Plot Synopsis

WHEN BIG THINGS GO WRONG is a one-hour documentary series that examines the catastrophic result of some of the world's worst engineering disasters caught on tape. Each 60-minute episode breaks down shocking footage from collapses and collisions to reveal the shocking answers to the question: "what happened?" Using graphics, eyewitness accounts, and expert knowledge, the series unravels the mystery behind these destructive moments and their lasting worldwide impact. Episodes include:

"Overloaded" (Sunday, October 10, 2021 at 10pm): In the heart of Minneapolis, the busy I-35 bridge collapses at the peak of rush hour traffic. As the city reels, the question on everyone's mind: how did an enormous steel bridge fail without warning? The mystery is unlocked through clues from other disasters -- from a bridge in Florida, to a collapsing crane in Wisconsin -- these moments reveal a remarkable tale of fatal miscalculations, and sheer bad luck.

"Ripple Effect" (Sunday, October 17, 2021 at 10pm): A state-of-the-art high-speed train catastrophically crashes in Spain. In service less than a year, its derailment shocks the world. So what can an out of control cruise liner in Venice, a military air crash in Afghanistan, and the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, uncover about one of the deadliest rail disasters in Spain's history?

"Man vs. Machine" (Sunday, October 24, 2021 at 10pm): A Boeing 777 crash lands into the San Francisco Airport with no warning, leaving everyone baffled. As engineers race to figure out what happened, they turn to other disasters, from a cruise ship out of control, a spy plane crashing in Germany, and a high-speed train derailment in Taiwan -- to unveil the complicated relationship between humans and machines.

"Doomed from the Start" (Sunday, October 31, 2021 at 10pm): Italy suffers one of the worst engineering disasters when the Morandi bridge suddenly collapses. Built in the 60s, it was thought to be indestructible, so what went wrong? And what can failures of a Brazilian Dam, a Manilla high rise, and a building in Jerusalem reveal about its fall? The shocking answers uncover the dangerous flaws that might have doomed these structures from the start.

"Hidden Flaws" (Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 10pm): 37,000-feet over Iowa, a DC-10 airplane explodes mid-flight. The quick-thinking pilot crash-lands, saving the lives of 184 passengers. But how could this disaster happen? And what connection do the answers share with the infamous Concorde crash, a fatal British skyscraper fire, and a North Dakota train derailment?

"House of Cards" (Sunday, November 14, 2021 at 10pm): In busy downtown New Orleans a high-rise hotel under construction unexpectedly comes crashing to the ground. As the dust settles, the question on everyone's lips: why? And what connection do the answers share with an air show crash in Reno, a tower block fire in Iran, and a shopping mall collapse in Mexico City?