Network First | Couchpile

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Network First | Couchpile

Season 1 poster

Season 1

107 Episodes

1994

E01

Florence and Robin

1/4/1994

Documentary set in San Francisco about a lesbian couple who have a long-term relationship and want a child of their own.

Women Who Kill

E02

Women Who Kill

1/11/1994

Five women explain why after years of mental and physical abuse they finally killed their partners.

E03

An Everest to Climb

1/18/1994

In October 1993 a party of climbers left for the Himalayas, including seven British mountaineers who had mental or physical disabilities. The film follows their attempts to climb the Pokalde peak in the Everest range.

E04

Supermodels

1/25/1994

A revealing look at the fashion industry with supermodels Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington. The programme goes behind the scenes at Paris Fashion Week and tells sad tales about British models trying to cope.

E05

Bhopal: The Second Tragedy

2/1/1994

Mark Tully returns to Bhopal, 10 years after the gas leak, to find that the American chemical giant has wriggled out of its responsibility towards the victims of the world's worst industrial disaster. He travels to the USA, Mexico and Brazil to find if the world has learned any lessons from Bhopal.

E06

Nightfighters

2/8/1994

Follows the formation of the 332nd fighter group in Italy during World War II, the first all black air squadron in the United States Air Force, from its beginnings in Tuskegee, Alabama in July 1941.

Children of the Holocaust

E07

Children of the Holocaust

2/15/1994

History of four Jewish children who survived Auschwitz.

E08

Top Chef

3/1/1994

Young chefs compete with other chefs at the Ecole Superieure de Cuisine Francaise, cooking classic dishes against the clock. They have five hours to create two perfect dishes for a panel of chefs and cookery writers.

E09

Ballet School

3/8/1994

A behind-the-scenes look at a term in London's Central School of Ballet.

E10

Last Voyage of the Lusitania

3/22/1994

Documentary on the sinking by a U-boat of the 'Lusitania' in 1915 in which nearly 1200 men, women and children were drowned. Dr Robert Ballard investigates the wreckage to see if the ship was really carrying arms, according to the Germans.

E11

Stigmata: A Modern Miracle?

3/29/1994

A documentary examining evidence from people claiming to receive the open wounds of the stigmata. The programme features stigmatics from around the world, including the three from the UK, and throughout history from St Francis to Padre Pio. It covers the various theories that have been put forward to explain the phenomenon: multiple personality disorder, self-infliction of wounds, the psychosomatic reproduction of injuries of trauma years after the event.

E12

The War Against the Mafia Part 1: The Founding Father

4/5/1994

How America's law enforcement agencies tackled the Mafia. Concentrates on the Gambino family from 1980 to 1993. Includes secret FBI recordings, interviews and allegations that the family were responsible for the deaths of 200 people.

E13

The War Against the Mafia Part 2: Death in the Family

4/12/1994

The programme begins with the funeral of Carlo Gambino, the model for The GODFATHER. His successor, Paul Castellano, turned the Mafia into a billion dollar business by controlling New York's waste disposal and construction industries.

E14

The War Against the Mafia Part 3: The King of Little Italy

4/19/1994

The programme looks at the rise and fall of gangster, John Gotti, who took charge after arranging the murder of Paul Castellano. Bribing his way to freedom, justice finally caught up with him and he is now doing a life sentence.

E15

Mandela: From Prison to President

4/26/1994

An intimate portrait of South Africa's President-in-waiting, looking at the sacrifices Mandela made in his quest for peace and power and examines the problems he will face in the future.

E16

Inside the Channel Tunnel

5/3/1994

The story of the bi-lingual company Eurotunnel which has taken possession of the Channel Tunnel, opening on Friday, 6th May 1994.

E17

The Professional Beggar

5/10/1994

Documentary about the Orbis International Flying Eye Hospital, a charity-funded medical service that works at restoring sight to the blind in Third World countries.

Apollo: When the World Held Its Breath

E18

Apollo: When the World Held Its Breath

7/26/1994

Documentary telling the stories of Apollos 11 and 13, two of the most important missions in space exploration, revealing how close they came to fatal disasters.

E19

Murder in the Family

8/8/1994

Documentary about Roderick and Newall, the brothers accused of murdering their wealthy parents in New Jersey, USA.

E20

Date Rape: The Investigation

9/6/1994

Documentary drama of a typical "date-rape" case, using actors to represent the victim, the accused and their friends; but real professionals to represent the police, medics, judge and lawyers; followed by a dramatised trial.

E21

Date Rape: The Trial Day 1

9/7/1994

The alleged victim gives her evidence and is cross-examined.

E22

Date Rape: The Trial Day 2

9/8/1994

The prosecution witnesses are now taking the stand.

E23

Date Rape: The Trial Day 3

9/9/1994

The alleged rapist is cross-examined and the summing-up begins.

E24

Date Rape: The Verdict

9/13/1994

Follows the alleged victim's case through the Crown Court, giving her evidence to the Court and the defence demanding graphic details of the alleged rape. We hear the jury's deliberations before they reach a final verdict.

Waking from Coma

E25

Waking from Coma

9/20/1994

Report from the Royal Hospital in Putney, London, where pioneering work is carried out on severely brain-damaged patients who are in deep comas.

E26

Inside Castro's Cuba

9/27/1994

Documentary on Cuba after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Features an interview with President Fidel Castro who speaks about their economic crisis, the US economic blockade and Cuba's success in pharmaceuticals and tourism.

E27

Miami Front Line

10/4/1994

Documentary about the tragedy taking place on the coastal waters off Florida, where thousands of Cuban and Haitian refugees have perished - the victims of sharks, storms and the sun, as they flee persecution in their homeland.

E28

The Secrets of Porton Down

10/11/1994

Documentary about human guinea pigs being used at the secret Porton Down research facility to help with the development of chemical weapons. Former volunteers talk about their health problems, and about their struggle to win compensation.

E29

Nicholas and Alexandra Part 1: Anointed by God

10/18/1994

First of a two part programme about the assassination of the last Tsar, Nicholas, and his wife Alexandra amid the bloody Russian revolution. Includes testimonies, letters, diaries, photographs and tape-recorded descriptions of the murders.

E30

Nicholas and Alexandra Part 2: The Slaying of the Tsars

10/25/1994

Prince Michael of Kent reveals details of the tragic deaths of the last Tsar and his family, and the consequent discovery and identification of the family's remains in woods close to Ekaterinburg.

E31

Stalker Investigates

11/1/1994

Former deputy Chief Constable John Stalker investigates the murder of Hilda Murrell in 1984, including her involvement in anti-nuclear activities and the sinking of the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano during the Falklands War.

E32

The Russian Love Connection

11/8/1994

Documentary offers an insight into the burgeoning industry in Post-Communist Russia of supplying Russian women as brides for Western men. Also follows the women as they leave their family and friends for a new life in America.

Flying the Flag - Arming the World

E33

Flying the Flag - Arming the World

11/15/1994

The British arms business and its implications in World politics.

E34

The Visit: Coma - Connie's Story

11/22/1994

A return visit to Connie Taylor, who was knocked down by a car outside her house eight years ago and nearly died. Featured in THE VISIT in 1987,she was starting to recover from her coma. Now she is taking driving lessons.

E35

The Visit: Chariots of Wire

11/29/1994

Documentary about three young British businessmen who design and manufacture a revolutionary cheap wheelchair which they make available to people all over the world through a charity they set up named 'Motivation'.

E36

The Visit: A Life for Polly

12/6/1994

Documentary on Polly East, a five-year-old who has been diagnosed with leukaemia. Follows her family as she undergoes the painful and distressing course of treatment.

E37

Between Life and Death

12/13/1994

Documentary about the Near Death Experience, and scientific research which has tried to explain how people who have technically died can make astonishing recoveries and remember inexplicable encounters or religious experiences.

E38

Talking to the Enemy

12/20/1994

Documentary about IRA's foot-soldier Dermot Finucane. The programme also records the moving testimony of Robert Ewart-Briggs, whose father was blown up in 1976 by an IRA landmine, and who refuses to dismiss the IRA as criminals.

E39

The Plague Monkeys

1/3/1995

Documentary about a group of viruses, known as filoviruses, which can kill within two weeks and which are transmitted via monkeys.

E40

UFO

1/10/1995

Documentary about the phenomena of UFO sightings, and the history of authorities ignoring or debunking theories associated with them.

E41

Love, Lies and Bigamy

1/17/1995

Documentary about the experiences of four modern bigamists - three men and a woman - who were prosecuted.

E42

The Man Who Saved Animals

1/24/1995

Profile of conservationist Richard Leakey, the Director of the Kenya Wildlife Service, who for many years has been a prolific campaigner to save the world's wildlife.

E43

Commando

2/7/1995

Documentary from behind the scenes with a Royal Marines commando unit as it takes part in a dramatic training exercise in Norway.

Desperately Seeking Asylum

E44

Desperately Seeking Asylum

2/14/1995

Report on the treatment of people arriving in Britain seeking asylum. Follows the stories of some of the refugees through each stage of the complicated process, and includes secretly recorded footage of a deportation taking place.

E45

The Yardies

2/21/1995

Profile of the Yardies, a crime syndicate that's more powerful than the Mafia, originating from Kingston, Jamaica, now moving into Britain and America. A special police unit has been set up to combat them.

E46

Confronting Crime

2/28/1995

Report on the pioneering work of Leeds Mediation and Reparation Service, as it brings victims and offenders face to face for the first time.

E47

Hollywood Vice

3/7/1995

Profile of the career of detective Fred Clapp, who has been with the Los Angeles Vice Squad for 25 years, involved in undercover operations into prostitution and drug dealing to the Hollywood elite.

E48

The Troubleshooters

3/14/1995

For the last 25 years Belfast's leading press agency, Pacemaker, has built up a stunning visual record of The Troubles. It's photographers have witnessed the grief and suffering of others, and have put themselves in danger to bring us those unforgettable images. In a momentous 12 months, Network First cameras have followed them as Ulster has moved from violence to uneasy peace.

E49

Paul McKenna's Secrets of Hypnosis

3/21/1995

Documentary about hypnosis, exploring the uses for its technique, such as learning, pain control, and eyesight enhancement. Also looks into the more sinister uses of hypnosis for mind control by cults, advertisers, and politicians.

E50

Escape from Tibet

3/28/1995

The fortunes of a group of Tibetans as they try to escape from the Chinese over the Himalayas.

E51

Small Miracles

4/4/1995

Documentary about the work of a London surgeon who operates on babies still in the womb, following a mother whose seriously ill unborn twins might be saved by womb surgery at the Harris Birthright Unit at King's College Hospital.

E52

What Makes Linford Run?

4/11/1995

Profile of the world class athlete Linford Christie and his relationship to his coach of 16 years, Ron Roddan.

E53

Confession

4/18/1995

The subject matter of the television broadcast was a purported account by Mr Eamon Collins of his activities and experiences as a member of the Provisional IRA.

E54

Vietnam: The Last Battle

4/25/1995

Documentary examining how Vietnam has fared since the end of the conflict with America twenty years ago. There is also a look at Hollywood distortion of the Vietnam War.

E55

Confronting the Hit Men

5/2/1995

Documentary about the South African "Truth Commission", a reconciliation program, where former leaders of both black and white terror campaigns meet with the victims they orchestrated to see if past horrors can be forgiven.

E56

Last Letters Home

5/9/1995

Re-creates nine Second World War stories through the letters that passed between forces abroad and their friends, families or lovers back home, including some servicemen who wrote "last letters" in the event of their deaths.

E57

Igor, Child of Chernobyl

6/6/1995

Documentary about Igor Pavlovets, who was conceived shortly after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, and was born with deformities. The film follows Igor as he travels to England and documents the suffering of the children left behind in Minsk.

E58

Eilish: Life Without Katie

8/29/1995

Documentary about six-year-old Eilish Holton from Ireland, three years after she was surgically separated from her conjoined twin sister Katie, who sadly did not survive. This documentary shows Eilish starting school and her journey with learning to walk with a prosthesis. We also get to follow Eilish on a trip to the US to meet the still conjoined sisters Abigail and Brittany Hensel, who are about five years old here.

E59

When a Woman Kills Her Man: The Investigation

9/5/1995

Documentary about domestic violence, portraying a hypothetical case of Rachel and Peter Palmer. Peter is found fatally wounded; and Rachel was charged with the murder.

E60

When a Woman Kills Her Man: The Trial

9/12/1995

Concludes the dramatised examination of domestic violence, following the fictional trial of Rachel Palmer through to the verdict.

E61

A Very Special Baby

9/19/1995

Documentary about the lives of four people involved in a surrogate birth. Christine had a hysterectomy at age 31, with the possibility of never having children. Then, her husband's brother suggested surrogacy, which was accepted.

E62

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

10/17/1995

Documentary from behind the scenes of British racing, revealing the way racehorses are treated, and what happens to them when they are too old or injured to race.

E63

Fear and Counting in Las Vegas

10/24/1995

Documentary following the fortunes of Dominic O'Brien, World Memory champion, as he tries his luck at the card tables of Amerian casinos in Biloxi, Tunica, Foxwoods and finally, Las Vegas.

E64

Defender of the Children

10/31/1995

Documentary about the efforts of Irish priest Shay Cullen to rid the Philippines of the child sex industry. Includes evidence of organised paedophilia tourism, with Britain providing one of the largest markets.

E65

Gettys - A Tragedy of Riches: Part 1

11/7/1995

Examines the life of the wealthy American Getty dynasty, focusing on John Paul Getty.

E66

Gettys - A Tragedy of Riches: Part 2

11/14/1995

History of the Getty family focusing on J Paul Getty's grandchildren - Mark, who is a businessman; Balthazar, an actor; and Aileen who works promoting various AIDS charities with her former mother-in-law, Elizabeth Taylor.

E67

Man and Animal

11/21/1995

New York dogs model Larry Roth canine fashions while Chinese cats marinate in the kitchens of Guan's Cantonese restaurants, the Jain monks in India commit a crime if they kill even the smallest insect while bulls are ritually tortured in the name of religion in Spain. Award-winning filmmaker Antony Thomas travels to nine countries to examines the absurd contradictions and shockingly contrasting traditions which make up man's relationship with the animal world.

Midnight Callers

E68

Midnight Callers

11/28/1995

Documentary about those who phone a late night radio show in Bradford, discussing their personal problems: one seducing other men's wives; and a woman being the victim of a paedophile who is dreading his imminent release from prison.

E69

Peace for the Wicked: Tales of Ethnic Cleansing

12/5/1995

Documentary about a period after the Second World War in Germany, when many Germans were expelled from parts of their country, sent to ghettos and camps, and often murdered.

Guys as Dolls

E70

Guys as Dolls

12/12/1995

Documentary about transvestism and the effect it has on marriages and social relations.

E71

Entertaining Angels Unawares

12/19/1995

Documentary examining the history of angels, looking at orthodox and unorthodox views of scientists and churchmen on the subject, and featuring interviews with people who claim they have seen and been helped by angels.

E72

Frontline Britain: Part 1

2/27/1996

First part of a two-part documentary reporting on rising crime in Great Britain and the connection between crime and poverty.

E73

Frontline Britain: Part 2

3/5/1996

Final part of a documentary examining the divisions in British society, and its fight against drugs. In London, violence and gang warfare from drug use is examined, and in Bristol, a large-scale heroin use on one community is spotlighted.

E74

The Killing of Kathleen Waugh

3/12/1996

Investigation into the death of Kathleen Waugh, a woman with learning difficulties, who went missing four years ago. Irregularities in the management of the residential care home, concerning anti-depressive drugs, have been highlighted.

E75

Inside Burma: Land of Fear

5/14/1996

Documentary about the military ruling regime in Burma, its use of forced and child labour to build road and rail links, and how the participation of Western countries aid the system by investing in poorly run projects.

E76

Miss Popular's Crack City

5/21/1996

Documentary about two women whose crack-cocaine habits lead them to prostitution. Wendy was 13 when she started to sleep with men to support her habit; Karen Lawson was a middle-class housewife who became hooked.

E77

High Stakes at Highclere

5/28/1996

Documentary about life behind the scenes at Highclere, the Earl of Carnarvon's estate in Hampshire. A new castle manager is appointed, and makes changes to the tea room, the housekeeping, and the castle tour to encourage more visitors.

E78

HMP Dartmoor

6/4/1996

Documentary about life inside Dartmoor Prison in Devon.

E79

A View to a Kill

9/10/1996

Documentary about a Texan family who exercised a new state right to watch the execution of the man who brutally killed two of their children.

E80

Three Men and a Balloon

9/17/1996

Documentary following Richard Branson and his fellow balloonists as they made plans to fly a balloon non-stop around the world. Bad weather, politics and financial squabbles prevented the attempt from taking place.

E81

Riddle of the Gaul

10/8/1996

Documentary about the 1974 sinking of the Hull trawler Gaul, in which all 36 crew members were lost. Inquiry concluded the Gaul had succumbed to bad weather; although there has been speculation that the ship was captured by the Russians.

E82

The Connection

10/15/1996

Documentary following the heroin drugs trail from the poppy fields in Columbia to the streets of Britain. Carlton were fined £2,000,000 by the ITC over this documentary, as the programme contained a number of faked scenes.

E83

Cut-price Package

10/22/1996

Documentary about nine British women who travel to Wroclaw in Poland for cut-price plastic surgery.

E84

Going to Chelsea

11/12/1996

Follows Stephen Woodhams, society florist and garden designer, as he prepares and creates a garden for the world famous Chelsea Flower Show.

E85

Psychosurgery

11/19/1996

Documentary following three people who have suffered from depression and have decided to try psychosurgery, where parts of the frontal lobes of the brain are destroyed in an attempt to damage the parts of the brain which controls emotions.

E86

Breaking the Cycle

11/26/1996

Documentary about disruptive children and the help available to families to deal with them. Visits the Marlborough House Day Unit in Swindon, where children spend one day a week in structured discipline, and whose results were positive.

E87

The Widow, the Terrorist and the SAS

12/3/1996

Documentary about the aftermath of the October 1977 hijacking of a plane by Palestinian terrorists. The four terrorists killed the pilot and held the passengers hostage for five days before the SAS stormed the plane.

E88

Silent Victim: The Untold Story of the Yorkshire Ripper

12/10/1996

Documentary re-examining the case of Peter Sutcliffe, asserting that he may have been responsible for many more crimes than those he was convicted for.

E89

Conspicuous Consumption

12/17/1996

Documentary about the fashionable and exclusive department store Harvey Nichols, visiting the London and Leeds branches, talking to staff and customers.

E90

Forgotten Mothers

1/14/1997

Documentary in which five women talk about how they gave their babies up for adoption in the 1950s and 60s, and the profound sense of loss and guilt they still feel.

E91

Return to the Place of the Dead

1/21/1997

Documentary following two British soldiers - Bob Mann and Richie Mayfield - as they return to Borneo, where in 1994 they almost died. Bob Mann looks for a video he made containing an emotional farewell message to his wife and son.

E92

Born to Be Small

1/28/1997

Stories of four families affected by dwarfism: a couple's baby with achondroplasia; a couple expecting their first baby; a teenager's operation to add three inches to her height; and a couple fighting for equal rights for small people.

E93

Igor, the Boy Who Dared to Dream

2/11/1997

Sequel documentary about a year in the life of Igor Pavlovets, who was deformed by the Chernobyl blast. Igor is on holiday in Spain, captaining his team in the school sports day, camping with the Cubs, and receiving visitors from Russia.

E94

Breaking the Mirror: The Murdoch Effect

2/18/1997

Programme in which journalist John Pilger makes a tribute to the Daily Mirror newspaper. He traces the history of the tabloid, considering the influence of Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell and how the standard of journalism has dropped.

E95

All in the Genes

3/11/1997

Documentary examining genetic engineering and cloning, and how it is transforming medical science, showing scientists at work in efforts to prevent genetical disorders such as Hunters syndrome, cancers and Alzheimers.

E96

Stolen Brides

3/18/1997

Documentary about two girls who left Britain to join their Yemeni father in 1982 for a holiday, but were married and prevented from leaving the country. The programme follows their mother's attempts to bring the girls back to England.

E97

The Blind School

3/25/1997

Behind the scenes at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh to record the inspiring story of how its pupils learn to overcome their visual disabilities.

E98

The Boy Business

3/26/1997

Documentary about British paedophiles who prey on homeless and vulnerable children. The programme confronts the men who trade in child pornography, investigates the recruitment of young boys, and talks to the victims and relatives.

E99

Between the Lines

5/6/1997

Documentary about Paul Malone, who spent nearly ten years in jail after being found guilty of four armed robberies. The programme follows his attempts to have his convictions overturned.

E100

Victoria & Albert Part 1: He Influenced Me in Everything

5/13/1997

His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent presents his great great grandparents - Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. This programme deals with Albert's courtship of the impressionable young queen.

E101

Victoria & Albert Part 2: A Queen Alone

5/20/1997

The programme follows the life of Queen Victoria following the death of her husband, her self-imposed isolation during her long mourning, and her relationships with Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli and her Highland servant John Brown.

E102

For the Love of Roy

9/23/1997

Documentary about the legacy of Roy Castle's battle against lung cancer. and the world's first lung cancer research centre in Liverpool. Friends of Castle pay tribute to him and his wife talks about continuing his campaigning work.

Out of the Shadows

E103

Out of the Shadows

9/30/1997·51m

First part in a two-part documentary following the then shadow Chancellor Gordon Brown during the run-in to Labour's election victory in May 1997.

We Are the Treasury

E104

We Are the Treasury

10/7/1997·51m

Second part of a two-part documentary following Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown's transition into government, featuring his first month in office and events leading to his maiden budget.

E105

Life with Grace

10/14/1997

First part in a two-part documentary about Monaco's Princess Grace, from her Hollywood career and fairy-tale marriage to her dark side - troubled marriage, rumoured lovers, the paparazzi and her tragic early death in a car crash.

E106

Life After Grace

10/21/1997

Concluding part of a two-part documentary about Monaco's Grimaldi dynasty. After the early death of Princess Grace, the media turned their attention to her children, Albert, Caroline and Stephanie.

E107

Windsor Restored

11/20/1997

Documentary in which The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duke of York give their personal accounts of the fire that ravaged the north-east corner of Windsor Castle in November 1992; and following the restoration process.