Blending elements of detective work and real-life drama, “Secrets of the Dead” follows investigators as they journey across the world to uncover evidence that sheds new light on historical enigmas. This PBS series is a production of WNET New York. The earliest episodes are adaptations of programs initially created in the UK and aired on Channel 4 starting in 1999. These early episodes, acquired by PBS, are marked as (UK/PBS) in their descriptions and have been re-edited, re-branded, and re-narrated for an American audience. Episodes labeled (PBS) are original productions by PBS (thirteen/WNET).

The series has explored topics such as the Titanic, D-Day, the Shroud of Turin, the Salem Witch Trials, Blackbeard’s lost ship, and the first English translations of the Bible.

PBS launched the series in the United States on May 15, 2000, with four episodes broadcast over three days. Although the series does not follow a regular schedule, new episodes continue to be released. Each episode’s duration varies but is edited to fit within a one-hour time slot for PBS.