when police and her family are left with no leads, Shirley’s husband does something
Before Midnight
Jun 17, 2019 · 43 min
A successful business woman and mother of three is found shot in her office. Will justice be served? Keith Morrison reports.
She Never Left
Jun 21, 2019 · 43 min
A missing mother in Jacksonville, Fla., leaves behind a 3-year-old son, whose memory of their last night together offers some clues as to what happened to her. The case remains col
Unchecked Evil
Jun 24, 2019 · 45 min
College senior Reagan Tokes was just months away from graduation when she was shot and killed in a public park. Her parents’ heartbreak soon turned to outrage. Andrea Canning repor
Return to the Early Shift
Jun 28, 2019
A Kentucky man is convicted of murdering his co-worker; the mystery is considered solved until a stunning disclosure, years later, turns the closed case upside down.
The Crossing
Jul 1, 2019 · 43 min
Her son died under questionable circumstances and a mother is demanding answers from the university he attended (High Point), the frat house he pledged with (Delta Sigma Phi) and t
The Secret Keepers
Jul 8, 2019
A 59-year-old father is found dead in his home, and family members assume it is related to his ongoing health issues. But when the coroner reveals he didn't die of natural causes,
Return to the House of Secrets
Jul 12, 2019 · 45 min
Cornell student and star athlete Charlie Tan excels in everything, except when he gets caught in the middle of a murder investigation. The community is left in shock. Dennis Murphy
Before the Storm
Jul 15, 2019
A divorced, bi-sexual Texan mother of two, with a new man in her life, goes missing as Hurricane Harvey approaches. Both cooperative, the missing mom's ex-husband, and new boyfrien
The Prussian Blue Mystery
Jul 22, 2019 · 45 min
A San Diego woman arrives at an emergency room, near death. Doctors, the FBI and local law enforcement must solve not only a medical mystery, but also a horrific crime. Natalie Mor
Deadly Secret
Jul 29, 2019
Pamela Smart was television's first true crime fascination after her husband was found murdered. Police discovered that Pamela Smart was keeping a big secret. Andrea Canning report
At the Edge of Town
Aug 5, 2019
When a college student is found dead after a party, his mother is determined to try to find out what happened. Dennis Murphy reports on the unexpected twist that no one saw coming.
Out of the Darkness
Aug 12, 2019
A wife calls 911 to report her husband has been shot on a country road in Texas. Could the dramatic police footage from the scene end up being key in the investigation? Josh Mankie
Robert Durst: The Secret Tapes
Aug 19, 2019 · 45 min
Rarely-seen video is revealed of Robert Durst’s friends testifying for the prosecution as to why he might have killed his best friend, Susan Berman. Keith Morrison reports.
Hinckley: Diary of a Dangerous Mind
Aug 26, 2019 · 45 min
Recently uncovered pages from the diary of John Hinckley Jr, written after his arrest for the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, are revealed. Troy Roberts reports
Life Inside
Sep 6, 2019 · 45 min
Lester Holt spends two nights embedded inside the largest maximum security prison in America, the notorious Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola.
The Disappearance of Jennifer Dulos
Sep 9, 2019 · 45 min
The latest detail on the case of missing New Canaan mother of five, Jennifer Dulos. Dennis Murphy reports.
Into the Dark
Sep 13, 2019 · 45 min
When a college student vanishes from a park in Salt Lake City, her friends are dedicated to finding answers. Keith Morrison reports on the search that made national headlines.
Reckoning
Sep 20, 2019 · 45 min
Savannah Guthrie speaks with six of Jeffrey Epstein's victims.