Dateline
Dateline
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Dateline

6.5
Yr 1992
Rt 43m
Status Returning Series
Crime Documentary
Your Verdict
Unrated

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Series Brief

Overview

Dateline NBC, or simply Dateline, is a weekly American television newsmagazine series. It was previously the network's flagship newsmagazine, but now focuses mainly on true crime stories with only occasional editions that focus on other topics.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 78 /100

At its launch, Dateline drew scrutiny from critics assessing its potential to serve as NBC's answer to prestige newsmagazines like CBS's 60 Minutes. Over the decades, however, the program carved out a distinct identity by shifting its focus away from traditional news hours toward the true-crime genre.

Modern assessments highlight the show's enduring appeal as a true-crime titan that manages to keep its reporting engaging rather than dreary. Critics note its comforting, highly structured narrative formula, pointing out that while real-life investigations are rarely clean, the program reliably satisfies viewers by bookending real-world horrors with closure, confessions, and verdicts.

“it has long focussed on true crime, and not the dreary kind.”

“Each episode opens with horror and closes with a verdict, a sentence, sometimes a confession.”

““Dateline” obviously has aspirations to be NBC’s answer to CBS’ “60 Minutes””

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Peacock Premium
US
NBC
US
Peacock Premium Plus
US
Show 3 more
The Roku Channel
US
Spectrum On Demand
US
Crave Amazon Channel
CA
Why fans love it

Dateline functions through the methodical patience of investigative journalism. Since 1992, the program has evolved from a general news magazine into a focused exploration of homicide investigations and mysterious disappearances. The format relies on the presence of seasoned correspondents like Lester Holt to anchor complex narratives that often span years of legal proceedings.

The appeal lies in the tension between cold facts and the human element. Correspondents conduct interviews with those closest to a crime, slowly pulling detail from the accounts of families and investigators. Every story prioritizes the procedural reality of how a mystery shifts from an initial disappearance to a courtroom resolution. By examining the mechanics of a murder case rather than relying solely on sensationalism, the series maintains a consistent tone that favors clarity over frantic pacing.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

homicide interview murder true crime missing person investigative journalism news magazine homicide investigation serious mysterious disappearance mystery correspondent
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
March 31, 1992
Status
Returning Series
Episode Runtime
43 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
51