True crime fans can get a rare look at the tricks of the trades law enforcement officers use to help solve cases in the new 20/20 special docuseries The Interrogation Tapes. This six-part series continues on Monday, April 22, at 10 pm ET/PT on ABC as it continues every week throughout the month before wrapping up on May 6.
The series (full title The Interrogate Tapes: A Special Edition of 20/20) looks at compelling criminal cases in recent history through the lens of interrogations. Experts in the science and tactics of interrogation, along with ABC News legal correspondents Ryan Smith, Brian Buckmire and Jami Floyd, unpack key moments at the heart of each case. Audiences will see different techniques frequently used by interrogators, including how they use physical space and analyzing suspects’ speech and body language to find the truth, or, sometimes, a false confession.
To watch The Interrogation Tapes live, you need access to ABC. This can come from a traditional pay-TV provider, a TV antenna or a live TV streaming service that carries ABC, including Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Episodes are also going to stream on Hulu, so a subscription to that service — standalone or as part of Hulu with Live TV or the Disney Bundle — will let you easily watch the show on-demand.
Here is the schedule and synopses for each of the six episodes in The Interrogation Tapes:
The Interrogation Tapes episode 1, "With Friends Like These" (April 1)
Follows the death of 19-year-old aspiring artist Sarah Stern, first reported missing when her car was discovered abandoned on a bridge. Investigators begin to focus on Stern's childhood friend as a suspect after they cue in on troubling statements and omissions made during his police interviews. However, an up-and-coming filmmaker is willing to go undercover to help the case, which leads to the capturing of a chilling confession.
The Interrogation Tapes episode 2, "The Clique" (April 8)
Presents the story of the Clear Lake Massacre, beginning with the hunt for the killer of four young people murdered in a home outside Houston, Texas. After years of chasing dead ends, a tipster points law enforcement in a surprising direction — a young woman, once bullied in school, befriended by two of the victims who helped her become a beauty queen. Investigators begin to grapple with a crucial question: Is this former "Miss Irresistible" a mere pawn in a cold-blooded killing or a calculated mastermind?
The Interrogation Tapes episode 3, "The Devil in Disguise" (April 15)
Follows the investigation into the shocking murders of pregnant mother Shanann Watts and her two young children. After Shanann and her children go missing, her husband, Chris Watts, appears on local news to plead for their safe return. However, something in his demeanor seems off to investigators, so they bring him in for questioning. After Watts flunks a polygraph, detectives open the interrogation room to a surprising guest as they try to get to the truth.
The Interrogation Tapes episode 4, "Sins of the Father" (April 22)
Unravels the story of Karl Karlsen, whose wife and son died years apart in what first appeared to be horrible accidents. However, suspicious insurance plans and a secret recording put Karlsen in the crosshairs of an hours-long interrogation as detectives seek to unlock decades of deadly family secrets.
The Interrogation Tapes episode 5, "Mystery on the Hudson" (April 29)
Follows the investigation into the drowning death of Vincent Viafore. After first appearing to be a tragic accident, investigators grow suspicious once they begin speaking with his fiancée. Now, talking to ABC News for the first time, the lead detective of this case, Donald DeQuarto, unpacks how the interrogation of Viafore's fiancée led him down a path of trying to discover if something more sinister happened.
The Interrogation Tapes episode 6, "Stranger Than Fiction: The Murder of Angie Dodge" (May 6)
Tells the story of a false confession and a determined quest for the truth. After Angie Dodge is murdered, police zero in on 20-year-old Chris Tapp as the suspect. Convinced he was part of the crime, authorities relentlessly interrogate Tapp before he finally confesses. Shockingly, Dodge's own mother becomes certain of Tapp's innocence after watching recordings of his interrogation, sparking a years-long search for the truth before police can question the real killer.
Check out the trailer for the docuseries right here:
The Interrogation Tapes will air immediately after American Idol season 22 on ABC Mondays.
