The Big Dig Season 4: Mitt & Ted, a healthcare story

Documentary series on Boston politics, infrastructure, gambling, fishing AI summary

GBH News Visit website › History · EN · 61 episodes · latest 2026-11-11 · explicit

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What it is about

“This is a town where there are three pastimes: politics, sports and revenge.” The town is Boston. Seemingly dry topics become gripping political dramas in this Peabody Award winning show from creator Ian Coss and GBH News. Each season of “The Big Dig” uncovers a different facet of society – infrastructure, gambling, food, healthcare – together the pieces connect to tell the story of modern America. Have a question for the Big Dig team? Submit it here by December 31, 2026, to be featured in an upcoming episode. Season 1: "The Big Dig" The highway project known as “The Big Dig” is infamous – a shorthand for government failure – but it all started as one engineer’s dream to correct the wrongs of the past, and its legacy is far from simple. Season 2: "Scratch & Win" America’s most successful state lottery – and its greatest innovation, the scratch ticket – all starts with mafia bookmakers and state bureaucrats going toe to toe in a battle to own the future of gambling. Season 3: "Catching The Codfather" A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against the state. Season 4: "Mitt & Ted, a healthcare story" Mitt Romney and Ted Kennedy began their political journeys on opposite sides of the healthcare issue, and they ended once again on opposite sides, but for a brief period in the middle they worked together to pass a groundbreaking law – one that promised to finally transform the politics of American healthcare – the law known as Romneycare. So what brought this odd couple together, and what ultimately pulled Mitt and Ted apart? -------------- CREDITS: Host & Creator: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producer: Isabel Hibbard Story Editor: Lacy Roberts Contact us as thebigdig@wgbh.org

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©2023 WGBH Educational Foundation

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Latest episodes

Mitt & Ted | 8. The People's Seat

2026-11-11 · 56 min · Season 4, episode 8

Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat becomes the final battle ground for healthcare reform – and the focus of Americans’ outrage on the issue. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney must reckon with his own record as he begins his run for…
Mitt & Ted | 7. Death Panels

2026-11-04 · 1 hr 1 min · Season 4, episode 7

In 2009, the moment for national healthcare reform has arrived, and there is hope that just like in Massachusetts, the effort can be bipartisan. But as negotiations begin in Washington, the politics outside the capital…
Mitt & Ted | 6. The Massachusetts Plan

2026-10-28 · 56 min · Season 4, episode 6

Immediately ‘Romneycare’ becomes the template for national healthcare reform. And while Democrats are focused on replicating the successes of the plan, there are already cracks showing in the coalition that came…
Mitt & Ted | 5. A Thousand Fathers

2026-10-21 · 1 hr 0 min · Season 4, episode 5

Time is running out for Massachusetts to pass healthcare reform. The bill’s fate now rests with the two old friends who run the state legislature and control everything that happens there. Unfortunately, these old…
Mitt & Ted | 4. Three-Legged Stool

2026-10-14 · 56 min · Season 4, episode 4

The controversial centerpiece of the Affordable Care Act – the requirement for all Americans to purchase health insurance – began its strange political journey at the conservative Heritage Foundation. In deep blue…
Mitt & Ted | 3. Save The Money

2026-10-07 · 52 min · Season 4, episode 3

After their bruising senate campaign, Kennedy and Romney reunite for a mission to lobby the Bush administration. At stake: more than a billion dollars of federal money that is propping up the state’s entire healthcare…
Mitt & Ted | 1. My Greatest Regret

2026-09-30 · 26 min · Season 4, episode 1

In the midst of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon reaches out to his rival Ted Kennedy and offers him a deal – a one time chance to reshape American healthcare, which might also save Nixon’s doomed presidency. Will…
Mitt & Ted | 2. There's Got To Be A Better Way

2026-09-30 · 53 min · Season 4, episode 2

Mitt Romney’s first political campaign was not for president or governor; it was for the U.S. Senate, and it was against Ted Kennedy. Early on the challenger looks unstoppable – handsome, eloquent, moderate – then the…
Introducing Season Four: Mitt & Ted, a healthcare story

2026-09-23 · 5 min

Healthcare is the problem American politics cannot solve. It’s the subject of screaming matches at town halls, the cause of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, the justification for political assassination…
Two Planes Are Off The Radar

2026-09-09 · 46 min · Season 3, episode 11

September 11th changed the world forever; but in particular, it changed airports. In this special episode of The Big Dig, we go inside the world of Logan Airport – the place where the 9/11 attacks began – to tell the…

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Publisher details

Oldest episode in feed: 09/2023 · over 3 years
Typical length: 40 min
Format: Serial Meant to be heard in order

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