In these first special programmes (2003), Louis Theroux returned to American themes, working at feature-length, this time with a more serious tone than in his earlier Weird Weekends work. For example, Louis and the Brothel takes a sympathetic look at the sex workers working at a legal brothel in Nevada whereas Under the Knife takes a more critical look at the world of plastic surgery. Other programmes cover a wide variety of topics including law and disorder and Nazis.
In March 2006, Theroux signed a deal with the BBC to produce ten films over the course of three years. In February 2009, a new contract came into force which guaranteed him another ten hour-long documentaries with the BBC.