| Secrets of the Dead | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Historicaldocumentary |
| Narrated by | Roy Scheider Liev Schreiber Jay O. Sanders |
| Theme music composer | Michael Montes & Jeff Heffernan |
| Country of origin | United States United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 21 (US) |
| No. of episodes | 107 + 6 specials (US) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Jared Lipworth |
| Producers | Thirteen/WNET Quickfire Media David Johnson Lucy Palmer Five (UK) Channel 4 International(UK) |
| Camera setup | multiple |
| Running time | 56 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | PBS NJN |
| Release | May 15, 2000 (2000-05-15) – present |
Secrets of the Dead, produced byWNET 13 New York, is an ongoingPBS television series which began in 2000. The show generally follows an investigator or team of investigators exploring what modern science can tell viewers about some of the great mysteries of history. Most programs incorporate primary source material, first-hand accounts, dramatic reenactments, andcomputer-generated imagery (CGI) to tell the story. The series originated in a series of the same name in theUnited Kingdom first shown byChannel 4 in 1999. The first two seasons for each country were broadly similar, but thereafter diverged. The US series includes some programs shown in other Channel 4 series (e.g.Secret History). In the case of original British episodes, PBS re-edited, re-branded and finally re-narrated them with various American voice artists.[1] PBS description: "Scientists seek to uncover celebrated mysteries of the past in this occasionalBritish series."
Episode topics (Which are listed in different order on PBS) have included theTitanic,D-Day, theShroud of Turin, theSalem Witch Trials,Blackbeard's lost ship, and the first English translations of theBible.
The PBS series premiered on May 15, 2000, airing four programs in three days (the first episode, concerning theExtreme weather events of 535–536, was a two-parter).[2] Despite an irregular schedule, new episodes continue to air.[3]
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Catastrophe! Part 1: The Day the Sun Went Out" | May 15, 2000 (2000-05-15) | |
UK S1#5 narrated byRoy Scheider | |||
| 2 | "Catastrophe! Part 2: How the World Changed" | May 16, 2000 (2000-05-16) | |
UK S1#6 narrated byRoy Scheider | |||
| 3 | "The Lost Vikings" | May 16, 2000 (2000-05-16) | |
UK S1#3 | |||
| 4 | "What Happened to the Hindenburg?" | May 17, 2000 (2000-05-17) | |
UK S1#2 | |||
| 5 | "Cannibalism in the Canyon" | May 17, 2000 (2000-05-17) | |
UK S1#4 "Cannibals of the Canyon" | |||
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Witches Curse" | June 26, 2001 (2001-06-26) | |
UK S2#4 "Bewitched" | |||
| 2 | "Murder at Stonehenge" | July 3, 2001 (2001-07-03) | |
UK S2#1 | |||
| 3 | "Death at Jamestown" | July 10, 2001 (2001-07-10) | |
UK S2#3 "Murder in Jamestown" | |||
| 4 | "Day of the Zulu" | July 17, 2001 (2001-07-17) | |
UK S3#6 "Mystery of Zulu Dawn" | |||
| 5 | "Tomb of Christ" | July 24, 2001 (2001-07-24) | |
| 6 | "The Syphilis Enigma" | July 31, 2001 (2001-07-31) | |
UK S2#2 | |||
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Search for the First Human" | May 8, 2002 (2002-05-08) | |
UK S3#5 "The First Human?" | |||
| 2 | "Mystery of the Black Death" | October 30, 2002 (2002-10-30) | |
| 3 | "Titanic's Ghosts" | November 20, 2002 (2002-11-20) | |
UK S5#1 | |||
| 4 | "The Great Fire of Rome" | November 27, 2002 (2002-11-27) | |
UK S3#7 "Who Burnt Rome?" | |||
| 5 | "Tragedy at the Pole" | January 15, 2003 (2003-01-15) | |
UK S5#2 | |||
| 6 | "Bombing Nazi Dams" | February 12, 2003 (2003-02-12) | |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Bridge on the River Kwai" | November 12, 2003 (2003-11-12) | |
| 2 | "Killer Flu" | March 3, 2004 (2004-03-03) | |
UKSecret History S6#5 | |||
| 3 | "Shroud of Christ?" | April 7, 2004 (2004-04-07) | |
UK S5#4 | |||
| 4 | "D-Day" | May 19, 2004 (2004-05-19) | |
| 5 | "Amazon Warrior Women" | August 4, 2004 (2004-08-04) | |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Hunt for Nazi Scientists" | October 19, 2005 (2005-10-19) |
| 2 | "Gangland Graveyard" | November 16, 2005 (2005-11-16) |
| 3 | "Voyage of the Courtesans" | November 23, 2005 (2005-11-23) |
| 4 | "The Sinking of the Andrea Doria" | July 26, 2006 (2006-07-26) |
| 5 | "Umbrella Assassin" | October 4, 2006 (2006-10-04) |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Dogfight Over Guadalcanal" | November 8, 2006 (2006-11-08) | 601 |
| 2 | "Battle for the Bible" | April 25, 2007 (2007-04-25) | 602 |
| 3 | "Herculaneum Uncovered" | May 2, 2007 (2007-05-02) | 603 |
| 4 | "Headless Romans" | May 9, 2007 (2007-05-09) | 604 |
| 5 | "Irish Escape" | May 16, 2007 (2007-05-16) | 605 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Aztec Massacre" | April 23, 2008 (2008-04-23) | 701 |
| 2 | "Escape from Auschwitz" | April 30, 2008 (2008-04-30) | 702 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Doping for Gold" | May 7, 2008 (2008-05-07) | 801 |
| 2 | "Sinking Atlantis" | May 14, 2008 (2008-05-14) | 802 |
| 3 | "Executed in Error" | October 1, 2008 (2008-10-01) | 803 |
| 4 | "Blackbeard's Lost Ship" | April 22, 2009 (2009-04-22) | 804 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Michelangelo Revealed" | May 13, 2009 (2009-05-13) | 901 |
| 2 | "The Airmen and the Headhunters" | November 11, 2009 (2009-11-11) | 902 |
| 3 | "Mumbai Massacre" | November 25, 2009 (2009-11-25) | 903 |
| 4 | "Japanese SuperSub" | May 5, 2010 (2010-05-05) | TBA |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Churchill's Deadly Decision" | May 12, 2010 (2010-05-12) | 1001 |
| 2 | "Deadliest Battle" | May 19, 2010 (2010-05-19) | 1002 |
| 3 | "The Silver Pharaoh" | November 3, 2010 (2010-11-03) | 1003 |
| 4 | "Slave Ship Mutiny" | November 10, 2010 (2010-11-10) | 1004 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Lost Ships of Rome" | November 17, 2010 (2010-11-17) | 1101 |
| 2 | "Lost in the Amazon" | April 20, 2011 (2011-04-20) | 1102 |
| 3 | "China's Terracotta Warriors" | May 4, 2011 (2011-05-04) | 1103 |
| 4 | "World's Biggest Bomb" | May 17, 2011 (2011-05-17) | 1104 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Man Who Saved the World" | October 24, 2012 (2012-10-24) | 1201 |
| 2 | "Bugging Hitler's Soldiers" | May 1, 2013 (2013-05-01) | 1202 |
| 3 | "Death on the Railroad" | May 8, 2013 (2013-05-08) | 1203 |
| 4 | "Caveman Cold Case" | May 15, 2013 (2013-05-15) | 1204 |
Narrated byJay O. Sanders | |||
| 5 | "Ultimate Tut" | July 10, 2013 (2013-07-10) | 1205 |
2-hour episode narrated byJay O. Sanders | |||
| 6 | "Bones of the Buddha" | July 23, 2013 (2013-07-23) | 1206 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "JFK: One PM Central Standard Time" | November 13, 2013 (2013-11-13) | 1301 |
Narrated byGeorge Clooney | |||
| 2 | "The Lost Diary of Dr. Livingstone" | March 26, 2014 (2014-03-26) | 1302 |
| 3 | "Carthage's Lost Warriors" | April 2, 2014 (2014-04-02) | 1303 |
| 4 | "The Lost Gardens of Babylon" | May 6, 2014 (2014-05-06) | 1304 |
| 5 | "The Mona Lisa Mystery" | July 9, 2014 (2014-07-09) | 1305 |
Written and directed byKlaus T. Steindl Experts examine the controversy over whether theIsleworth Mona Lisa was painted byLeonardo da Vinci | |||
| Special | "Dick Cavett's Watergate" | August 8, 2014 (2014-08-08) | TBA |
| 6 | "Resurrecting Richard III" | September 24, 2014 (2014-09-24) | 1306 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Ben Franklin's Bones" | January 28, 2015 (2015-01-28) | 1401 |
| 2 | "JFK & LBJ: A Time for Greatness" | August 4, 2015 (2015-08-04) | TBA |
Narrated byMorgan Freeman | |||
| 3 | "The Real Trojan Horse" | October 13, 2015 (2015-10-13) | 1402 |
| 4 | "Jamestown's Dark Winter" | November 24, 2015 (2015-11-24) | 1403 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Vampire Legend" | October 27, 2015 (2015-10-27) | 1501 |
| 2 | "The Alcatraz Escape" | March 29, 2016 (2016-03-29) | 1503 |
| 3 | "Cleopatra's Lost Tomb" | May 17, 2016 (2016-05-17) | 1502 |
| 4 | "Teotihuacán's Lost Kings" | May 24, 2016 (2016-05-24) | 1504 |
| 5 | "Graveyard of the Giant Beasts" | November 2, 2016 (2016-11-02) | 1505 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "After Stonehenge" | October 26, 2016 (2016-10-26) | 1601 |
| 2 | "Van Gogh's Ear" | December 14, 2016 (2016-12-14) | 1602 |
| 3 | "Nero's Sunken City" | March 29, 2017 (2017-03-29) | 1603 |
Archaeologists map the underwater ruins ofBaiae, ancient Rome's version of Las Vegas | |||
| 4 | "Leonardo, the Man Who Saved Science" | April 5, 2017 (2017-04-05) | 1604 |
| Special | "Secrets of Spanish Florida" | December 26, 2017 (2017-12-26) | TBA |
AMFC — 2 hours | |||
| 5 | "The Woman in the Iron Coffin" | October 3, 2018 (2018-10-03) | 1605 |
Forensic experts investigate the preserved remains of a young 19th century New York African American woman and reveal details of early America's free black communities. | |||
| 6 | "The Nero Files" | February 20, 2019 (2019-02-20) | 1606 |
The life and legend ofNero are examined by a forensic profiler. | |||
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Scanning the Pyramids" | January 24, 2018 (2018-01-24) | 1701 |
| 2 | "Hannibal in the Alps" | April 10, 2018 (2018-04-10) | 1702 |
A team of experts determines which of 4 possible routes was used byHannibal | |||
| 3 | "King Arthur's Lost Kingdom" | March 27, 2019 (2019-03-27) | 1703 |
New archaeological evidence that rewrites our understanding of5th and 6th century Britain might also explain the legend ofKing Arthur. | |||
| 4 | "Egypt's Darkest Hour" | April 3, 2019 (2019-04-03) | 1704 |
The discovery of a rare mass grave with the bones of nearly 60 people outsideLuxor sends archaeologists on a quest to find out who the remains belong to, why they were buried the way they were and what was happening inancient Egypt that would have led to a mass burial. | |||
| 5 | "World War Speed" | June 25, 2019 (2019-06-25) | 1705 |
Historian James Holland, on his quest to understand how the use of amphetamines affected the course ofWorld War II and unleashed “the world's first pharmacological arms race.”[4] Shown in the UK onBBC Four as a standalone, Aug 29, 2019.[5] | |||
| 6 | "Abandoning theTitanic" | November 4, 2020 (2020-11-04) | 1706 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Galileo's Moon" | July 2, 2019 (2019-07-02) | 1801 |
When it was published in 1610, Galileo'sSidereus Nuncius (Starry Messenger set in motion a scientific revolution.[7] | |||
| 2 | "Bombing Auschwitz" | January 21, 2020 (2020-01-21) | 1802 |
On December 3, 1944,The Washington Post published an editorial on the atrocitiesin Auschwitz with the headline “Genocide,” marking the first time the word appeared in a national newspaper.[8] | |||
| 3 | "Building Notre Dame" | April 28, 2020 (2020-04-28) | 1803 |
An in-depth investigation is made into the centuries-long construction ofNotre Dame de Paris. | |||
| 4 | "Viking Warrior Queen" | July 7, 2020 (2020-07-07) | 1804 |
| 5 | "Gangster's Gold" | November 18, 2020 (2020-11-18) | 1805 |
InNew York City,treasure hunters look for the trunk of money and diamonds buried bygangsterDutch Schultz in 1935. | |||
| 6 | "The End of the Romans" | October 26, 2022 (2022-10-26) | 1806 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Magellan's Crossing" | October 20, 2021 (2021-10-20) | 1901 |
| 2 | "Lady Sapiens" | October 27, 2021 (2021-10-27) | 1902 |
| 3 | "The First Circle of Stonehenge" | November 3, 2021 (2021-11-03) | 1903 |
| 4 | "Hindenburg's Fatal Flaws" | November 10, 2021 (2021-11-10) | 1904 |
| 5 | "A Samurai in the Vatican" | November 17, 2021 (2021-11-17) | 1905 |
| 6 | "The Caravaggio Heist" | November 24, 2021 (2021-11-24) | 1906 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Archaeology at Althorp" | October 9, 2022 (2022-10-09) | 2001 |
| 2 | "Last Days of Pompeii" | October 19, 2022 (2022-10-19) | 2002 |
| 3 | "Decoding Hieroglyphics" | November 2, 2022 (2022-11-02) | 2003 |
| 4 | "Hidden in the Amazon" | November 9, 2022 (2022-11-09) | 2004 |
| 5 | "The Sunken Basilica" | October 11, 2023 (2023-10-11) | 2005 |
| 6 | "Jurassic Fortunes" | October 18, 2023 (2023-10-18) | 2006 |
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Eiffel's Race to the Top" | October 25, 2023 (2023-10-25) | 2007 |
The competition to construct theEiffel Tower and how its creation transformed theParis skyline into a global symbol of engineering and modernity. | |||
| 2 | "Death in Britannia" | November 1, 2023 (2023-11-01) | 2008 |
The analysis of a skeleton fromRoman Britain bearing physical evidence ofCrucifixion, offering rare insight into punishment and daily life under Roman rule. | |||
| 3 | "The Princes in the Tower" | November 22, 2023 (2023-11-22) | 2009 |
An examination of the disappearance of thePrinces in the Tower and the historical debate surrounding the possible role ofRichard III of England. | |||
| 4 | "Returning to Babylon" | October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02) | TBA |
Efforts to recover cultural heritage inMosul after destruction by theIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant, including surviving artifacts of theAssyrian Empire and a possible link to theHanging Gardens of Babylon. | |||
| 5 | "Mozart's Sister" | October 9, 2024 (2024-10-09) | TBA |
The life ofMaria Anna Mozart and her relationship withWolfgang Amadeus Mozart, including evidence suggesting her possible contributions to his early compositions. | |||
| 6 | "The Herculaneum Scrolls" | October 16, 2024 (2024-10-16) | TBA |
Attempts to read the carbonizedHerculaneum papyri using computer science and imaging techniques following the79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius that buried the Roman town ofHerculaneum. | |||
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Civil War's Lost Massacre" | October 23, 2024 (2024-10-23) | TBA |
The search for the remains of formerly enslaved Black Union soldiers killed at the end of the Civil War, centered on Camp Nelson, Kentucky. | |||
| 2 | "Field of Vampires" | October 30, 2024 (2024-10-30) | TBA |
A 17th-century burial of a woman with unusual restraints, interpreted as anti-vampire practices reflecting local beliefs. | |||
| 3 | "Lost Treasures of Angkor – The Discovery" | November 13, 2024 (2024-11-13) | TBA |
Newly discovered artifacts offering insight into early Khmer society before the rise of Angkor as imperial capital. | |||
| 4 | "Lost Treasures of Angkor – King's Gold" | November 20, 2024 (2024-11-20) | TBA |
Early Khmer gold and silver artifacts from Laos revealing their origins, production, and cultural context around Vat Phou. | |||
| 5 | "Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part One)" | February 19, 2025 (2025-02-19) | TBA |
The life of Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse, Hermann Göring’s collector in Paris, and his post-war return to art dealing, often involving looted works. | |||
| 6 | "Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part Two)" | February 26, 2025 (2025-02-26) | TBA |
Bruno Lohse’s post-war activities in the United States, including dealings in looted art while original owners sought restitution. | |||
| 7 | "The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum" | October 8, 2025 (2025-10-08) | TBA |
The history and influence of the Colosseum, from its role in Roman spectacle and power to its wider impact on the Roman Empire. | |||
| 8 | "Cleopatra's Last Temple" | October 15, 2025 (2025-10-15) | TBA |
Ruins submerged in Alexandria’s harbor that may be the remains of a temple associated with Cleopatra and the goddess Isis. | |||
| 9 | "Cracking the Queen's Code" | October 22, 2025 (2025-10-22) | TBA |
The decoding of encrypted letters from Mary, Queen of Scots detailing her efforts to escape imprisonment and challenge Queen Elizabeth I. | |||
| 10 | "Chasing the Plague" | October 29, 2025 (2025-10-29) | TBA |
Scientists and historians examining the earliest known bubonic plague victims and the societal impact of the disease on medieval Europe. | |||
| No. in season | Title | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "China's Bronze Kingdom" | November 4, 2025 (2025-11-04) | TBA |
An exploration of the discovery and archaeological significance of a mysterious ancient city in Sichuan that may be linked to the ancient Shu kingdom. | |||
| 2 | "Picturing Shakespeare" | November 12, 2025 (2025-11-12) | TBA |
A British man is trying to authenticate a long-owned family portrait as a previously unknown image of William Shakespeare, a discovery that could be worth up to $200 million. | |||
| 3 | "Queens of Combat" | January 28, 2026 (2026-01-28) | TBA |
Experts investigate historical and archaeological evidence to determine whether women fought as gladiators in Ancient Rome and what their lives were like. | |||
| 4 | "The Quest for Camelot" | February 4, 2026 (2026-02-04) | TBA |
Prof. Mark Horton explores medieval texts and archaeological sites across Britain to uncover the real events and places that may have inspired the legends of King Arthur. | |||
| Documentaries |
|  |
|---|---|---|
| Drama |
| |
| Music and fine arts |
| |
| History |
| |
| News and public affairs |
| |
| Personalities | ||
| How-to and special interest |
| |
| Science and nature | ||
| Networks | ||
| Major stations |
| |
| Former |
| |
| Related | ||
| ||