Independent Lens - Season 27

First aired: 10/6/2025 6 episodes

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Episodes

1. Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution

Aired: 10/6/2025

Phil Sharp's RNA discovery reshaped science, medicine, and the global biotech industry.

2. Ratified

Aired: 10/20/2025

A bipartisan coalition continues a century-long fight to add gender equality into the Constitution.

3. Life After

Aired: 10/27/2025

Disabled filmmaker Reid Davenport investigates assisted dying and uncovers how ableism, policy, and systemic failures can make death seem like the only option. With gripping stories and a personal mission, Life After explores who gets real choice, and who doesn’t, in life and death.

4. Vivien's Wild Ride

Aired: 1/26/2026

When legendary film editor Vivien Hillgrove begins losing her sight, she confronts memories of loss and resilience while reinventing herself as an artist with a disability. From her groundbreaking career in cinema to her life on a small farm with her partner, Karen, Vivien’s story reveals how creativity, care, and connection can reshape what it means to see and belong.

5. The Librarians

Aired: 2/9/2026

When lawmakers seek to review a list of books, librarians find themselves on the frontlines of a national battle. Across the U.S., librarians face the impact of uniting against library collection standards that include restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. Drawing on historical context, The Librarians explores the broader implications for education and public life.

6. The Inquisitor

Aired: 2/23/2026

Explore the life and legacy of Barbara Jordan in The Inquisitor. Jordan was a groundbreaking Texas congresswoman whose sharp intellect and moral clarity transformed U.S. politics. From Nixon’s impeachment to civil rights battles, her voice demanded accountability, while she privately faced struggles few ever knew of.