All stories need a great antagonist. Until 9/11, Terrorists were a reliable, exotic and diverse villain for Hollywood action movies and TV.  

Often communist, occasionally Irish but usually bearded and very, very angry, this rogues gallery had understandable aims and objectives: everything from war widows' pensions to a fat stack of cash. 

When international terrorism struck the USA at home, the tone changed.  

The psychological shock of that day dramatically changed the portrayal of terrorism from something threatening but understandable, to something terrifying and alien.  

In this episode, we explore how the seismic events of 11 September 2001 influenced the portrayal of terrorism on film and TV.