All Episodes of Hostages
Browse all episodes of Hostages
On November 4, 1979, Iranian student activists stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking over 60 Americans hostage. What was planned as a 48-hour sit-in to protest American imperialism, ballooned into an international crisis and
Season 1
7.6/1059 votesPart One: The Peacock Throne
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/28/2022
Under the rule of Mohammad Reza Shah, Iran experiences an oil-driven economic boom, but the government’s excesses and repressive tactics lead to increasing hostility towards the monarch and his closest ally: the United States. As religious cleric Ayatollah Khomeini grows in popularity, the Shah flees and the country becomes engulfed in revolution, endangering the U.S. embassy.
Director: Abbas Ahmadi Motlagh, Maro Chermayeff, Sam Pollard
Writer: Unknown
7.6/1046 votesPart Three: The Sand Storm
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/29/2022
With 1980 fast approaching, and the crisis nowhere near ending, the situation takes on a life of its own in American and Iranian media. After diplomatic efforts to secure the hostages’ release fail, and their fates become more dire, President Carter launches a rescue operation – with disastrous results.
Director: Abbas Ahmadi Motlagh, Joshua Bennett
Writer: Unknown
7.5/1052 votesPart Two: Den of Spies
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/2022
November 1979. In protest of the United States’ long-standing relationship with the now-deposed Shah, an Iranian student group plans a 48-hour sit-in at the American embassy in Tehran. But what starts as a political statement quickly turns into chaos as Khomeini’s regime sanctions the embassy takeover and uses it to shore up power.
Director: Abbas Ahmadi Motlagh, Maro Chermayeff, Sam Pollard
Writer: Unknown
7.5/1047 votesPart Four: The Transaction
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 9/29/2022
A year into the siege, Carter works furiously to secure a deal as the 1980 U.S. presidential election approaches. As Ronald Reagan prepares to take office, the outgoing administration enters a final, desperate diplomatic push. Today, those on both sides of the conflict weigh in on the crisis’ complex and enduring legacy.
Director: Abbas Ahmadi Motlagh, Jeff Dupre
Writer: Unknown