Watch History Detectives: Special Investigations

TV-PG
2014
1 Season

History Detectives is a PBS television series that aired from 2003 to 2014, featuring experts who investigated historical artifacts and events. In 2014, the show presented a special series called History Detectives: Special Investigations. This new series extended the investigative scope to explore more controversial and challenging stories. The show continued with its mission to study the facts and myths surrounding various historical artifacts and uncover the truth behind them.

Each episode features a team of four experts, including historians, forensic investigators, and artifacts experts, undertaking the real-life challenges of reconstructing history, one episode at a time. The experts work with a variety of sources, such as DNA testing, archaeological analysis, and forensic science, to solve historical mysteries and put together missing pieces of historical puzzles.

The series is aptly named because it plays like a detective story, with the experts investigating and scrutinizing historical events and finding clues to the truth. History Detectives: Special Investigations explores a range of events, including conspiracy theories, hidden histories, and forgotten stories. By pursuing in-depth investigations, the show reveals unexpected insights about these events and their impact on our present reality.

Throughout the series, the experts bring historical events to life by engaging in time travel, reenactments, live events, and interviews with eyewitnesses. The show takes viewers to historic locations, including presidential homes, museums, libraries, and archives, to gain greater access to historical artifacts and documents.

The show features episodes such as 'Who Killed Jimmy Hoffa?', exploring the mysterious disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, the former leader of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and 'Secrets of the Lost Ark', investigating the mysteries surrounding the significance and fate of the Ark of the Covenant.

Another episode, 'Hunting the Unabomber', looks into the investigation and capture of Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, who sent a series of mail bombs that terrorized the country from 1978 to 1995.

Other episodes include the investigation of the controversial claim that John Wilkes Booth was not responsible for Lincoln's assassination, examining the origins of the Civil War, and uncovering the true history of Thomas Jefferson's mistress.

The series also explores themes such as slavery, civil rights, war, and politics, putting a spotlight on untold stories and shedding light on often-overlooked facets of history.

History Detectives: Special Investigations represents the culmination of the History Detectives series, bringing exciting new challenges to viewers in their quest to uncover the truth behind some of the most fascinating events in American history.

Overall, History Detectives: Special Investigations is an engaging and educational series that brings history to life. By employing scientific methods and the tools of investigation, the team uncovers new information that reveals the truth behind long-held mysteries in American history. This series represents a unique blend of science, history, and storytelling that makes it a must-watch for history buffs, fans of mystery and suspense, and anyone looking to learn something new about the fascinating history of the United States.

History Detectives: Special Investigations is a series that ran for 1 seasons (4 episodes) between July 1, 2014 and on PBS

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Seasons

4. Who Killed Jimmy Hoffa?

July 22, 2014

From PBS - On July 30, 1975, teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa disappeared without a trace. At the time, he was one of the most powerful men in the country. Because of his union leadership, many working Americans considered Hoffa their hero, but Hoffa also had powerful enemies. For decades, investigators have searched for clues about what happened to Hoffa and why. Was he murdered? If so, who wanted him dead? After serving prison time for conspiracy and fraud, Hoffa was pardoned by President Richard Nixon. What interest did the White House have in Jimmy Hoffa? Recently declassified government files reveal shocking evidence of corruption at the highest levels. Interviews with a former mob lawyer, a murder witness, and an FBI agent are among the sources History Detectives unearth as they track Jimmy Hoffa's final hours and answer the question: "Who killed Jimmy Hoffa?"

3. Texas Servant Girl Murders

July 15, 2014

From PBS - In 1884, a string of gruesome murders terrorized the people of Austin, Texas. Three years before Jack the Ripper struck London, a killer--or possibly multiple killers--brutally attacked and murdered eight women in their beds. The heinous crimes stopped as abruptly as they began, and the slayings have remained unsolved for over a century. Could this be one of the first known serial murders in the United States? Why were those responsible never brought to justice? Six of the eight victims were African American--were the crimes racially motivated? Armed with modern forensics, the History Detectives interview descendants of the murdered women and enlist the help of modern-day experts in an effort to solve this historical whodunit. Can they finally crack the case?

2. The Disappearance of Glenn Miller

July 8, 2014

From PBS - As Glenn Miller's musical career soared, he traded in his commercial success for a military uniform to entertain US troops during World War II. Then, on a foggy afternoon, December 15, 1944, he took off from England heading for France. His plane vanished over the English Channel. Glenn Miller was never seen again. Since that fateful day, Glenn Miller's disappearance has remained a mystery. Did friendly fire destroy the plane? Was Miller involved in espionage? Was he on a secret mission to end the war? Recent discoveries--including an intriguing entry in an aircraft spotter's log--give the History Detectives fresh leads and new clues to explore. Along the way, they learn of the unusual role Glenn Miller and his music played in winning hearts and minds during World War II. Can they find out what happened to this beloved bandleader once and for all?

1. Civil War Sabotage?

July 1, 2014

From PBS - When the SS Sultana exploded on April 27, 1865, more than 1,800 died --outnumbering the death toll from the Titanic disaster. Can the History Detectives solve the mysterious explosion of the SS Sultana? Was it an act of Confederate sabotage? Faulty machinery? Dangerous conditions?

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Where to Watch History Detectives: Special Investigations

History Detectives: Special Investigations is available for streaming on the PBS website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch History Detectives: Special Investigations on demand at Google Play.