HBO Summer Docs Series Episode Rating Graph
Jun 2011 - present
Browse episode ratings trends for HBO Summer Docs Series. Simply click on the interactive rating graph to explore the best and worst of HBO Summer Docs Series's 28 episodes.
Best Episodes of HBO Summer Docs Series
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Worst Episodes of HBO Summer Docs Series
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HBO Summer Docs Series Episode Guide
Bobby Fischer Against the World
S1 Ep1
1.0
6th Jun 2011
BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD (debuting June 6), directed by Oscar® nominee and Emmy® winner Liz Garbus (HBO’s “Shouting Fire: Stories from the Edge of Free Speech”), explores the complex life of the troubled genius whose charisma and talent spurred a worldwide fascination with chess. Fischer’s evolution from isolated child to chess prodigy, global superstar, angry recluse and, finally, fugitive from the law is a spellbinding story of the making and unmaking of an American icon. A selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt
S1 Ep2
13th Jun 2011
A MATTER OF TASTE: SERVING UP PAUL LIEBRANDT documents the career of the acclaimed chef – and the cutthroat world of haute cuisine – over eight years. The film follows Liebrandt as he matures from young renegade to one of New York City’s most celebrated chefs with the opening of his renowned Michelin two-star restaurant Corton in Tribeca. Directed by Sally Rowe in her documentary directorial debut. A selection of the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival.
Sex Crimes Unit
S1 Ep3
20th Jun 2011
SEX CRIMES UNIT (June 20) takes an unprecedented look inside the Manhattan District Attorney’s famed Sex Crimes Unit, the first unit dedicated to the prosecution of sexual assault to be established in the U.S. The film follows the day-to-day work of prosecutors as they deal with investigations, trials and plea bargains. Among other cases, it tracks The People v. Kevin Rios, in which a prostitute makes an accusation of rape, and follows one woman’s experience with the Cold Case Unit when her accused assailant, originally indicted on the basis of his DNA profile, is finally identified and brought to justice 16 years after the crime. Directed by Emmy® winner Lisa F. Jackson (HBO’s “The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo”).
Hot Coffee
S1 Ep4
27th Jun 2011
HOT COFFEE (June 27) examines the dangers of so-called tort reform and its threat to the civil justice system. Using the now-infamous legal battle over a spilled cup of McDonald’s coffee as a springboard, the film follows four people, including McDonald’s plaintiff Stella Liebeck, whose lives have been affected by their inability to access the courts, as well as caps on punitive damages, and examines the role of corporations and a complicit media in promoting tort reform. Directed by former trial lawyer and first-time filmmaker Susan Saladoff. A selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
Citizen U.S.A.: A 50-State Road Trip
S1 Ep5
4th Jul 2011
CITIZEN U.S.A.: A 50-STATE ROAD TRIP (July 4) follows director Alexandra Pelosi (HBO’s Emmy®-winning “Journeys with George”) as she travels across the U.S. to attend naturalization ceremonies in all 50 states and meets brand-new citizens to find out why they chose America as their home. Commemorating the Fourth of July, the documentary intersperses stories of newly naturalized citizens and interviews with notable first-generation Americans, including Madeleine Albright, Arianna Huffington, Henry Kissinger and Gene Simmons.
The Pirate Tapes
S1 Ep6
11th Jul 2011
THE PIRATE TAPES (July 11) tells the story of Canadian-Somali college student Mohammed Asherah, who returns to Somalia under the guise of a wealthy entrepreneur, hires a pirate cell and lives undercover with it for three months. Using a hidden camera to capture the pirates’ lives, he learns the jarring truth about piracy’s causes and effects on the world, and finds himself duped by the very people he thinks he’s deceiving. Directed by first-time documentary filmmakers Mohammed Asherah, Rock Baijnauth, Andrew Moniz, Roger Singh and Matvei Zhivov.
Mann V. Ford
S1 Ep7
18th Jul 2011
MANN V. FORD (July 18) follows members of the Ramapo Indian tribe in Upper Ringwood, NJ in their eight-year search for justice through a major class-action lawsuit. From the middle ‘50s through the late ‘70s, the Ford Motor Company operated an assembly plant in Mahwah, NJ that produced millions of cars each year, dumping what has been described as “thousands of tons of paint sludge and other waste” into abandoned mine shafts and residential land. Working-class residents of the area have been suffering from a range of ailments, including skin problems, bleeding disorders and increased rates of cancer and miscarriage, ever since. The film charts their uphill battle to secure a healthy future for their children. Directed by Maro Chermayeff (HBO’s “The Kindness of Strangers”) and Micah Fink (“Frontline”).
There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane
S1 Ep8
25th Jul 2011
THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH AUNT DIANE (July 25) revisits the mysterious tragedy of Diane Schuler, who, on July 26, 2009, drove the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway in New York for nearly two miles and then smashed into an oncoming SUV, killing herself, her daughter, her three nieces and all three people in the other car. Her autopsy revealed that Schuler had consumed the equivalent of ten shots of vodka and smoked marijuana shortly before the accident. The film investigates the circumstances behind the enduring mysteries of the incident in an effort to understand what went wrong. Directed by Liz Garbus (the Oscar®-nominated “The Farm: Angola, USA”; HBO’s “The Execution of Wanda Jean”).
Koran By Heart
S1 Ep9
1st Aug 2011
KORAN BY HEART (Aug. 1) visits the world’s oldest Koran memorization contest, which takes place each year in Cairo, drawing Muslim children from as far as the Maldives and Tajikistan to perform before a panel of prominent judges. This inspirational film follows these talented youngsters from intense preparation through the rigorous rounds of the tournament, offering an engaging look at the unique experiences and aspirations of Muslim children throughout the world. Directed by Greg Barker (HBO’s “Sergio”). A selection of the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival.
Superheroes
S1 Ep10
8th Aug 2011
SUPERHEROES (Aug. 8) goes inside the world of real-life caped crusaders. From all over America, these everyday citizens don masks, homemade costumes and elaborate utility belts in an attempt to bring justice to evildoers everywhere. Directed by first-time filmmaker Michael Barnett. A 2011 Slamdance Film Festival award winner.
Gloria: In Her Own Words
S1 Ep11
15th Aug 2011
GLORIA: IN HER OWN WORDS (Aug. 15) recounts how Gloria Steinem became one of the driving forces of feminism. Beginning as a reporter writing an exposé on the working conditions of Playboy Bunnies, she was transformed by learning about women’s horrifying experiences while covering a New York abortion hearing in 1969. The film includes archival footage and interviews showcasing Steinem’s sharp sense of humor, love of life and compassion for humankind. Today, she remains a feminist icon, ever-present on the frontlines of social and political activism. Filmmakers, Peter Kunhardt and Dyllan McGee (HBO’s Emmy®-winning “Teddy: In His Own Words”).
The first episode of HBO Summer Docs Series aired on June 06, 2011.
The last episode of HBO Summer Docs Series aired on August 12, 2013.
There are 28 episodes of HBO Summer Docs Series.
There are 3 seasons of HBO Summer Docs Series.
Yes.
HBO Summer Docs Series is set to return for future episodes.