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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThis guide covers 17 documentaries and specials announced for the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001. It is a record of programming around September 2021—not a current schedule. The titles approach the attacks and their aftermath through eyewitness accounts, first responders, government decisions, families, architecture, and culture. Current platform listings confirm only some of them, so check a title’s official listing in your country before planning to watch.
How to choose among the 17 programs
- For accounts of the day itself: look for survivor and first-responder testimony, personal video, flight histories, or accounts of the government response.
- For decisions and investigations: several programs examine missed warnings, intelligence, the FBI’s response, and the search for Osama bin Laden.
- For the long aftermath: family stories, first-responder health advocacy, New York’s recovery, and cultural responses extend beyond the events of September 11.
- For a particular format: the list includes multi-part series, one- and two-hour documentaries, oral-history approaches, and thematic films on architecture and comedy.
The schedule and descriptions below reflect Entertainment Weekly’s September 6, 2021 roundup. Listed air dates and phrases such as “available now” refer to that 2021 publication, not to today’s schedule or access.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
September 11th: Memorial Edition | $29.91 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![CNN Tribute - America Remembers - The Events of September 11th (Commemorative Edition) [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51MvenSEYLS._SL160_.jpg)
|
CNN Tribute - America Remembers - The Events of September 11th (Commemorative Edition) [DVD] | $14.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Remember - September 11, 2001 | $24.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Vito After: A 9/11 Responder Copes in the Aftermath | $39.95 | Buy on Amazon |
Programs listed as available in September 2021
9/11: One Day in America
National Geographic’s series recounts how events unfolded through interviews with survivors and first responders. Entertainment Weekly described it as a five-part series and said it was then available on Hulu. Hulu’s current official series page lists the 2021 program with one season and six episodes; the platform’s present episode count differs from the 2021 roundup. Check the listing for access in your location.
9/11: Inside the President’s War Room
This Apple and BBC documentary, narrated by Jeff Daniels, focuses on the presidency’s response in the hours after the attacks, drawing on testimony from senior officials and photographs. Apple’s official press page gives a September 1, 2021 release date and says the film is streaming on Apple TV+. That listing does not establish availability in every country.
#1 Best Overall
Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror
The five-part series examines who attacked the United States and why, missed warnings, and the war on terror through the perspectives of officials, veterans, survivors, and Afghans. Netflix’s official media-center entry identifies it as a Netflix documentary series from 2021. Check Netflix’s local catalog for current access.
Anniversary programming announced for 2021
Spike Lee’s NYC Epicenters 9/11➔2021½
This four-part HBO documentary connects the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on New York City with the two decades since September 11, using first-hand accounts and interviews. Entertainment Weekly’s 2021 roundup said more than 200 people were interviewed; that figure is attributed to the roundup rather than independently established here. The title and anniversary scheduling describe the 2021 program, not a current HBO listing.
Ten Steps to Disaster: Twin Towers
The Smithsonian Channel docuseries investigates mistakes, oversights, and missed opportunities in the period leading up to September 11. The 2021 roundup said new episodes were scheduled nightly beginning September 6, followed by archival documentaries. Those dates are historical schedule information.
Stories from the Stage: Changed Forever 9/11
This WORLD Channel/PBS special brings together three storytellers—a journalist, therapist, and college professor—to reflect on how September 11 affected their lives and the wider world.
Rank #2
Rebuilding Hope: The Children of 9/11
The Discovery+ documentary follows four families whose children were born after their fathers died on September 11. The roundup credits Ellen Goosenberg Kent as director and says it was made in association with PEOPLE.
Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11
This MSNBC/Peacock program revisits eyewitnesses who gave testimonial interviews in 2001 and asks them to reflect 20 years later.
Women of 9/11: A Special Edition of 20/20 with Robin Roberts
The ABC special focuses on women who were first responders, survived the attacks, or lost loved ones. The 2021 roundup identifies Robin Roberts as host and executive producer.
Too Soon: Comedy After 9/11
This VICE TV program looks at how comedians processed the attacks and considers the role comedy could play in their immediate aftermath.
Rank #3
No Responders Left Behind
The documentary follows John Feal, FDNY firefighter Ray Pfeifer, and Jon Stewart’s campaign for health benefits for first responders. Entertainment Weekly placed it on Discovery+’s September 9, 2021 schedule. The production company’s official page identifies it as a 2021 documentary directed by Rob Lindsay and describes Stewart and Feal’s advocacy.
The 26th Street Garage: The FBI’s Untold Story of 9/11
Narrated by Tom Selleck, this Paramount+ documentary recounts how the FBI evacuated and established a New York command center in a parking garage while investigating the attacks.
9/11: The Legacy
This one-hour History Channel documentary, narrated by Blair Underwood, follows people who lost a parent as children and their lives two decades later. Entertainment Weekly’s 2021 description said “3,000 kids lost a parent”; that is the roundup’s figure, not an independently verified statistic.
Rise and Fall: The World Trade Center
This History Channel documentary takes an architectural perspective on the World Trade Center’s development, the 1993 attack, and the towers’ destruction in 2001.
The CIA: Race Against Time – The True Story of the CIA and 9/11
The two-hour CBS program examines warnings before the attacks and the effort to find Osama bin Laden, featuring CIA officials and operatives, according to the 2021 roundup.
9/11: Four Flights
This History Channel documentary centers on the families and friends of people aboard the four hijacked planes, alongside accounts from passengers, crew members, and air-traffic controllers.
9/11: I Was There
This non-narrated, two-hour History Channel program is assembled from footage and personal video diaries recorded by people in New York on September 11 and in the weeks that followed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to check current availability
Official platform pages provide current listing information for only a subset of this 2021 group. Hulu lists 9/11: One Day in America; Apple’s press page says 9/11: Inside the President’s War Room is streaming on Apple TV+; and Netflix’s media center identifies Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror as a Netflix series. Catalogs can vary by country and change over time, so use the service’s official local listing to confirm access. The historical roundup alone does not establish where the other titles can be watched now.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
