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Our America with Lisa Ling - Episode Guide

Season 1

Faith Healers

Episode: 1x01 | Airdate: Feb 15, 2011

Faith Healers

Ling visits a faith healing revival in Fort Mill, S.C., run by controversial evangelist Todd Bentley. During the visit, Ling says she's challenged by what she thought she knew about faith.

Transgender Lives

Episode: 1x02 | Airdate: Feb 22, 2011

Transgender Lives

Five transgender people in various stages of transition are profiled.

State of Sex Offenders

Episode: 1x03 | Airdate: Mar 1, 2011

State of Sex Offenders

Lisa Ling explores the challenges of living life on a list of registered sex offenders as she meets with ex-cons in Florida. "They're America's pariahs, pushed into the shadows," she says. Or, as one man living in a swampy campground with other offenders calls it, "the leper colony." Ling also meets a real-estate agent who finds more substantial housing for offenders who can afford it; and follows authorities as they arrest an ex-con accused of failing to register an address change.

Pray the Gay Away?

Episode: 1x04 | Airdate: Mar 8, 2011

Pray the Gay Away?

"Can prayer make you straight?" Host Lisa Ling explores that notion as she observes some 1100 participants at a Freedom Conference sponsored by the evangelical organization Exodus International, which offers advice on combating same-sex attractions. "I have chosen to live my life through the filter of my faith," says Exodus president Alan Chambers, "not through the filter of my sexuality.

Online Brides

Episode: 1x05 | Airdate: Mar 15, 2011

Online Brides

A Texas man travels to Colombia to meet women who advertise for husbands at a marriage website.

Heroin in the Heartland

Episode: 1x06 | Airdate: Mar 22, 2011

Heroin in the Heartland

Lisa discusses the time she spent in a central Ohio town ravaged by heroin, and the connections that she made with the people along the way.

A Closer Look

Episode: 1x07 | Airdate: Mar 29, 2011

No image (yet).

Updates on the people and situations shown in previous episodes.

Season 2

Amateur Porn

Episode: 2x01 | Airdate: Oct 16, 2011

Amateur Porn

Lisa Ling begins Season 2 by exploring homemade sex films on the Internet, and how the widespread availability of online pornography has affected Americans' sex lives and relationships.

Modern Polygamy

Episode: 2x02 | Airdate: Oct 23, 2011

Modern Polygamy

A report on plural marriage in the U.S. focuses on the polygamous community in Centennial Park, Ariz.

3AM Girls

Episode: 2x03 | Airdate: Oct 30, 2011

3AM Girls

Lisa explores sex trafficking in Washington, DC.

Invisible Wounds of War

Episode: 2x04 | Airdate: Nov 6, 2011

Invisible Wounds of War

Exploring problems facing U.S. veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Host Lisa Ling visits a suicide hotline for veterans in New York City and a veterans' retreat in New Mexico.

Twin Lives

Episode: 2x05 | Airdate: Nov 13, 2011

Twin Lives

Human individuality is explored in a report on identical twins.

Incarceration Generation

Episode: 2x06 | Airdate: Nov 20, 2011

Incarceration Generation

Exploring the rate at which black men are incarcerated, and ways to reduce it. Included: case studies.

Extreme Parenting

Episode: 2x07 | Airdate: Nov 27, 2011

Extreme Parenting

From pageant parents to a "tiger mom" to parents who opt for radical "un-schooling," Lisa Ling explores the world of extreme parenting and discovers what these moms and dads have in common: they all believe their path is the best for their children.

The Stories Continue...

Episode: 2x08 | Airdate: Dec 4, 2011

The Stories Continue...

Ever wonder what happens after the cameras shut off and the Our America crew leaves? Find out how live has changed for some of the most compelling individuals from this season of the show when Lisa Ling pays them a visit.

Season 3

Sparkle Babies

Episode: 3x01 | Airdate: Jun 10, 2012

Sparkle Babies

Beauty queens- as American as apple pie, adored by little girls everywhere. But over the past few years it's little girls, rather than women, who have taken center stage. Who are these pint-sized princesses? And whose dreams are they really fulfilling?

Brides of Christ

Episode: 3x02 | Airdate: Jun 19, 2012

Brides of Christ

Statistics show that the tradition of the American nun may be dying out, but Lisa Ling will meet nuns and sisters of all ages who continue to pledge their lives to God - and discover what draws them to this radical lifestyle.

Teen Mom Nation

Episode: 3x03 | Airdate: Jun 26, 2012

Teen Mom Nation

Over 1000 American girls give birth every day, more than in any other nation in the developed world. This is a story of teenage dreams, of powerful efforts to stop children from having children, and of teenage freedom lost to the cycle of teen pregnancy.

Life on the Rez

Episode: 3x04 | Airdate: Jul 10, 2012

Life on the Rez

Native American stereotypes are alive and well: extreme poverty, high teen suicide rates, and alcoholism. Ling meets the people who are seeking both modern and traditional solutions to give the next generation a fighting chance at a brighter future.

Holy Matrimonies

Episode: 3x05 | Airdate: Jul 17, 2012

Holy Matrimonies

For most Americans, first comes love, and then comes marriage. But for some, it's the opposite. Is arranged marriage archaic and loveless, or is it a rational approach to life-long commitment? Ling explores this ancient approach to love in modern America.

Lost American Dream

Episode: 3x06 | Airdate: Jul 24, 2012

Lost American Dream

In the wake of the Great Recession, America's middle class emerges as the face of the new poverty. Lisa Ling travels the country to meet those forced by the aftershocks of the economic crisis to downsize their lives and reassess the American Dream.

Labeled for Life

Episode: 3x07 | Airdate: Aug 7, 2012

Labeled for Life

Lisa Ling investigates the case of a teenage boy who was sentenced to 16 years in prison for touching a girl's breast - and is now a registered sex offender. Lisa will try to piece together what happened and find out: did the punishment fit the crime?

Innocent Behind Bars?

Episode: 3x08 | Airdate: Aug 14, 2012

Innocent Behind Bars?

In America, we're innocent until proven guilty. But when the system fails, how can an innocent person restart their life? Lisa explores the lives of men who were wrongly convicted, and one man on death row whose daughter is fighting for the truth.

Pray the Gay Away- Breaking News

Episode: 3x09 | Airdate: Aug 21, 2012

Pray the Gay Away- Breaking News

Is it possible to use prayer and therapy to "pray the gay away"? Revisit the groundbreaking episode on this topic, along with an exclusive new interview with the leader of Exodus International, Alan Chambers, who credits "Our America" with changing his mind.

Swingers Next Door

Episode: 3x10 | Airdate: Aug 21, 2012

Swingers Next Door

Monogamy is the defining feature of almost all American marriages, but today more and more everyday Americans are choosing to leave the "vanilla" world behind and embrace their own unique brand of "negotiated monogamy." It's estimated that 15 million Americans are active in the Swinger lifestyle. From suburban house parties to exclusive nightclub gatherings, Lisa crosses the country to explore what's at stake with this non-traditional yet growing phenomenon.

Season 4

Shades of Kink

Episode: 4x01 | Airdate: Jan 22, 2013

Shades of Kink

Lisa Ling goes beyond Fifty Shades of Grey to explore the real world of BDSM: bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sado-masochism.

Generation XXL

Episode: 4x02 | Airdate: Jan 29, 2013

Generation XXL

In a report about childhood obesity, Lisa Ling meets families who are struggling to help their children lose weight in order to survive.

The Secret Lives of Seniors

Episode: 4x03 | Airdate: Feb 5, 2013

The Secret Lives of Seniors

Ling tries to help her own father navigate the challenges of aging while also exploring a graying American population who are speed dating, having sex and breaking track records, among other things.

3 AM-Girls: Breaking News

Episode: 4x04 | Airdate: Feb 12, 2013

3 AM-Girls: Breaking News

In an episode update, Ling returns to the streets of Washington, D.C. to see how two young women who were caught up in the shadowy underworld of domestic human sex trafficking are faring, and to catch up with the crusaders who risked their lives to secure their safety.

Martyrs for Christ?

Episode: 4x05 | Airdate: Feb 19, 2013

Martyrs for Christ?

Lisa goes inside a new religious movement where members literally hear the voice of God, proclaiming a radical message of spiritual warfare and martyrdom.

A Predator in the Clubhouse

Episode: 4x06 | Airdate: Feb 26, 2013

A Predator in the Clubhouse

Lisa Ling explores two stories of stolen innocence and the pattern of inaction that continues to compromise our children's safety.

I Love You & You...& You

Episode: 4x07 | Airdate: Mar 5, 2013

I Love You & You...& You

Polyamorous couples are committed to non-monogamy. Lisa visits three polyamorous households – each of them pushing the limits of love, commitment, and family.

Families of Killers

Episode: 4x08 | Airdate: Mar 12, 2013

Families of Killers

Lisa Ling meets family members whose closest relatives have committed unthinkable crimes, and asks what the concept of family means in the face of these actions.

Special Report: God & Gays

Episode: 4x09 | Airdate: Jun 20, 2013

Special Report: God & Gays

In this special episode, host Lisa Ling joins "ex-gay" organization Exodus International president Alan Chambers and a group of reparative therapy survivors as they engage in a face-to-face confrontation 40 years in the making.

Season 5

Fighting Satan

Episode: 5x01 | Airdate: May 29, 2014

Fighting Satan

Over 70% of Americans believe the devil is alive and well, and there's a growing movement in churches to fight him head on. Lisa Ling visits ministries that practice deliverance: calling upon the power of Christ to cast out demons from tortured souls.

Transgender Lives: 3 Years Later

Episode: 5x02 | Airdate: Jun 5, 2014

Transgender Lives: 3 Years Later

Three years ago, Lisa Ling explored the very private worlds of four different transgender people across America. Now she revisits each of them on their journeys of transformation—from the sex they were born, to the one they feel they really are.

The ADHD Explosion

Episode: 5x03 | Airdate: Jun 12, 2014

The ADHD Explosion

Lisa Ling explores ADHD, one of the most disputed and misunderstood medical conditions today. In addition to joining three families in their journeys of diagnosis and treatment, she finally has the courage to ask: Could she have it, too?

Criminal Informants

Episode: 5x04 | Airdate: Jun 19, 2014

Criminal Informants

Lisa explores the world of criminal informants, untrained civilians who perform undercover operations for law enforcement. By targeting the vulnerable, are police coercing citizens into risking their lives despite uncertain and often deadly circumstances?

Black America's Silent Epidemic

Episode: 5x05 | Airdate: Jun 26, 2014

Black America's Silent Epidemic

Lisa explores why the HIV rate is disproportionately high in black America by looking at the social and economic forces that drive the epidemic. She'll meet HIV-positive black men and women who are fighting both the stigma and the disease.

Children of the System

Episode: 5x06 | Airdate: Jul 3, 2014

Children of the System

Los Angeles County's foster care system is the largest in the country. Lisa investigates what happens to a child after they've been removed from their family, the actions parents take hoping to reunify, and how the system is holding up under the strain.

Under the Gun

Episode: 5x07 | Airdate: Jul 10, 2014

Under the Gun

Lisa Ling travels to Philadelphia, a city where 7 people are shot each day, to meet the crusaders who are determined to end gun violence on their streets. As these activists battle on, Philly's citizens hope and pray that together, they can find peace.

Labeled for Life: 18 Months Later

Episode: 5x08 | Airdate: Jul 17, 2014

Labeled for Life: 18 Months Later

Lisa travels back to Texas to see how 18 months on the Sex Offender Registry has affected Travis Iosue, and finds him on the cusp of a major break in his case—one that could mean the end of parole and a reprieve from a lifetime on the registry.

Teen Mom Nation: 2 Years Later

Episode: 5x09 | Airdate: Jul 24, 2014

Teen Mom Nation: 2 Years Later

In Season 2 of Our America, Lisa Ling met four very different pregnant teens, all forced to grow up too fast. Two years later we revisit Latanya and Sophie to see how their youthful decisions on motherhood have changed their lives.

The Missing

Episode: 5x10 | Airdate: Jul 31, 2014

The Missing

Each year in America, more than 600,000 people are reported missing. Some are doggedly searched for by friends and family members; others seem to simply disappear, unfound and unlooked for. In this episode, Lisa Ling meets women on both sides of the search: A woman who disappeared for two months as the victim of a notorious kidnapping, and a mother still searching for her daughter who went missing three years ago.

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