How many seasons does Independent Lens have?

Independent Lens has 27 seasons and 542 episodes.

Is Independent Lens renewed or canceled?

Independent Lens is currently returning. The next episode airs May 11, 2026.

Where can I watch Independent Lens?

Independent Lens is available on PBS. You can stream it on YouTube TV, PBS, Thirteen, WETA+.

When is the next episode of Independent Lens?

The next episode of Independent Lens (S27 E10) airs on May 11, 2026.

Independent Lens

Name: Independent Lens
Genre: Documentary
Released: 1999-08-09
Rating: 6.625
Cast: Stanley Tucci

RETURNING27 Seasons542 Episodes★ 6.6

NetworkPBS

First AiredAug 9, 1999

Last AiredMar 23, 2026

GenreDocumentary

Runtime60 min

This acclaimed Emmy Award-winning anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of fiction films united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions of their independent producers and featuring unforgettable stories about a unique individual, community or moment in history.

NEXT EPISODE

S27 E10NatchezMay 11, 202611d

WHERE TO WATCH

YouTube TV

PBS

Thirteen

WETA+

Data via JustWatch / TMDB

Cast

Stanley Tucci

Seasons & Episodes27 seasons · 542 episodes

0% complete

E1Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution

Oct 6, 202585m

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

E2Ratified

Oct 20, 202584m

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

E3Life After

Oct 27, 202584m

Disabled filmmaker Reid Davenport investigates assisted dying and uncovers how ableism, policy, and systemic failures can make death seem like the only option. Who gets real choice -- and who doesn't -- in life and death?

E4Vivien's Wild Ride

Jan 26, 202685m

When her eyesight begins to fade, a film editor reimagines belonging and what it truly means to see.

E5The Librarians

Feb 9, 202686m

Librarians across the U.S. examine how restrictions on library content are shaping communities. Drawing on historical context, the film explores the broader implications for education and public life.

E6The Inquisitor

Feb 23, 202686m

Barbara 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.

E7Keep Quiet and Forgive

Mar 23, 202685m

Three decades after her assault, Lizzie confronts her Amish community’s silence around sexual abuse. She leads a movement to support fellow Amish and Mennonite survivors as they navigate trauma, faith, and family ties. With rare access, Keep Quiet and Forgive follows Lizzie and other survivors as they fight to replace “forgive and forget” with healing and justice.

E8The Tallest Dwarf

Apr 6, 202686m

The Tallest Dwarf follows filmmaker Julie Forrest Wyman as she searches for her place in the little people community and unpacks rumors of dwarfism in her own family. Through intimate stories, creative collaborations, and archival history, the film delves into identity and medicine, asking whether society should change people or the structures that limit them.

E9BACKSIDE: The Unseen Hands of Horse Racing

Apr 13, 202656m

Immigrant grooms work year-round on the hidden “backside” of Churchill Downs. Rising before dawn, they care for some of the world’s most prized Kentucky Derby racehorses, revealing how race, labor, and class shape an elite American industry. BACKSIDE: The Unseen Hands of Horse Racing honors the resilience that’s behind the spectacle.

E10NatchezUPCOMING

May 11, 2026

Natchez, Mississippi, is famous for its antebellum homes, but what's left out of the tours?

E11Light of the Setting SunUPCOMING

May 18, 2026

One family. Four generations shaped by displacement and trauma.

E12Third ActUPCOMING

May 25, 2026

A filmmaker honors his father's legacy of art, activism, and resilience across generations.

E13AssemblyUPCOMING

Jun 22, 2026

Vogue, AI, and identity collide as an artist creates an exhibition honoring Black and queer culture.

E14

E14True North: Canadian Myths and Black PowerUPCOMING

Jul 6, 2026

How 1960s Montreal helped shape the global movement for Black liberation.

E15FloodUPCOMING

Jul 13, 2026

A filmmaker revisits her evangelical roots to find connection with her estranged father.

About Independent Lens

Independent Lens is a documentary series on PBS. The show first aired on Aug 9, 1999 and currently has 27 seasons and 542 episodes. Independent Lens has been renewed and is returning for more episodes. The next episode airs on May 11, 2026. It has a rating of 6.6/10 based on 16 votes. The cast includes Stanley Tucci.