View source for NYC Epicenters 9/11→2021½

{{short description|American documentary miniseries}}
{{Infobox television
| image              =
| image_size         =
| genre              = [[television documentary|Documentary]]
| based_on           =
| director           = [[Spike Lee]]
| writer             =
| opentheme          =
| country            = United States
| num_episodes       = 4
| music              = [[Terence Blanchard]]
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
* Nancy Abraham
* Lisa Heller
}}
| producer           = [[Spike Lee]]
| cinematography     = {{Plainlist|
* Felipe Vara De Rey
* Kerwin Devonish
}}
| editor             = {{Plainlist|
* Adam Gough
* [[Barry Alexander Brown]]
}}
| language           = English
| runtime            = 90–117 minutes
| company            = {{Plainlist|
* [[40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks]]
* [[HBO Films|HBO Documentary Films]]
}}
| network            = [[HBO]]
| first_aired        = {{Start date|2021|8|22}}
| last_aired         = {{End date|2021|9|11}}
}}
'''''NYC Epicenters 9/11→2021½'''''{{efn|Rendered in some program listings as ''NYC Epicenters 9/11 Through 2021 and a Half'', or ''NYC Epicenters 9/11–2021'', due to technical restrictions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/what-to-watch/the-walking-dead-final-season-11-premiere-amc/|title=What to Watch Today: The Walking Dead's End Begins, Ron Howard and Spike Lee Docuseries Premieres and More|work=TVLine|date=August 22, 2021|access-date=August 27, 2021|archive-date=August 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828015419/https://tvline.com/what-to-watch/the-walking-dead-final-season-11-premiere-amc/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvpassport.com/series/nyc-epicenters-911-2021/450640|title=NYC Epicenters 9/11 - 2021|work=TVPassport|access-date=August 27, 2021|archive-date=August 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828015420/https://www.tvpassport.com/series/nyc-epicenters-911-2021/450640|url-status=live}}</ref>}} is an American [[television documentary|documentary]] miniseries. The series follows the chronicle of life and survival in New York City, ranging from the [[September 11 attacks]] and the [[COVID-19 pandemic in New York City|COVID-19 pandemic]]. It consists of four episodes and premiered on August 22, 2021, on [[HBO]].<ref name="Pressrelease">{{cite press release|url=https://pressroom.warnermedia.com/us/media-release/hbo-0/nyc-epicenters-9112021-12/four-part-documentary-nyc-epicenters-9112021-12-spike-lees-personal-journey-through|title=Four-Part Documentary NYC EPICENTERS 9/11➔2021½, Spike Lee's Personal Journey Through Two Decades Of Seminal Moments In The Life Of New Yorkers, Celebrating The City, Its Residents And Their Resilience, Debuts August 22|work=[[WarnerMedia]]|date=August 13, 2021|access-date=August 22, 2021}}</ref>
==Plot==
The series follows the life, loss, and survival of [[New York City]] ranging from the [[9/11 terrorist attacks]] and the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].
==Episodes==
{{Episode table |total_width= |background=#000000 |overall= |title= |director= |airdate=|country=U.S. |viewers= |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber   = 1
|Title           = Episode 1
|DirectedBy      = [[Spike Lee]]
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|8|22}}
|Viewers         = 0.212<ref>{{cite web|url=https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-sunday-cable-originals-network-finals-8-22-2021.html|title=Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.22.2021|last=Metcalf|first=Mitch|date=August 24, 2021|work=Showbuzz Daily|access-date=August 24, 2021|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319040218/https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-sunday-cable-originals-network-finals-8-22-2021.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|ShortSummary    =
|LineColor       = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber   = 2
|Title           = Episode 2
|DirectedBy      = Spike Lee
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|8|29}}
|Viewers         = 0.163<ref>{{cite web|url=https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-sunday-cable-originals-network-finals-8-29-2021.html|title=Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.29.2021|website=Showbuzz Daily|first=Mitch|last=Metcalf|date=August 31, 2021|access-date=August 31, 2021|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319071741/https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-sunday-cable-originals-network-finals-8-29-2021.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|ShortSummary    =
|LineColor       = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber   = 3
|Title           = Episode 3
|DirectedBy      = Spike Lee
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|9|5}}{{efn|Episodes 3 was released on [[HBO Max]] on September 3, 2021, ahead of its weekly [[HBO]] premieres.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=HBO|author=HBO|number=1433822116114223111|title=Episode three of Spike Lee's #NYCEpicenters is streaming tonight on @hbomax.|date=September 3, 2021|access-date=September 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903231445/https://twitter.com/HBO/status/1433822116114223111|archive-date=September 3, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
|Viewers         = 0.200<ref>{{cite web|url=https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-sunday-9-5-2021-top-150-cable-originals-network-finals.html|title=ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 9.5.2021 Updated|last=Metcalf|first=Mitch|date=September 8, 2021|work=Showbuzz Daily|access-date=September 8, 2021|archive-date=October 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019161013/https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-sunday-9-5-2021-top-150-cable-originals-network-finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|ShortSummary    =
|LineColor       = 000000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber   = 4
|Title           = Episode 4
|DirectedBy      = Spike Lee
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|9|11}}
|Viewers         = 0.156<ref>{{cite web|url=https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-saturday-9-11-2021-top-150-cable-originals-network-finals.html|title=ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 9.11.2021 Updated|last=Metcalf|first=Mitch|date=September 14, 2021|work=Showbuzz Daily|access-date=September 14, 2021|archive-date=September 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914143800/https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-saturday-9-11-2021-top-150-cable-originals-network-finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|ShortSummary    =
|LineColor       = 000000
}}
}}
==Production==
In March 2021, it was announced [[Spike Lee]] would direct and produce a documentary series focusing on the [[New York City]] for [[HBO]], with [[HBO Films|HBO Documentary Films]] and [[40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks]] producing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/spike-lee-september-11-documentary-hbo-1234918415/|title=Spike Lee Sets Sept. 11 20th Anniversary Documentary at HBO|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=Mònica Marie|last=Zorilla|date=March 1, 2021|access-date=August 22, 2021|archive-date=August 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822182549/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/spike-lee-september-11-documentary-hbo-1234918415/|url-status=live}}</ref> Lee conducted over 200 interviews for the series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theplaylist.net/spike-lees-new-4-part-doc-nyc-epicenters-9-11-2021-august-22-on-hbo-20210813/|title=Spike Lee's New 4-Part Doc 'NYC Epicenters 9/11➔2021½' Debuts August 22 ON HBO|website=The Playlist|first=Rodrigo|last=Perez|date=August 13, 2021|access-date=August 22, 2021|archive-date=August 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822182559/https://theplaylist.net/spike-lees-new-4-part-doc-nyc-epicenters-9-11-2021-august-22-on-hbo-20210813/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Reception==
===Critical response===
The [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.4/10, based on 5 critic reviews.<!--The website's critics consensus reads, "."--><ref>{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes|id=nyc_epicenters_911_2021|title=NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½ |type=tv|season=1|access-date=September 3, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the series holds a rating of 86 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref>{{Cite Metacritic|id=nyc-epicenters-911---2021-12|title=NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½|type=tv|season=1|access-date=September 11, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
===9/11 truth movement controversy===
The fourth and final episode of the series, as shown to critics for review, contained a half-hour of Lee interviewing members of the [[9/11 truth movement]], who promoted [[9/11 conspiracy theories|conspiracy theories]] that the towers were brought down by a controlled demolition.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/spike-lee-nyc-epicenters-september-11-conspiracy-theory-1216982/|title=Spike Lee Reworking Episode of 'NYC Epicenters' After 9/11 Conspiracy Theory Criticism|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|first=Jon|last=Blisten|date=August 25, 2021|access-date=August 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/08/spike-lee-hbo-documentary-richard-gage.html|title=Spike Lee Has Fallen Down the 9/11 Truther Rabbit Hole|website=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|first=Jeremy|last=Stahl|date=August 24, 2021|access-date=August 27, 2021|archive-date=August 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826234349/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/08/spike-lee-hbo-documentary-richard-gage.html|url-status=live}}</ref> While the episode also featured scientists who disputed these claims, journalists who viewed the episode criticized Lee, saying that his handling of the content gave "equal voice to both sides".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/26/arts/television/spike-lee-911-edit.html|title=Spike Lee Removes Conspiracists From HBO 9/11 Series After Criticism|website=The New York Times|first1=Julia|last1=Jacobs|first2=Reggie|last2=Ugwu|date=August 26, 2021|access-date=August 26, 2021|archive-date=August 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827003025/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/26/arts/television/spike-lee-911-edit.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In an interview with ''The New York Times'', Lee said, "The amount of heat that it takes to make steel melt, that temperature's not reached. And then the juxtaposition of the way [[7 World Trade Center (1987–2001)|Building 7]] fell to the ground — when you put it next to other building collapses that were demolitions, it’s like you’re looking at the same thing. But people going to make up their own mind. My approach is put the information in the movie and let people decide for themselves. I respect the intelligence of the audience".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/23/arts/television/spike-lee-nyc-epicenters.html|title=Spike Lee, Exultant at the 'Epicenter'|website=[[The New York Times]]|first=Reggie|last=Ugwu|date=August 23, 2021|access-date=August 27, 2021|archive-date=August 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826234351/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/23/arts/television/spike-lee-nyc-epicenters.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
On August 25, it was announced Lee would re-edit the episode following criticism, with HBO removing the previous cut from a screener platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/spike-lee-9-11-series-truthers-reedit-1235049118/|title=Spike Lee Is Re-Editing His Sept. 11 Docuseries Episode Featuring 9/11 Truthers|website=Variety|first=Jordan|last=Moreau|date=August 25, 2021|access-date=August 27, 2021|archive-date=August 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827011442/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/spike-lee-9-11-series-truthers-reedit-1235049118/|url-status=live}}</ref> The revised cut of the episode runs thirty minutes shorter, and excludes the interviews which promote conspiracy theories, though Abbey White of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' said that a segment in episode three, which presents conspiracy theories about [[United Airlines Flight 93]], was not amended.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/spike-lee-removes-conspiracy-theories-final-chapter-nyc-epicenters-1235003952/|title=Spike Lee Removes Conspiracy Theories From Final Chapter of 'NYC Epicenters 9/11-2021½' After Outcry|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|first=Abbey|last=White|date=August 26, 2021|access-date=August 27, 2021|archive-date=August 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827014456/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/spike-lee-removes-conspiracy-theories-final-chapter-nyc-epicenters-1235003952/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/nyc-epicenters-911-2021}}
* {{IMDb title|14324128}}
{{HBONetwork Shows}}
{{HBO documentaries}}
{{Spike Lee}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:NYC Epicenters 9 11→2021½}}
[[Category:2021 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2021 American television series endings]]
[[Category:2020s American documentary television series]]
[[Category:2021 controversies in the United States]]
[[Category:Documentary films about the COVID-19 pandemic]]
[[Category:Documentary films about New York City]]
[[Category:Documentary films about the September 11 attacks]]
[[Category:HBO original programming]]
[[Category:HBO documentary films]]
[[Category:Television controversies in the United States]]
[[Category:Television shows filmed in New York City]]
[[Category:Works by Spike Lee]]