The new year is just a couple days old, but we’ve already gotten a few new series. Which of those is worth diving into in the first weekend of the year? Let this series be your guide as we dive deep and provide you the information needed to make an informed viewing decision. Today, it’s a historical docuseries.
Series: Lockerbie: A Search for Truth
Where to Find It: All five episodes are now streaming on Peacock.
What’s It About: This new series for Peacock is rooted in history. On December 21, 1988, a bomb exploded on a plane over Lockerbie, Scotland. The debris rained down, taking the lives of 270 people on board the plane and on the ground. It was an event that shook the world and changed the lives of those who survived forever.
This new series revisits that event and the years that followed. It’s focused on the viewpoint of Dr. Jim Swire (Colin Firth), whose daughter was one of those on Pan Am Flight 103 that exploded. He was a grieving father who became determined to find answers. That was a commitment that led him on a decades-long quest for the truth.
This series begins with that fateful night and quickly transitions to the aftermath. Through the eyes of Swire, we go on a journey to fight governments and secrecy to find answers and justice. This series brings Swire’s efforts to life, putting him at the center of this fight for truth.
You Should Try It If: You’re a fan of Firth, a fan of docuseries, or want to learn more about this historical event and aftermath.
One Man’s Opinion of Lockerbie: A Search for Truth
I was a seven-year-old boy living on the coast of California when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland. That’s probably about as far away from the event—both in terms of my connection and geography—as you could get. But I remember seeing images of the crash and the aftermath on the news.
So, I was interested to learn more 30-plus years later. The pilot episode is incredibly compelling. The way it captures the event, and the terror of that night is haunting. The immediate aftermath is also quite compelling. I suspect the pilot might end up being one of the most compelling episodes of all of 2025.
The rest of what follows doesn’t reach those heights. At times, it finds an emotional core that is beautiful. But this is mostly the story of one man, his quest for justice, and his belief that the truth has not been revealed? Is he correct? We don’t really know. This series will likely be an open wound for some connected with the bombing and be a compelling open-ended question for others. But, regardless, it’s a tribute to the dogged determination of Jim Swire, and it offers a good lead performance from Colin Firth.
It's also just five episodes, all but the pilot under an hour. It makes for a quick binge that will likely entertain those who want to know more.