Our America with Lisa Ling (2011)
Lisa Ling takes viewers along for an in-depth look at some of the most controversial and thought-provoking issues in the United States today, including religious movements, sex offenders, drug addiction and online brides. In each episode, Lisa immerses herself into the lives of the people she meets, offering compelling accounts of varied experiences and providing insight into some of our nation's most contentious issues. In sharing these stories, Lisa challenges viewers to understand different perspectives and even question what they themselves have always known to be true.
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Episode 1 - Sparkle Babies
Release Date: 2012-06-10Beauty 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?
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Episode 2 - Brides of Christ
Release Date: 2012-06-19Statistics 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.
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Episode 3 - Teen Mom Nation
Release Date: 2012-06-26Over 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.
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Episode 4 - Life on the Rez
Release Date: 2012-07-10Native 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.
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Episode 5 - Holy Matrimonies
Release Date: 2012-07-17For 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.
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Episode 6 - Lost American Dream
Release Date: 2012-07-24In 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.
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Episode 7 - Labeled for Life
Release Date: 2012-08-07Lisa 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?
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Episode 8 - Innocent Behind Bars?
Release Date: 2012-08-14In 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.
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Episode 9 - Pray the Gay Away? - Breaking News
Release Date: 2012-08-21Is 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.
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Episode 10 - Swingers Next Door
Release Date: 2012-08-21Monogamy 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.