9/11 anniversary brings array of TV specials
Programming touches on history and politics of what happened 20 years ago
This Sept. 11 marks the 20th anniversary of terrorist attacks on U.S. soil that took nearly 3,000 lives and had a profound impact on millions of others. The United States, and the entire world, were forever changed that day.
Starting this weekend, the momentous anniversary will be commemorated in the form of numerous new documentaries and specials appearing on broadcast networks, cable channels and streaming platforms.
Here’s a guide to some of the more notable programs, listed chronologically by their airdates:
“9/11: INSIDE THE PRESIDENT’S WAR ROOM” >>
The events of Sept. 11, 2001 are explored through the eyes of President Bush and his closest advisers as they personally look back on the crucial hours and key decisions of that day. Jeff Daniels narrates. (Screening on Apple TV+; will also be available free to non-subscribers on Sept. 11).
“TURNING POINT: 9/11 AND THE WAR ON TERROR” >> After the longest war in American history and with Afghanistan once again under Taliban control, this five-part series program attempts to answer a litany of questions: Who attacked the U.S. and why? What breakdowns in intelligence allowed it to happen? How did decisions at the highest levels of three administrations in the war on terror bring us to this moment? Included: Interviews with officials from multiple U.S. presidential administrations, former CIA members, and U.S. military veterans, as well as Afghanistan National Army soldiers, Taliban commanders and members of the Afghan government. (Available on Netflix).
“LOST CALLS OF 9/11” >> Bill Hemmer anchors this hourlong special that spotlights the story of a Houston man who purchased a piece of used computer equipment without knowing that it contained 103 never-heardbefore calls from a trading room floor across the street from the World Trade Center made on the morning of Sept. 11. (10 p.m. Sunday, Fox News Channel; reairs 7 p.m. Sept. 11).
“CNN SPECIAL REPORT: FRONT ROW TO HISTORY >> The 9/11 Classroom”: Reporter and anchor Victor Blackwell revisits the harrowing day through the lens of the second-grade students, their teacher, and White House aides who were in their Florida classroom with President George W. Bush when he received word of the second plane hitting the World Trade Center. (10 p.m. Sunday, CNN).
“CIA VS. BIN LADEN: FIRST IN” >> CIA leaders who played critical roles in the hunt for Osama Bin Laden offer their accounts of how the search went down. Many are speaking publicly about their experiences for the first time. (8 p.m. Sunday, Reelz).
“TEN STEPS TO DISASTER: TWIN TOWERS” >> This special delves into 10 “mistakes, oversights, and missed opportunities” that paved the way to catastrophe. Among the issues examined via declassified documents and interviews with key players: Intelligence failures, missed warnings, and confusion at the top. (9 p.m. Monday , Smithsonian Channel).
“AMERICA AFTER 9/11” >> This two-part “Frontline” special examines the U.S. response to the terrorist attacks and the devastating consequences across three presidencies. From the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the Jan. 6 insurrection, veteran filmmaker and chronicler of U.S. politics Michael Kirk and his team explore the legacy of 9/11 and the ongoing challenge it poses for the president and the country. (9 p.m. Tuesday, PBS).
“MEMORY BOX: ECHOES OF 9/11” >> In the months following the terrorist attacks, hundreds of people recorded their eyewitness stories in a small video booth. Twenty years later, these same voices return to reflect on the past two decades. (10 p.m. Wednesday, MSNBC; Will also stream on Peacock).
“VICE VERSA TOO SOON: COMEDY AFTER 9/11” >> This documentary might be among the more uplifting retrospectives. It explores how comedians and entertainers walked a tightrope of appropriate humor in the turbulent wake of the terrorist attacks, and how comedy can be used to unite and heal a nation. Featured: Interviews with David Cross, Janeane Garofalo, Marc Maron, Matthew Broderick, Aasif Mandvi, Rob Riggle, Nathan Lane, Gilbert Gottfried, Cedric the Entertainer, Chris Kattan, Lewis Black and more. (9 p.m. Wednesday, Vice TV).
“9/11: THE LEGACY” >> This hourlong program focuses on the children, now adults, whose lives were impacted by the events of 9/11. Producers promise accounts with “raw, emotional and harrowing” details. Among those profiled: Twin brothers who started a charitable company in memory of their father who never came home. (7 p.m. Sept. 10, History Channel).
“RISE AND FALL: THE WORLD TRADE CENTER” >> Through an architectural and engineering lens, this two-hour documentary recounts the conception, construction and destruction of the World Trade Center towers. Step by step, viewers witness the execution of this innovative and one-of-akind sky-high complex from early designs, to overcoming technical challenges, to its heart-wrenching collapse. (8 p.m. Sept. 10, History Channel).
“9/11: FOUR FLIGHTS” >> Through powerful and personal narratives from family and friends, this two-hour special tells the emotional stories of passengers aboard the doomed flights of American 11, United 175, American 77, and United 93. Viewers will hear about the bravery of passengers, crew, air traffic controllers and others who tried in vain to intercept the airliners. (8 p.m. Sept. 11, History Channel).
“9/11: I WAS THERE” >> Featuring rare footage and audio, this two-hour program unveils an intimate portrayal of the events of Sept. 11 captured by a dozen ordinary people who chose to pick up their video cameras that day — some courageous enough to move in for a closer look. It’s told without interview, commentary or narration. (10 p.m. Sept. 11, History Channel).