Secrets of the Dead

*Secrets of the Dead*
Secrets of the Dead
Genre	Historical documentary
Narrated by	Roy Scheider; Liev Schreiber; Jay O. Sanders
Theme music composer	Michael Montes & Jeff Heffernan
Countries 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 –; present

Secrets of the Dead, produced by WNET 13 New York, is an ongoing PBS 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, and computer-generated imagery (CGI) to tell the story. The series originated in a series of the same name in the United Kingdom first shown by Channel 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 occasional British series."

GenreHistorical documentary

Narrated byRoy Scheider
Liev Schreiber
Jay O. Sanders

Theme music composerMichael Montes & Jeff Heffernan

Countries of originUnited States
United Kingdom

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Episode topics (Which are listed in different order on PBS) have included the Titanic, D-Day, the Shroud of Turin, the Salem Witch Trials, Blackbeard's lost ship, and the first English translations of the Bible.

The PBS series premiered on May 15, 2000, airing four programs in three days (the first episode, concerning the Extreme weather events of 535–536, was a two-parter).^[2] Despite an irregular schedule, new episodes continue to air.^[3]

[1]

[2]

[3]

No. in season	Title	Original release date
1	"Catastrophe! Part 1: The Day the Sun Went Out"	May 15, 2000 (2000-05-15)
Research into the Volcanic winter of 536 and its possible role in triggering the societal disruptions associated with the Early Middle Ages.
2	"Catastrophe! Part 2: How the World Changed"	May 15, 2000 (2000-05-15)
The hypothesis that an eruption of Krakatoa contributed to the Volcanic winter of 536 and the resulting climatic, social, and religious changes across the world.
3	"The Lost Vikings"	May 16, 2000 (2000-05-16)
An investigation into the disappearance of the Norse colonization of Greenland through archaeological and scientific evidence from former Viking settlements.
4	"What Happened to the Hindenburg?"	May 17, 2000 (2000-05-17)
An examination of the causes of the Hindenburg disaster, focusing on theories about the airship’s outer covering and the ignition of the fire.
5	"Cannibalism in the Canyon"	May 17, 2000 (2000-05-17)
Research into the decline of the Ancestral Puebloans in present-day New Mexico and the factors that may have contributed to the abandonment of their settlements.

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)
UK Secret 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)

Secrets of the Dead

Episodes — UK series

Season 1 (1999)

Season 2 (2000)

Season 3 (2001)

Season 4 (2002)

Season 5 (2003–04)

Episodes — US series

Specials (2014-17)

Season 1 (2000)

Season 2 (2001)

Season 3 (2002–03)

Season 4 (2003–04)

Season 5 (2005–06)

Season 6 (2006–07)

Season 7 (2008)

Season 8 (2008–09)

Season 9 (2009–10)

Season 10 (2010)

Season 11 (2010–11)

Season 12 (2012–13)

Season 13 (2013–14)

Season 14 (2015)

Season 15 (2015–16)

Season 16 (2016–19)

Season 17 (2018–20)

Season 18 (2019–22)

Season 19 (2021)

Season 20 (2022–23)

Season 21 (2023–24)

Season 22 (2024-25)

Season 23 (2025-26)

References

External links

Related Articles

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
Soviet Navy officer Vasily Arkhipov's actions during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
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 by Jay O. Sanders
5	"Ultimate Tut"	July 10, 2013 (2013-07-10)	1205
2-hour episode narrated by Jay O. Sanders
6	"Bones of the Buddha"	July 23, 2013 (2013-07-23)	1206
Host explorer Charles Allen, narrated by Jay O. Sanders (Charles Dance in the UK version

No. in season	Title	Original release date	Prod. code
1	"JFK: One PM Central Standard Time"	November 13, 2013 (2013-11-13)	1301
Narrated by George 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 by Klaus T. Steindl Experts examine the controversy over whether the Isleworth Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo 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 by Morgan 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 of Baiae, 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 of Nero 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 by Hannibal
3	"King Arthur's Lost Kingdom"	March 27, 2019 (2019-03-27)	1703
New archaeological evidence that rewrites our understanding of 5th and 6th century Britain might also explain the legend of King 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 outside Luxor 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 in ancient 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 of World War II and unleashed “the world's first pharmacological arms race.”^[4] Shown in the UK on BBC Four as a standalone, Aug 29, 2019.^[5]
6	"Abandoning the Titanic"	November 4, 2020 (2020-11-04)	1706
Weighs the evidence concerning the "mystery" ship seen from the deck of the sinking Titanic^[6]

No. in season	Title	Original release date	Prod. code
1	"Galileo's Moon"	July 2, 2019 (2019-07-02)	1801
The authentication of a purported proof copy of Sidereus Nuncius attributed to Galileo Galilei, examining its significance and disputed authenticity.
2	"Bombing Auschwitz"	January 21, 2020 (2020-01-21)	1802
The debate over whether the Allies of World War II should have bombed Auschwitz concentration camp to halt ongoing atrocities during the Holocaust.
3	"Building Notre Dame"	April 28, 2020 (2020-04-28)	1803
The centuries-long construction of Notre-Dame de Paris and the architectural, technical, and human challenges behind its development.
4	"Viking Warrior Queen"	July 7, 2020 (2020-07-07)	1804
The analysis of a prominent Viking grave, including DNA evidence indicating a female warrior and its implications for understanding Norse society.
5	"Gangster's Gold"	November 18, 2020 (2020-11-18)	1805
Searches for the lost treasure of Dutch Schultz using modern technology and new evidence to revisit a long-standing mystery from the Prohibition in the United States.
6	"The End of the Romans"	October 26, 2022 (2022-10-26)	1806
Scientific research examining the roles of climate change and epidemic disease in the decline of the Roman Empire.

No. in season	Title	Original release date	Prod. code
1	"Magellan's Crossing"	October 20, 2021 (2021-10-20)	1901
The voyage of Ferdinand Magellan that led to the first circumnavigation of the Earth and its lasting impact on global trade and colonization.
2	"Lady Sapiens"	October 27, 2021 (2021-10-27)	1902
Scientific research examining the lives and roles of women in prehistoric societies around the world.
3	"The First Circle of Stonehenge"	November 3, 2021 (2021-11-03)	1903
Archaeological evidence suggesting that the oldest stones of Stonehenge originated from an earlier stone circle in western Wales.
4	"Hindenburg's Fatal Flaws"	November 10, 2021 (2021-11-10)	1904
An examination of the technical failures and conditions that contributed to the Hindenburg disaster of 1937.
5	"A Samurai in the Vatican"	November 17, 2021 (2021-11-17)	1905
The 17th-century Japanese diplomatic mission led by Hasekura Tsunenaga under Date Masamune to establish relations and trade with Europe.
6	"The Caravaggio Heist"	November 24, 2021 (2021-11-24)	1906
Efforts by Father Marius Zerafa to recover a stolen Caravaggio painting taken from a cathedral in Malta in 1984.

No. in season	Title	Original release date	Prod. code
1	"Archaeology at Althorp"	October 9, 2022 (2022-10-09)	2001
An archaeological excavation at Althorp, ancestral home of the Spencer family and Diana, Princess of Wales, examining one of the century’s most significant British discoveries.
2	"Last Days of Pompeii"	October 19, 2022 (2022-10-19)	2002
The discovery of a ceremonial chariot in Pompeii providing insight into elite life before the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
3	"Decoding Hieroglyphics"	November 2, 2022 (2022-11-02)	2003
The history of deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs and recent translations from an ancient Egyptian scribe’s tomb revealing details of life in ancient Egypt.
4	"Hidden in the Amazon"	November 9, 2022 (2022-11-09)	2004
Recent discoveries and technological advances revealing the scale and complexity of pre-Columbian societies in the Amazon rainforest.
5	"The Sunken Basilica"	October 11, 2023 (2023-10-11)	2005
The submerged remains of a 4th-century basilica in Lake İznik and their significance to the study of early Christianity.
6	"Jurassic Fortunes"	October 18, 2023 (2023-10-18)	2006
The international trade in dinosaur fossils, including the auction of the Triceratops specimen “Big John,” and debates surrounding private fossil collecting.

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 the Eiffel Tower and how its creation transformed the Paris 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 from Roman Britain bearing physical evidence of Crucifixion, 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 the Princes in the Tower and the historical debate surrounding the possible role of Richard III of England.
4	"Returning to Babylon"	October 2, 2024 (2024-10-02)	TBA
Efforts to recover cultural heritage in Mosul after destruction by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, including surviving artifacts of the Assyrian Empire and a possible link to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
5	"Mozart's Sister"	October 9, 2024 (2024-10-09)	TBA
The life of Maria Anna Mozart and her relationship with Wolfgang 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 carbonized Herculaneum papyri using computer science and imaging techniques following the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius that buried the Roman town of Herculaneum.

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	"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.
2	"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.
3	"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.
4	"China's Bronze Kingdom"	May 27, 2026 (2026-05-27)	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.