The BEST episodes of VICE
Every episode of VICE ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of VICE!
The Emmy®-winning documentary series is now on SHOWTIME, delivering immersive reporting from the frontlines of global conflicts, civil uprisings and beyond, and tackling untold and complex geopolitical stories from all corners of the globe.
#1 - Heroin Crisis & New Age of Nukes
Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 6/3/2016
'Heroin Crisis' - America is facing the worst drug epidemic this country has ever seen: more people are dying from overdoses than from car accidents-and at the center of it is an explosion in the use of heroin. Thomas Morton traces the causes and impacts of the crisis, from the poppy farms of Mexico to the hills of West Virginia, and investigates how users, first responders, and government officials are responding to the new reality of American drug use. 'New Age of Nukes' - Twenty-five years after the end of the Cold War, America's vast nuclear arsenal is beginning to show its age, and the government has embarked on the largest nuclear modernization effort in our history, costing American taxpayers as much as $1 trillion. Kaj Larsen goes aboard a ballistic missile submarine and visits the facilities on the front line of our nuclear weapons program to see why the military wants to upgrade the nukes we have-and why that might be a dangerous idea.
#2 - The Pink Gang Rebellion & Genetic Passport
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/2/2014
'The Pink Gang Rebellion' - The brutal details of a 2012 gang rape on a Delhi bus focused international attention on India’s rampant rape issue. Inept law enforcement, the social stigma associated with rape, and a patriarchal social structure have allowed sexual assaults to plague Indian women. But one woman, Sampat Pal, has galvanized a group of rural women into the Gulabi Gang, or Pink Gang, to combat the injustice of sexual assault. Gelareh Kiazand heads to rural Indian to investigate the issue and embed with this revolutionary gang. 'Genetic Passport' - From 1949 to 1989, the Soviet Union, determined to prepare for nuclear warfare, detonated more than 450 nuclear bombs in an area of Kazakhstan known as the Semipalatinsk Test Site. For hundreds of thousands of Kazakhs, radiation not only surrounded them, but became part of their DNA. Thomas Morton goes to Kazakhstan to learn more about this controversial initiative.
#3 - Russian Hacking & Contagion
Season 5 - Episode 27 - Aired 9/29/2017
"Russian Hacking" - Since the 2016 election, hacking has become synonymous with one country: Russia. From the DNC, to global ransomware attacks, to attempts to penetrate U.S. nuclear plants, analysts have found Russian fingerprints on some of the biggest digital breaches in the world. While the US is scrambling to defend itself against these cybercrimes, the hacker ecosystem in Russia continues to grow. VICE travels to Moscow to find out why these hackers are so effective. "Contagion" - The outbreak of an infectious disease sparks worldwide panic nearly every year. And as humans cluster themselves in denser cities and encroach closer to the wildlife harboring disease, the chances of a devastating global pandemic only intensifies. But scientists are finding that diligent surveillance of these threats could help keep the next nightmare disease at bay. VICE founder Suroosh Alvi went to Uganda to see how vulnerable humans are to a new pandemic and the options there are for staving it off.
#4 - Future of Firearms & Russia “Wins” Climate Change
Season 5 - Episode 15 - Aired 6/16/2017
“Future of Firearms” - With the political landscape fundamentally changed, the firearms industry, and gun rights advocates, are looking for new ways to expand upon their 2nd amendment rights and the bottom line -- with some surprising results. VICE takes a closer look at the future of firearms in America. “Russia 'Wins' Climate Change” - Climate change is causing catastrophic changes to our planet, but it may be an economic blessing for Russia. As the Arctic ice melts, petroleum and mineral resources are more accessible, shipping lanes are opening up and the frozen Siberian tundra could become arable. In fact, the Russian government and people seem to be welcoming the warming temperatures. And with America pulling out of the Paris Agreement, perhaps this is a glimpse into our own future.
#5 - Engineering Immortality & Robot Revolution
Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 5/12/2017
“Engineering Immortality” - Isobel Yeung meets the scientists and doctors leading the charge in genomics, pharmaceuticals, and stem cell research, which promises to revolutionize how our bodies age in the years to come. “Robot Revolution” - VICE explores how robotics and the computers that power them are poised for an extraordinary leap forward with the emergence of artificial intelligence, and how humanity can reconcile the huge risks and possibilities that will follow.
#6 - Taliban Resurgence
Season 5 - Episode 10 - Aired 5/5/2017
Ben Anderson returns to the conflict he's covered for 10 years, re-uniting with several Afghans--an Army Major, a Policeman who dismantles IEDs and a family who were forced to fight to defend their home--for a shocking report that questions what America's longest war has actually accomplished.
#7 - Medical Détente & Bananas
Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 4/28/2017
“Medical Détente” - VICE correspondent Gianna Toboni travels to Cuba to witness potential treatments and cures that flourished in the country's biotech industry despite the decades-long US embargo. “Bananas” - VICE heads to the heart of banana country in Latin American and the Philippines to see the devastating effects of the disease and to investigate what the loss of the banana would really mean besides a less colorful lunchbox.
#8 - End of Amateurism
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/31/2017
Gianna Toboni travels the college sports landscape, meeting with athletic directors, coaches, sports marketing minds and the players themselves to see the role money plays in amateur athletics today.
#9 - Lines in the Sand & Outsourcing Embryos
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/27/2015
'Lines in the Sand' - Ben Anderson explores the trafficking hot spots of South America and Africa to find out who is profiting from Europe's cocaine habit. 'Outsourcing Embryos' - Gianna Toboni explores some of India's 3,000 surrogacy clinics, watching doctors deliver surrogate babies, and following recruiters who find prospective surrogates in the slums.
#10 - Afghanistan After Us & La Haine
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 6/19/2015
'Afghanistan After Us' - Ben Anderson returns to Helmand, the country's most violent province, to investigate the security situation in Afghanistan as American involvement winds down. 'La Haine' - Vikram Gandhi goes to Paris to gauge the causes of the growing hate in the City of Lights.
#11 - After ISIS & Cubs of the Caliphate
Season 5 - Episode 29 - Aired 10/13/2017
"After ISIS" - The fight to retake Mosul, the biggest city in ISIS' so-called caliphate, lasted over 10 months and was the biggest urban battle to take place since World War II. As civilians of Mosul endured the impossible choice of hiding in their homes or fleeing, running the risk of being killed by ISIS, the war raged on--bombarding homes and destroying everything in its path. With unparalleled access, VICE followed the Iraqi Army as they fought the terrorist group, room to room, house to house and street to street, often fighting for days on end and suffering horrendous casualties on a slow crawl to liberation. "Cubs of the Caliphate" - Now that most of Iraq has been liberated from ISIS control, the daunting task of what to do with civilians who lived under their brutal regime remains. Nowhere is this issue more complicated than in the case of children, particularly those who were recruited to fight with the Islamic State. VICE Correspondent Isobel Yeung meets the Iraqi youth who both lived and trained under ISIS as they try to rebuild their lives while facing an uncertain future.
#12 - Cold War 2.0
Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 6/26/2015
The increasingly strained relationship between Russia and NATO is examined in the Season 3 finale, which includes remarks by U.S. president Barack Obama and vice president Joe Biden.
#13 - Escape to Europe & Cycle of Terror
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/12/2016
‘Escape to Europe’ - With the war in Syria now in its fifth bloody year, half the country's population has been displaced, and four million have fled. Many are heading to the safety and relative prosperity of Europe, but getting there is a long, life-threatening journey. VICE follows the refugee trail from the Syrian border to Europe, meeting Syrians determined to find a better life. ‘Cycle of Terror’ - The bloody ISIS attacks in Paris stunned the world. As rumors circulated that one of the attackers may have posed as a Syrian migrant, politicians in Western countries, including the U.S., raced to declare their territory off-limits to refugees from countries like Syria and Iraq. VICE travels to France and around the U.S. to see how the global reaction to the violence in Paris is affecting the fight against terrorism.
#14 - Right to Die
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/19/2016
When California enacted the End of Life Option Act amid fierce debate last October, the number of terminally ill Americans with the right to a doctor-assisted death effectively quadrupled. But in parts of Europe, euthanasia is also administered to people other than the terminally ill, including those with autism, depression and personality disorders. VICE explores the moral, political and personal questions raised by how and when we end our lives.
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#15 - Beating Blindness & White Collar Weed
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/26/2016
'Beating Blindness' - Doctors and researchers are making incredible strides in the fight against blindness. New assistive technologies and advances in surgical techniques mean that many patients who've lost sight entirely can now regain visual perception, and the independence that comes with it--a process that can be as disorienting as it is freeing. Isobel Yeung reports from the front lines of this latest medical frontier. 'White Collar Weed' - Small-scale weed farmers have been fighting to legalize marijuana for generations--but the closer they get to ending the prohibition on pot, the closer they get to a new threat: corporate takeover of their way of life. VICE's Hamilton Morris travels to California's infamous Emerald Triangle to meet struggling mom-and-pop growers, and visits with the investors and entrepreneurs eager to cash in on the next big consumer market--even if it could put the small guys out of business.
#16 - Meathooked & End of Water
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/4/2016
'Meathooked' - The world is addicted to meat--in developing countries around the world, diets are starting to look more like ours, incorporating more and more beef and pork. Massive factory farms are springing up to supply that demand. But industrial meat operations produce more than just cheap T-bones; they also dish out enormous environmental harm. Isobel Yeung travels to the feedlots, farms and slaughterhouses where our meat is made, to see the true costs of our burger habit. 'End of Water' - Water is the single most vital resource we have--but it's also one of the most threatened. Around the world, from the American West to China, South Asia, and the Middle East, the water we need is simply disappearing. Vikram Gandhi reports from California's once-abundant farmland and the heart of Sao Paulo's reservoir system to assess the depths of the crisis, and what can be done to reverse it.
#17 - Return to Yemen & Church and States
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/11/2016
‘Return to Yemen’ - Last year, Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a massive military campaign that overthrew the Yemeni government and sent the Arabian Peninsula into turmoil. Now, Saudi Arabia–nervous about the insurrection near its southern border–is trying to push the Houthis back with a ruthless bombing campaign. Ben Anderson returns to Yemen, where he reported ‘The Enemy of My Enemy’ for VICE S2, to witness one of the worlds most bloody and underreported conflicts. ‘Church and States’ - While many Americans cheered the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage, the fight for equality is far from over. In many American states, it is still legally acceptable to refuse services, housing or employment to people because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Gianna Toboni meets some of the families who are navigating this new landscape, and hears from supporters of religious freedom laws, as VICE explores where the battle for equal rights heads from here.
#18 - Assad's Syria & Cost of Climate Change
Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/24/2017
“Assad's Syria” - Isobel Yeung travels through regime-controlled Syria to see how Assad prevailed and to find out what might happen next in his crippled country. “Cost of Climate Change” - In the face of a scientific consensus, and with the Trump administration ushering some climate deniers into the highest levels of government, Shane Smith follows the money to see the true economic stakes of decades of denial.
#19 - Women Behind Bars & The Business of Making Art
Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 5/19/2017
“Women Behind Bars” - VICE correspondent Isobel Yeung spends time in prisons and jails across the country, discovering what it means to be an American woman behind bars. “The Business of Making Art” - With Warhol's art now fetching tremendous sums in the booming modern art marketplace, Ben Anderson embarks on a journey through the art world with some of Warhol's master printers to explore not just the question "What is art?" but "What is a Warhol?"
#20 - Taking Back Iraq & Lost Generation
Season 5 - Episode 13 - Aired 6/2/2017
“Taking Back Iraq” - Aris Roussinos embedded with Iraqi forces on the road to Mosul as they began their assault on Islamic State's last stronghold in Iraq. "Lost Generation" - Isobel Yeung travels to Iraq to see what the future looks like through the eyes of the youth.
#21 - The Politics of Terror & End of the EU?
Season 5 - Episode 14 - Aired 6/9/2017
“The Politics of Terror” - VICE examines the rise of Europe’s far right, and the hyper-charged climate fueling nationalist ideologies across the continent. “End of the EU?” - Shane Smith travels to the home of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to discuss why the populist message resonates across the continent, how the left fails to grasp populist anger, and the need for a unified response to rebuild Syria.
#22 - Controlling the Narrative & Power to Congo
Season 5 - Episode 22 - Aired 8/18/2017
"Controlling the Narrative" - Press freedom around the world has reached its lowest point in over a decade, with many authoritarian governments imprisoning journalists in a fight to control their countries' narratives. One of the deadliest places to be a journalist is the Philippines, where the new President has openly threatened the media and silenced his critics. VICE Correspondent Gianna Toboni heads to Manila to see the dangerous work of local journalists reporting on President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal war on drugs. Back in the U.S., legendary journalist Carl Bernstein discusses the state of our own media and the importance of a free press in holding the powerful accountable. "Power to Congo" - The War in Congo is the deadliest since World War II, killing more than 5 million people. But throughout the conflict, a remarkable group of Rangers have remained, fighting to protect Congo's Gorillas and other wildlife and natural resources. In a stunning turnaround, these rangers are saving endangered species and Congo's bio-diverse forest, and are even transforming the local economy, cutting off revenue streams to the various rebel groups operating there. Ben Anderson trained and patrolled with the rangers over 10 years ago. He returned to see the remarkable progress they're making.
#23 - Dirty Oil & Rebuilding Our Reefs
Season 5 - Episode 24 - Aired 9/8/2017
"Dirty Oil" - Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer, but the billions of dollars generated from that resource have not trickled down to the majority of the population. This disparity has led to rampant oil theft and large scale attacks on oil infrastructure by locals, who vow to continue this fight until the government allows them to profit through oil jobs and urban development. For a time, the government listened to this plea and paid these militants through an amnesty program which curbed the violence. But in 2016, a new administration terminated those contracts and suspended the payouts, leading to a violent resurgence of militancy and oil theft. VICE correspondent Gianna Toboni heads to the heart of Nigeria's oil production to witness firsthand the fight of the Niger Delta youth. "Rebuilding Our Reefs" - In the last 30 years the world has lost 50% of its coral reefs, and there's a consensus among marine biologists that climate change will continue to make things worse. Coral reefs are the foundation of some of the most productive ecosystems on earth--providing food, resources, and coastal protection for more than 500 million people. If nothing is done to stop their deterioration, more than 90% of the world's reefs could be gone by 2050. Ben Anderson traveled across the world's oceans to see what a few small teams of scientists are doing to keep these vital structures alive.
#24 - Dark Web & Future of Appalachia
Season 5 - Episode 25 - Aired 9/15/2017
"Dark Web" - Child sex abuse and child pornography have always been society's darkest secrets. And the internet's growth has only made things worse. The proliferation of explicit images, live-streaming of sex shows, and online chat rooms have enabled those with salacious intent to destroy the lives of children around the world. The tide of explicit material is overwhelming, but a group of law enforcements agencies and NGOs are fighting back. VICE embeds with the officers trying to shed light on the dark corners of the web. "Future of Appalachia" - Nowhere in America can the coal industry's hurt be seen and felt more than in Appalachia. The region's economy revolves around coal, and more miners are losing their jobs each year. The controversial industry became a focal point of the 2016 election when President Trump made the return of coal jobs a central campaign promise. But the economics behind the suffering industry go beyond policy and regulations. VICE's Isobel Yeung goes to the heart of coal country to see what it will take to save Appalachia.
#25 - Raised in the System
Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/6/2018
Emmy-nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams embarks on a personal journey to expose the root of the American mass incarceration crisis: the juvenile justice system.