Frontline Documentaries

The following is a list of documentaries from the PBS series Frontline. These documentaries are about specific federal and state government policies and provide excellent examples of how policy and government work in the real world. The length of the film is provided in its title here, and next to the link is a short description of the film and/or the policy it covers. You must watch at least ONE Frontline documentary per unit, and you MAY NOT resubmit one you watched in a previous unit: you must pick a new film each unit from this list.

Clicking the links here will take you to another page on my website where you can watch the film and download the movie worksheet, which you must submit to get credit for the film. Welcome to the Trehal Cineplex of Historical Documentaries. Once you have secured the refreshments of your choice, please sit back and enjoy the movie....

The Meth Epidemic (53:40) This episode covers the Meth Epidemic of the 1990's and how different states and the federal government reacted to it. Excellent example of how federalism works.

Big Sky, Big Money (53:46) This episode covers campaign financing/special interests policy, specifically how the Citizens United ruling has affected American political campaigns.

Hot Politics (56:10) This episode covers Environmental policy/Energy policy. It explores 20 years of regulation concerning climate change and examines the elements and players that create US Energy Policy.

College, Inc. (56:10) This episode covers Education policy. It examines the rise of for-profit education in the US and explores Congressional options of regulation for this industry. 

Kill/Capture (53:39) This episode covers Defense policy. It describes a controversial military program called "Kill/Capture" used in Afghanistan and Pakistan to destroy the Al Qaeda network.

Lost in Detention (53:40) This episode covers Immigration policy. It examines federal immigration policy over the last two presidential administrations, including a recent rise in deportation.

The Warning (56:07) This episode covers Financial policy. It tells the story of Brooksley Born, the head of an obscure financial regulatory agency who tried to warn the government in 2000 about how Over-the-Counter Derivatives could potentially bring down our entire economy and lead to a massive recession.