The BEST episodes of VICE season 5
Every episode of VICE season 5, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of VICE season 5!
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 - When the Earth Melts & The Displaced
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/10/2017
“When the Earth Melts” - VICE Correspondent Ben Anderson travels across the Arctic to examine the devastating impact of thawing permafrost--and the astonishing solution that might keep it frozen. “Displaced” - VICE Correspondent Gianna Toboni follows the journey of refugees journeying across the Mediterranean Sea who have been left in limbo due to the tightening borders of an increasingly nationalist Europe.
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#2 - 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.
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#3 - 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.
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#4 - 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.
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#5 - 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.
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#6 - 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.
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#7 - Kings of Cannabis & Into the Darkness
Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/17/2017
"Kings of Cannabis" - VICE correspondent Hamilton Morris joins two hunters on an epic journey through the Democratic Republic of Congo in search of one of the rarest species of Cannabis, whose unique genetics could ultimately earn them millions of dollars. "Into the Darkness" - From an abandoned gold mine that lies a mile beneath the Black Hills of South Dakota, to the world's most powerful telescope nestled into the high deserts of Chile, nuclear physicist Taylor Wilson meets the scientists working to unlock the secrets of our Universe.
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#8 - 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.
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#9 - 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.
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#10 - Crude Reality & Between Oil and Water
Season 5 - Episode 19 - Aired 7/28/2017
“Crude Reality” - VICE's Isobel Yeung explores how corruption at the top in South Sudan is threatening to tear the world's newest country apart. “Between Oil and Water” - VICE travelled to the Sacred Stone Camp in December and followed the story of efforts to block construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline over the subsequent months as the Trump Administration moved quickly to resume work on the pipeline, examining how resource extraction has affected Native American communities.
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#11 - Autism Under the Lens
Season 5 - Episode 20 - Aired 8/4/2017
VICE’s Gianna Toboni explores the transformative work being done at the forefront of autism research, meets families trying out some of the newest treatments, and discovers a growing self-advocacy movement out of the autistic community that wants to refocus the science.
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#12 - Life Under Sharia & Plastic Oceans
Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/7/2017
“Life Under Sharia” - VICE co-founder Suroosh Alvi travels to Aceh and across Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, to experience Sharia up close and investigate its relationship to terrorism, as well as meet those who are fighting back against it. “Plastic Oceans” - VICE correspondent Isobel Yeung travels to the remote shores of Hawaii and the coast of the North Sea to see the extent of our plastic addiction and the surprisingly simple ways we can solve it.
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#13 - Cyber Supremacy & Japan Rising
Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 6/23/2017
“Cyber Supremacy” - Ben Ferguson travels to Tel Aviv to find out how Israel is on its way to becoming the world's top cyber superpower. “Japan Rising” - VICE sends Gianna Toboni to Tokyo to see the consequences of Japan's rising nationalism.
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#14 - Last Line of Defense & El Rostro
Season 5 - Episode 17 - Aired 6/30/2017
“Last Line of Defense” - With the Constitutional right to fair representation in a court of law in jeopardy, Cord Jefferson heads to one of the worst hit states to see how overworked and underpaid public defenders are coping with the broken legal system. “El Rostro” - VICE travels deep in the Peruvian Amazon to where multinational companies have been extracting lucrative natural resources to see how these activities are decimating the land. With the native Harakmbut people as his guide, Ben Anderson goes into the forest to explore sacred landmarks they hope will prevent companies from destroying the land for a profit.
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#15 - Trans Youth
Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/3/2017
Families and doctors are rewriting the rules as they decide when and how to start medical intervention before transgender youth hit puberty. Gianna Toboni explores this emotionally charged and rapidly evolving issue with trans youth and their parents in the midst of that intense process.
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#16 - Dawn of a Dictator
Season 5 - Episode 23 - Aired 8/25/2017
In early 2017 Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced moves that would change the world's most oil-rich nation from a democracy into a dictatorship. This sparked a crisis, igniting long-standing anger over inequality, misrule, hunger and crime. VICE founder Suroosh Alvi and correspondent Ben Anderson travelled to Venezuela as Maduro seized Venezuela's political institutions with an alleged 'sham election' and violently suppressed the growing opposition to his rule.
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#17 - 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.
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#18 - 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.
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#20 - Divide and Conquer & Crackdown in Honduras
Season 5 - Episode 26 - Aired 9/22/2017
"Divide and Conquer" - The maps that place voters together for statehouse and Congressional races are the building blocks of a representative democracy. But today, even though those maps are manipulated more than ever in favor of one political party, partisan gerrymandering is still technically legal. All of this could change though as the question of its constitutionality heads to the Supreme Court this fall. VICE's Gianna Toboni traveled to North Carolina to see the effects of gerrymandering on American democracy. "Crackdown in Honduras" - Created on the streets of Los Angeles in the 1980s, gangs like MS-13 and Barrio 18 were exported to Central America in a wave of deportations starting 20 years ago. Back in their home countries, these gang members found a power vacuum and only grew in strength. Without an effective judicial system, countries like Honduras struggled to deter crime or contain gang activities. But recently, the situation has begun to change and violent crimes has started to decrease. VICE visits the Honduran prison system and watches as the government tries to bring peace to the country.
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#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.
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#23 - Show of Force & Return to Somalia
Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 8/11/2017
“Show of Force” - VICE travels to North Korea during the annual Day of the Sun celebrations as global tensions reached a fever pitch. As North Koreans celebrated the 105th birthday of their country's founder, Kim Il-sung, correspondent Charlet Duboc seeks to learn firsthand how its citizens are reacting to the escalating crisis. “Return to Somalia” - VICE correspondent Gianna Toboni heads to Mogadishu to witness the fight to save the country during an increase of al-Shabaab attacks.
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#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.
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#25 - Black and Blue & Our Bionic Future
Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/24/2017
"Black and Blue" - VICE correspondent Cord Jefferson reports from St. Louis, one of America's most dangerous cities, to hear from activists and police officers alike about race and policing. "Our Bionic Future" - VICE's Wilbert L. Cooper travels to Zurich to see the first ever bionic Olympics and discovers a host of technologies that are expanding what it means to be human.
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