A true crime classic for junkies and newbies alike
About Dateline
Dateline is the type of show that, back in the days of channel-surfing, would suck you in because you just had to know who the murderer was.
This long-running NBC show focuses mostly on murders (and murders of romantic partners), with other investigative pieces thrown in here and there. Dateline previously included other series like To Catch a Predator, but now concentrates on true crime.
Although it can sometimes be predictable, the show pulls the audience into the investigation through correspondents’ interviews with witnesses and suspects, leading the viewers through the case to the end of the trial in a more intimate way than most shows. Not to mention Keith Morrison‘s chilling, yet compelling, narrations.
Dateline’s storytelling, and the correspondents’ empathy for victims’ families and friends, makes it a standout. Morrison, Andrea Canning, Dennis Murphy, and Josh Mankiewicz often interview suspects before or after their conviction—a rarity in the genre—and their hard-nosed questioning is a highlight. When there is a trial, the show gives it ample attention, often with trial clips. Recommended.
The Show Elements
Seasons: 33 (1992-)
Where to stream: Peacock, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
More shows like Dateline: 20/20, 48 Hours, Dateline: The Last Day
✓ Police interviews
✓ Trial clips
✓ Narration
✘ Re-creations
✘ Experts
✓ Victims’ families and friends
See also this list of true crime shows
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