15 best Dateline episodes ever to add to your watchlist
Dateline is a crime investigative show that airs on NBC. Mostly, the prime-time TV show covers in-depth news and investigative stories. It has won numerous awards, including the Peabody Award, Emmy Award, GLAAD Media Award, and Image Award. Which are the best Dateline episodes ever to add to your watchlist?
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The Dateline television show premiered on 31 March 1992. The show is on its 32nd season and has aired over 600 episodes. Picking the best episodes is not a walk in the park. Discover some of the popular Dateline episodes you should add to your watchlist.
15 best dateline episodes
Dateline TV show showcases in-depth coverage of news stories, making them compelling for the viewers to watch. Below is a list of the best Dateline episodes ever in no particular order.
The rankings are based on data from reputable sources like IMDb, official statistics, expert opinions, user feedback, and other relevant metrics.
1. The Doomsday Files (Season 30, Episode 8)
This is one of the top-rated Dateline episodes. It is the story of an Idaho couple who allegedly kills two kids, JJ and Tylee. Keith Morrison narrates the twisted tale of Lori Vallow, a former beauty queen, and Chad Daybell, a former grave digger.
2. Mystery at Bootlegger's Cove (Season 16, Episode 33)
Mystery at Bootlegger's Cove is among the best Dateline episodes ever. The disappearance of a young woman from Talkeetna, Bethany Correira, sends shockwaves through Alaska. In Mystery at Bootlegger's Cove, Keith Morrison takes viewers through the investigation process and the effects on her family.
3. The Ascension of Mother God (Season 30, Episode 4)
The Ascension of Mother God is one of the craziest Dateline episodes. Amy Carlson is the religious leader of the Love Has Won cult. The followers of this sect believed she was god and lived here on earth. Viewers learned her story after police discovered her mummified body in one of her follower's homes.
4. The Day Jennifer Disappeared (Season 28, Episode 41)
This is one of the good Dateline episodes you must watch. The Day Jennifer Disappeared episode tells the tale of Jennifer Dulos, who mysteriously vanished on 24 May 2019. She was undergoing a custody dispute with her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos. Mr Dulos was arrested for the murder in January 2020 but allegedly took his life a few weeks later.
5. The Real Thing About Pam (Season 30, Episode 22)
This episode is one of the top Dateline episodes. The Real Thing About Pam follows the murder story of Betsy Faria from Troy, Missouri. Faria had cancer and was found dead in her home in December 2011. Her friend Pam was arrested for the murder nearly 10 years later.
6. Prairie Confidential (Season 26, Episode 51)
Prairie Confidential is another best of Dateline episodes. Angela Wilder, a mom working diligently to become a nurse, was murdered. A confidential informant tips the police about an unlikely suspect. Keith Morrison interviews Angila Wilder's friends and others to find her killers.
7. The Hands of a Killer (Season 30, Episode 21)
This episode, narrated by correspondent Dennis Murphy, follows the twisted tale of a politician's untimely death. The Hands of a Killer looks at all the conspiracy theories that came up after American politician Linda Collins was killed in her home. The real killer, Linda's friend and colleague, was eventually found.
8. The Figure in the Garage (Season 26, Episode 48)
The Figure in the Garage is among Dateline's best episodes covered by Dennis Murphy. Don Fluitt, a former firefighter, is found murdered in his garage. Police are desperate to find the person behind the incident. They discover his neighbour's home security camera captured a figure near the garage.
9. The Phone Call (Season 29, Episode 42)
It's not usual to get arrested for the murder you did not commit. Although this sounds like a scene in a scary movie, it is a true story of Pete Coones, narrated by Natalie Morales. Coones was arrested and convicted of his father's housekeeper's, Kathleen Scholl, murder. He was released after 13 years in prison but died shortly after.
10. The Man Who Talked to Dogs (Season 1, Episode 115)
This episode is one of the best episodes of Dateline. Keith Morrison narrates this baffling excursion of The Man Who Talked to Dogs. Mark Stover vanished mysteriously like a Hollywood thriller. He had gone through a bitter divorce with his ex-wife Linda.
11. Kill Switch (Season 30, Episode 3)
Kill Switch is one of the most shocking Dateline episodes. Lori Isenberg, a widow from Idaho, was arrested for embezzling over $900,000. Two weeks prior, she had lost her husband, Larry, in a boat accident. Lori took measures to ensure Larry would never find out about this on that fateful February.
12. Stealing Paradise (Season 7, Episode 8)
Kate Snow narrated this eerie tale, which took her to the remote islands of Bocas del Toro. Cher Hughes and Keith's life on the beautiful island was cut short after their marriage crumbled. Cher disappeared shortly afterwards.
13. The Secret Keepers (Season 27, Episode 44)
Like most Dateline stories, The Secret Keepers starts with betrayal and a distress phone call. In this episode, Keith Morrison recounts the story of Randy Baker from Colorado. His wife discovered Randy's lifeless body in the morning after he dozed off behind the wheel. The police discovered a toxic sibling relationship that was at the heart of this crime.
14. Death of a Golden Girl (Season 18, Episode 22)
Dennis Murphy narrates the eerie story of aspiring Playboy Playmate Paula Sladewski. The blonde girl's horrific and bizarre death has remained unsolved to this date. Paula and her boyfriend, Kevin Klym, went to Miami to attend a Lady Gaga show. She went missing until her remains were found in a North Miami dumpster.
15. The Sting (Season 6, Episode 1)
They say there is no perfect crime, but this saying is more accurate when people do a shoddy job of hiring killers. In the episode The Sting, Dennis Murphy recounted the story of Dalia Dippolito, who faced her criminal incompetence. She had just gotten married but had hired people to kill her new husband.
When contacted by the police to give her the heartbreaking news of the murder of her husband, she was devastated. However, her reaction was nothing compared to when she saw her husband alive, ready to narrate how she hired killers to eliminate him.
Dateline is an investigative TV show running on NBC since 1992. The show is captivating as the reporters follow true crime stories. The show has aired over 600 episodes as of December 2023. The above list is excellent for your watchlist if you are looking for the best Dateline episodes.
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