The inaugural season of The Weekly brings 30 episodes presenting 30 issues, each covered in-depth. In an atmosphere of twittering sound bites, it’s a welcome change to spend time with the journalist investigating a topic more fully than writing the headline. As a taste of what’s to come, here are the first four topics covered on the show.
Episode 1 – The Education of T.M. Landry
The T.M. Landry private school in Louisiana widely publicised the success of their students. They sent out videos that went viral in which their students watched as they were accepted into Ivy League schools. The ensuing joyful celebrations were greatly aspirational. But it turns out that the private school, run by a husband and wife team, was anything but true to the values of honesty and integrity. Education reporter Erica L. Green investigates.
Episode 2 – The Myth of the Medallion
New York City’s yellow cab drivers are in crisis. Several have committed suicide in the face of financial ruin. Called the taxi medallion industry, it seems it’s been set up to fail already stressed and severely overworked drivers in a drastic way. But who is profiting? Journalists Brian Rosenthal and Emma Graves Fitzsimmons co-present their year-long investigation.
Episode 3 – Baby Constantin
The Trump administration has separated thousands of families at the border between the USA and Mexico, including many children from their parents. With a focus on Constantin, who was taken from his father at the border at just a few months old, immigration reporter Caitlin Dickinson investigates this most heartless practice of the US government.
Episode 4 – Collision
International investigative reporter, Rukmini Callimachi investigates the collision between young American couple Jay Austin and Lauren Geoghegan, partway through their adventure of cycling around the world, and a car full of five male ISIS supporters. When the men learned of the couple’s presence on the road, they decide to hunt them down. In chilling scenes, Callimachi sits face to face with one of the killers and asks him why.
The Weekly airs on Monday nights at 10:25pm on SBS VICELAND. Episodes are available at SBS On Demand each Monday.
