Investigation Discovery, which currently televises “On the Case with Paula Zahn,” along with repurposed content from TV newsmagazines “48 Hours,” “60 Minutes” and “Dateline,” has announced its Fall programming lineup.
Not surprisingly there is a plethora of long-form investigative journalism on tap.
Two “ID Investigates” specials are on the schedule, including an hour-long investigation into Osama Bin Laden, and a look at what caused the 2008 financial meltdown.
Other specials include “American Occult,” which will explore strange subcultures in the U.S., and “Face to Face with Candice DeLong,” in which the former FBI profiler interviews female murderers.
And yes, “On The Case with Paula Zahn” will be returning for season three in November.
Investigation Discovery is led by president and GM Henry Schleiff, who was instrumental in growing CourtTV into a widely distributed cable network.
More information about the new Investigation Discovery programming is after the jump.
WITH THE FASTEST-GROWING PRIMETIME AUDIENCE IN ALL OF CABLE, INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY GIVES VIEWERS EVEN MORE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH, LAUNCHING A CAPTIVATING NEW SLATE OF FALL SERIES AND SPECIALS
(Silver Spring, MD) – This fall, America’s leading investigation network shines with new original programming and returning favorites. Investigation Discovery is filled with gripping new episodes featuring extreme investigations, compelling mysteries and edge-of-your-seat whodunits. From exposing the secret lives of spouses with dark secrets to exploring the macabre, ID is the premier destination for content that explores what it means to “investigate life.”
“As America’s leading investigation network, ID prides itself on covering real stories of mystery and intrigue through captivating storytelling of the highest quality,” said Henry Schleiff, president and general manager of Investigation Discovery. “This fall, our programming expands the definition of justice programming to include provocative series like WHO THE (BLEEP) DID I MARRY? and continues to build partnerships with some of the country’s finest storytellers, including the bestselling authors of HARDCOVER MYSTERIES. We’re thrilled that our audience continues to respond in record numbers, making ID the fastest-growing cable network in primetime for over two years.”
In addition to launching new, captivating series, Investigation Discovery’s in-depth specials and thought-provoking documentaries challenge viewers on important issues shaping our culture and defining our world. Both of ID’s recently announced strands, ID FILMS and ID INVESTIGATES, shine a klieg light on complex and controversial issues often overlooked within our justice system.
NEW SERIES:
WHO THE (BLEEP) DID I MARRY?
New Series Premieres Wednesday, August 25 at 10 PM (ET)
Pulling back the curtain on bizarre double lives, WHO THE (BLEEP) DID I MARRY? examines stories of couples where one spouse has hidden a shocking secret. From bank robbers to bigamists to international spies, these compelling and sometimes shocking characters will have viewers shaking their heads in disbelief and wondering how the truths behind these scandalous spouses were kept hidden for so long.HARDCOVER MYSTERIES
New Series Premieres Monday, October 11 at 9 PM (ET)
Featuring some of America’s most popular writers of thrillers and whodunits, HARDCOVER MYSTERIES explores the crossover from fact to fiction. In this exciting new eight-part series, New York Times bestselling authors discuss the real-life cases that compelled their fascination and inspired their page-turners. Authors David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Harlan Coben, Linda Fairstein, Sara Paretsky, Kathy Reichs, Lisa Scottoline and Joseph Wambaugh offer their unique perspectives on real-life mysteries, honed by their skills as master storytellers.THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED
New Series Premieres Wednesday, November 3 at 9 PM (ET)
Steeped in unique circumstances, legal complexities and raw emotion, a will has the ability to tear families apart or bring them together. THE WILL: FAMILY SECRETS REVEALED invites viewers on an emotional and intimate journey as the final wishes of the deceased are revealed to the family members left behind. Expressed in dollars and cents, heirlooms and last words of wisdom, a person’s will is often a telling reflection of what they perceived of their loved ones. But what happens when there’s room for interpretation of the final will? Or worse – what if a person leaves no will at all?RETURNING SERIES:
DISAPPEARED
Season 2 Premieres Monday, October 4 at 10 PM (ET)
Returning for a second season this October, DISAPPEARED follows the unpredictable twists of missing person cases and tracks investigations aimed at solving how and why people simply vanish. While some of the resolutions are heartwarming and others tragic, many cases remain open to this day and continue to be a source of unbearable frustration for family members and friends. For the open cases that have gone cold, DISAPPEARED asks viewers to share leads in hopes of deciphering what truly happened to these missing people.COLD BLOOD
Season 3 Premieres Tuesday, October 19 at 9 PM (ET)
COLD BLOOD returns to the crime scene so that viewers can examine all the evidence for themselves. Combining the thrill of mystery with the visceral experience of true crime drama, this series presents competing versions of what may have happened, and re-enacts the events from different perspectives as new evidence comes to light. Each episode tells the story of one investigation that revolves around the forensic investigation of the crime scene, and follows the clues wherever they may lead.MAIN STREET MYSTERIES
Season 2 Premieres Friday, October 22 at 10 PM (ET)
When crimes happen in a small town, they shock the foundation of the community and until the perpetrator is caught, rumors swirl and everyone is a suspect. MAIN STREET MYSTERIES exposes crimes that happened in some of the most quaint, tucked away corners of the U.S. Each episode centers on an incident that destroyed the calm in places where these cases will be talked about for decades.I (ALMOST) GOT AWAY WITH IT
Season 2 Premieres Tuesday, October 26 at 10 PM (ET)
The perpetrators’ stories may differ, but the motives are always the same – to stay out of prison and live life on the lam. The people profiled in I (ALMOST) GOT AWAY WITH IT evaded justice for years, sometimes decades, by using their families, fake identification and even violence to avoid capture. Viewers learn how law enforcement uses all means necessary to capture these fugitives. Additionally, each episode features an interview from prison with one of these slick culprits, who spill where they found shelter, how they changed their identities and how they almost got away with it.ON THE CASE WITH PAULA ZAHN
Season 3 Premieres Sunday, November 7 at 10 PM (ET)
Profiling fascinating true stories, ON THE CASE WITH PAULA ZAHN is a shining example of ID’s core brand mission to investigate life’s mysteries through riveting storytelling. Zahn’s interviews, including exclusives, weave together the twists of these stories of perseverance, courage and justice to reveal the heart of each case. Her journalistic expertise and passion for the truth resonate as ON THE CASE unravels shocking investigations that have dominated headlines and intriguing original stories uncovered exclusively for ID’s audience. ON THE CASE WITH PAULA ZAHN is Investigation Discovery’s highest-rated series in network history.ID INVESTIGATES:
These investigative specials exemplify ID’s commitment to pursuing a spectrum of programming focused on the quest for justice and providing context and depth to the stories dominating today’s headlines.
ID INVESTIGATES: WHY IS BIN LADEN ALIVE?
Special Premieres Sunday, September 12 at 10 PM (ET)
Following the anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001, this special takes an in-depth look at Osama bin Laden – a man who has evaded capture for nine years. Despite the world’s biggest and most expensive manhunt, the figure at the heart of the war against terror is still at large. This hour-long special examines theories surrounding his disappearance and the continued threat he poses along with al-Qaeda.FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY
Special Premieres Saturday, December 4 at 10 PM (ET)
In September 2008, the collapse of Lehman Brothers tipped the world into the greatest financial crisis in 80 years. How and why did Lehman Brothers go bust, in a bankruptcy 10 times bigger than Enron? Why did its collapse send shock waves through the financial markets? With the help of eyewitness accounts from people such as current U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, former Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain and Lehman insiders, ID INVESTIGATES: FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY tells the complete story of a catastrophic financial meltdown.ID FILMS:
Debuting in August, ID FILMS provides a new outlet for independent documentary filmmakers seeking a television home for projects that shine a light on important, overlooked aspects of our justice system and showcase compelling stories of mystery, intrigue and determination.
CROPSEY: THE URBAN LEGEND
Worldwide Television Premiere on Friday, August 13 from 9-11 PM (ET)
Growing up on Staten Island, filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio often heard the urban legend of CROPSEY, a cautionary tale invented to keep kids out of the abandoned Willowbrook Mental Institution. But in 1987, this ghost story became all too real when a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome went missing. Realizing that the urban legends of their youth may have actually come true, the two filmmakers delved into the mystery surrounding five missing children and the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances. Hot off the film festival circuit, CROPSEY is sure to deliver all of the elements of a real-life thriller that ID’s audience craves.FINAL JUDGMENT
Worldwide Television Premiere on Friday, October 8 PM at 10 PM (ET)
Roger Weisberg and Vanessa Roth’s riveting film, No Tomorrow, makes its world television debut on ID under the title FINAL JUDGMENT. Exploring the role of media in the criminal justice system, this documentary provides commentary on the use of the death penalty. In 2005, Weisberg and Roth created Aging Out, which explored what happens to teenagers after leaving the foster care system. Tragically, it also became a chronicle of the last year of the life of one of its central characters, Risa Bejarano, who was murdered shortly after the film was released. This follow-up film looks at how the original documentary unexpectedly became the centerpiece of a dramatic trial in Judge Lance Ito’s courtroom that would determine whether the alleged killer would live or die.SPECIALS
AMERICAN OCCULT
Three-Part Special Premieres Saturday, October 30 from 8-11 PM (ET)
AMERICAN OCCULT captures the macabre and psychological intrigue behind some of the most haunting subcultures in America. Venturing into a dark world, this series explores people who live on the fringes of society and stop at nothing when called by their beliefs. Each case is decoded by forensic psychologist Katherine Ramsland as she unlocks the world of these ritual killers. By poking into the sinister corners of society, Ramsland takes viewers inside the cultures of vampires, Satanists and others.FACE TO FACE WITH CANDICE DELONG (wt)
New Special Premieres Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 at 10 PM (ET)
Featured Program of ID’s Annual BLACK WIDOW WEEK
Retired FBI criminal profiler Candice DeLong sits face to face with the real women who appeared in episodes of ID’s hit series, DEADLY WOMEN. From behind prison walls, each episode of FACE TO FACE WITH CANDICE DELONG (wt) features an intimate interview between DeLong and the actual female perpetrator. DeLong helps interpret the interviews for ID’s audience by using her extensive profiling skills, refined by trailing terrorists, going undercover within gangs and hunting for the “Unabomber.” DeLong, who had a decorated career as a leading FBI profiler, has been described as the real-life Clarice Starling, the fictional FBI profiler featured in Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal.ONGOING SERIES
48 HOURS ON ID
New Episodes Air Sundays at 9 PM (ET)
48 HOURS ON ID goes behind the headlines to investigate shocking and compelling real-life dramas with journalistic integrity and cutting-edge style. The series takes viewers into the story as it happens and allows viewers to be part of the investigation, from psychological profiling to exploring new scientific methods that are part of today’s forensic toolbox.60 MINUTES ON ID
New Episodes Air Mondays at 8 PM,
Season One Finale Airs Monday, August 30 at 8 PM (ET)
Anchored by correspondent Scott Pelley, 60 MINUTES ON ID expands Investigation Discovery’s depth and breadth by featuring some of the most compelling stories from the popular CBS News series. Through 60 Minutes’ trademark in-depth interviews, viewers get the inside story behind each investigation from the people who lived it firsthand. 60 MINUTES takes the stories and brand from the CBS magazine show and presents the material to ID’s audience in a 30-minute format – providing new information along with the best hard-hitting interviews and timely investigations.DATELINE ON ID
New Episodes Airs Tuesdays at 9 PM
Finale Airs Tuesday, September 14 at 9 PM (ET)
What makes average people cross the line to commit murder? Sometimes the answer is simple, while other times the answers are never found. DATELINE ON ID goes behind the headlines to investigate baffling crimes and compelling real-life dramas with NBC host Lester Holt.CHASING JUSTICE WITH DAN ABRAMS
New Episodes Air Mondays at 8:30 PM,
Season One Finale Airs Monday, September 27 at 8:30 PM (ET)
Hosted by NBC News chief legal analyst Dan Abrams, CHASING JUSTICE WITH DAN ABRAMS provides a captivating look at cases that have scarred families, friends and entire communities. Through interviews with suspects, attorneys, detectives, reporters and relatives of the victims, viewers get an intimate look into the criminal justice system, and the psyches of some of the cold-hearted killers who are now behind bars.WICKED ATTRACTION
New Episodes Air Thursdays at 10 PM,
Season Three Finale Airs Thursday, October 14 at 10 PM (ET)
WICKED ATTRACTION examines what happens in the mind of the “average” person when they fall under the spell of a sadistic predator. Forensic psychologists and criminal profilers uncover horrifying clues and reveal the true stories of people driven to commit murder together. This series investigates some of the most terrifying crimes in recent history and delves inside the criminal mind to explore the psychological motivations behind deadly duos.DEADLY WOMEN
New Episodes Air Thursdays at 9 PM,
Season Four Finale Airs Thursday, November 11 at 9 PM (ET)
DEADLY WOMEN takes viewers on a journey into the bizarre world of women who kill for thrills. While male murderers are often driven by anger, impulse and destruction, women usually have more complex, long-term motives. Featuring Candice DeLong, a former FBI agent and profiler, this series explores the psyche of female killers, showing what turns love affairs into fatal attractions or how twisted minds and dark secrets can send women on lethal rampages.About Investigation Discovery
Investigation Discovery (ID), America’s leading investigation network, is the source for fact-based investigative content about culture, history and the human condition. Providing the highest quality investigative programming focused on fascinating stories of human nature from the past to the present, Investigation Discovery’s in-depth documentaries and series challenge viewers on important issues shaping our culture and defining our world. As the premier authority in real investigations, ID is expanding partnerships with established news organizations and production companies to bring the strongest analytic, factual investigative and current affairs programming to over 63 million U.S. households. For more information, please visit investigationdiscovery.com