Plot Synopsis

MODEL AMERICA is a four-part documentary series that dissects America's complicated relationship with race through the lens of the people of Teaneck, New Jersey, a "racial utopia" turned unlikely ground zero for the modern Black Lives Matter movement. Episodes include:

"Paradise Lost" (Sunday, September 18, 2022 at 10pm): Friends, family members and neighbors recall the day 16-year-old Phillip Pannell was shot and killed by a white police officer, Gary Spath; rumors and misinformation spread, raising doubts about whether Teaneck is actually a racial utopia.

"A Town Divided" (Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 10pm): The community begins to splinter as residents pick sides in the shooting death of Phillip Pannell; Town hall meetings devolve into shouting matches and expose systematic and institutional racism in Teaneck's "model community."

"The Trial" (Sunday, October 2, 2022 at 10pm): A grand jury refuses to indict Officer Gary Spath and a second grand jury is empaneled, infuriating supporters of Officer Spath; Thousands of police officers from across the state show up at a rally, inflaming the already fraught community.

"Say His Name" (Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 10pm): Gary Spath takes the witness stand and gives emotional testimony, highlighting his belief that his life was in danger the night he shot Phillip Pannell; The jury deliberates for nine hours before coming back with the verdict.