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The Best Episodes of Dateline

Every episode of Dateline ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Dateline!

The Best Episodes of Dateline

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...
  1. 8.8/10(33 votes)

    #1 - The Necklace

    S29:E43

    When a private investigator and former police officer vanishes, detectives think there may be more to the story when strange text messages start to appear... Keith Morrison reports.

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  2. 8.8/10(35 votes)

    #2 - True Confession

    S32:E29

    After more than 20 years, the real killer of Idaho teen Angie Dodge is caught; a chilling twist in the story of Chris Tapp who had been wrongfully convicted in the case. Keith Morrison reports.

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  3. 8.7/10(50 votes)

    #3 - To Catch a Predator: Behind the Scenes

    S15:E40

    Tonight we follow Chris Hansen behind the scenes of this remarkably popular series. Whether you love it or hate it, it's hard to look away. The personal accounts and some very memorable confrontations are equally riveting in this episode.

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  4. 8.6/10(164 votes)

    #4 - Body of Evidence (a.k.a. Bigamy Murder)

    S15:E23

    No description available

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  5. 8.3/10(40 votes)

    #5 - Honey, You're on Hidden Camera

    S15:E41

    No description available

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  6. 8.3/10(42 votes)

    #6 - The Betrayal of Sarah Stern

    S27:E33

    The discovery of a teenager's car abandoned on a New Jersey bridge turns into a homicide investigation. Police uncover a plot involving money, close friends and betrayal. Keith Morrison reports.

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  8. 8.3/10(21 votes)

    #7 - Infamous

    S30:E9

    Drew Peterson speaks to Natalie Morales in his first on-camera interview in over a decade about the murder of his ex-wife, Kathleen Savio, and the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy.

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  9. 8.2/10(25 votes)

    #8 - Jonestown: An American tragedy

    S26:E44

    An in-depth look at the journalists who exposed the dangers of cult leader Reverend Jim Jones; interviews with witnesses to murders carried out by Jones' followers.

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  10. 8.2/10(36 votes)

    #9 - At the Bottom of the Lake

    S27:E3

    A pilot flees after a deadly plane crash, and becomes a fugitive living a double life for decades. He tells his story for the first time to Keith Morrison.

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  11. 8.2/10(53 votes)

    #10 - The Thing About Pam

    S28:E1

    The unbelievable story of how the murder of Betsy Faria set off a chain of events leaving one man dead, another man implicated and a diabolical scheme exposed. Keith Morrison reports.

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  12. 8.2/10(23 votes)

    #11 - Abducted

    S28:E18

    An inside look at the case that made national headlines in December 2019, when a Texas mother was found murdered after she and her newborn daughter disappeared. Andrea Canning reports.

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  13. 8.2/10(21 votes)

    #12 - Return to Shalimar Way

    S29:E11

    When a woman dies after what appears to be an accidental fall in the shower, two friends join forces to seek justice on her behalf. Andrea Canning reports.

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  14. 8.2/10(38 votes)

    #13 - Point Blank

    S29:E16

    After Todd Chance is murdered, police follow a trial video evidence as they work to track down the killer;

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  15. 8.2/10(27 votes)

    #14 - Shannon's Story

    S29:E27

    A college student goes missing in broad daylight from her off-campus job. As police begin to investigate, they receive a mysterious phone call that changes everything.

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  16. 8.2/10(20 votes)

    #15 - Kristin Smart Case & Murdaugh Saga

    S30:E6

    Josh Mankiewicz reports the latest developments following an arrest in the Kristin Smart case; Craig Melvin reports on the mysteries surrounding the powerful Murdaugh family of South Carolina.

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  17. 8.2/10(34 votes)

    #16 - Echoes in the Canyon

    S30:E15

    Insiders close to the case of missing Colorado mother Suzanne Morphew speak out for the first time.

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  18. 8.2/10(34 votes)

    #17 - The Curious Case of Sherri Papini

    S30:E23

    California detectives reveal new details about the alleged kidnapping of Sherri Papini.

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  19. 8.2/10(29 votes)

    #18 - The Blue Blanket Mystery

    S30:E24

    New Jersey detectives investigate a report that a 5-year-old boy vanished from a carnival.

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  20. 8.1/10(32 votes)

    #19 - A Villainous Plan

    S27:E31

    A Connecticut bank executive is targeted by criminals who force him to rob his own bank.

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  21. 8.1/10(19 votes)

    #20 - Haunted

    S28:E2

    Nearly 10 years after Utah mother Susan Powell vanished, private journals, home videos and emails shed new light on what happened to her. Keith Morrison reports.

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  22. 8.1/10(51 votes)

    #21 - The Perfect Guy

    S28:E23

    A fugitive steals millions of dollars by conning numerous women and businesses over 25 years. Will law enforcement finally be able to catch him? Andrea Canning reports.

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  23. 8.1/10(14 votes)

    #22 - Into the Night - Part 2

    S29:E19

    The latest in the case of a missing young Oregon woman, whose disappearance led to an intense manhunt, after a suspect embarked on a two-state crime spree;

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  24. 8.1/10(44 votes)

    #23 - The Woman at the Bar

    S29:E26

    A nationwide manhunt is launched after a woman dubbed the “killer grandma” goes on the run through the Gulf Coast. Dennis Murphy reports.

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  25. 8.1/10(40 votes)

    #24 - The Phone Call

    S29:E39

    Kathleen Schroll makes a phone call that names her killer right before her death, it leads to the arrest of a father for murder. But two trials and 12 years later, authorities begin to wonder if he was the victim, not the villain.

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  26. 8.1/10(24 votes)

    #25 - The Ascension of Mother God

    S30:E4

    Family members and investigators speak out for the first time on network television since the death of “Love Has Won” spiritual leader Amy Carlson, known to her followers as “Mother God.” The case gained worldwide attention after deputies found her mummified body covered with Christmas lights in a Colorado house where members of the group stayed.

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Necklace" is the best rated episode of "Dateline". It scored 8.8/10 based on 33 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 4/23/2021. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "True Confession".