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The New York Times Presents — Season 1

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202011 episodes7.1/10 (67 votes)

About this season

A series of standalone documentaries powered by the unparalleled journalism and insight of The New York Times, bringing viewers close to the essential stories of our time.

Episodes (11)

They Get Brave
E1

1. They Get Brave

7.5

Aired 10 July 2020 • 36 min

As the coronavirus ravages more and more American cities, we look back to the place hit hardest: New York City. Doctors and nurses documented their lives, capturing awe‐inspiring resolve in the face of a breakdown in the health‐care system.

Dominic Fike, At First
E2

2. Dominic Fike, At First

Aired 7 August 2020 • 35 min

The making of a pop star in 2020: A young musician is plucked from obscurity -- jail, actually -- and given a multi-million dollar record deal. Meet Dominic Fike as he prepares for his first international tour and makes his debut album.

The Killing of Breonna Taylor
E3

3. The Killing of Breonna Taylor

Aired 4 September 2020 • 58 min

A New York Times investigation examines what happened at 3003 Springfield Drive in Louisville, Kentucky, just after midnight on March 13, when police executed a warrant that resulted in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Hurricane of Fire
E4

4. Hurricane of Fire

10.0

Aired 18 September 2020 • 43 min

Perhaps a fitting start to 2020, Australia rang in the New Year with much of the country engulfed in flames. A few people decided to confront the blaze. Watch them stand face to face with one of the most ferocious infernos in history.

The Teenager Who Hacked Twitter
E5

5. The Teenager Who Hacked Twitter

1.0

Aired 20 November 2020 • 42 min

Elon Musk. Bill Gates. Kanye West. Joe Biden. Barack Obama. They and dozens of others were being hacked recently, and Twitter appeared powerless to stop it. Who had brought the tech giant to its knees? A 17-year-old kid in Tampa.

Framing Britney Spears
E6

6. Framing Britney Spears

7.1

Aired 5 February 2021 • 74 min

Her rise was a global phenomenon. Her downfall was a cruel national sport. People close to Britney Spears and lawyers tied to her conservatorship now reassess her career as she battles her father in court over who should control her life.

Who Gets To Be an Influencer?
E7

7. Who Gets To Be an Influencer?

Aired 4 June 2021 • 39 min

The New York Times follows the rise of Collab Crib, the first mainstream Black "creator mansion," exclusively documenting their whirlwind drive to achieve social media stardom in 90 days. The intimate, character-based film captures the influencers wrestling with a nagging, and profound, challenge: how can they succeed in a nascent industry that seems tilted to their disadvantage?

Move Fast & Vape Things
E8

8. Move Fast & Vape Things

Aired 17 September 2021 • 66 min

Two Stanford graduate students had an inspired idea and an idealistic mission: create an e-cigarette that would help millions of people stop smoking. How did the founders of Juul lose their way and end up accused of addicting a whole new generation?

Controlling Britney Spears
E9

9. Controlling Britney Spears

8.0

Aired 24 September 2021 • 72 min

Britney Spears has said that her conservatorship had become “an oppressive and controlling tool against her.” This New York Times investigation reveals much of how it worked, including an intense surveillance apparatus that monitored every move she made.

Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson
E10

10. Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson

6.0

Aired 19 November 2021 • 70 min

In 2004, a culture war was brewing when the Super Bowl halftime show audience saw a white man expose a Black woman's breast for 9/16ths of a second. A national furor ensued. The woman was Janet Jackson, and her career was never the same.

To Live and Die in Alabama
E11

11. To Live and Die in Alabama

Aired 3 December 2021 • 70 min

Three police officers died in a shootout at a drug house in Alabama. One man was sentenced to death for the shootings, even though he was never accused of even touching the murder weapon. This is the story of Nathaniel Woods.

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