Series synopsis
Telemarketers is an American documentary television series that premiered on HBO on August 13, 2023. It ended on August 27, 2023. It was created by Sam Lipman-Stern. It stars Sam Lipman-Stern and Pat Pespas.
This docuseries chronicles the darkly comedic, unexpected 20-year journey of two unlikely office buddies, who stumble upon the murky truth behind the work they’ve been doing at a seedy New Jersey call center – persuading people to give money to charities – and vow to expose the crooked American telemarketing industry from within.
Premise
This docuseries chronicles the darkly comedic, unexpected 20-year journey of two unlikely office buddies, who stumble upon the murky truth behind the work they’ve been doing at a seedy New Jersey call center – persuading people to give money to charities – and vow to expose the crooked American telemarketing industry from within.
Premise: Know when to hang up.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Sam Lipman-Stern as Self
- Pat Pespas as Self
Guest cast
- Sarah Kleiner as Self
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 3 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 3 | August 13, 2023 | August 27, 2023 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Part 1 14-year-old high school dropout Sam Lipman-Stern takes a job at an unruly New Jersey telemarketing company raising money for various charities. After deciding to film the outrageous office antics, Sam and his colleague, Pat Pespas, begin to examine the company's dubious fundraising practices. |
August 13, 2023 |
| 2 |
Part 2 2009. After the Federal Trade Commission shuts down CDG, other copy-cat telemarketing companies evade regulation by taking advantage of loopholes. Undeterred, Sam and Pat journey down a wild and twisted path – learning that the questionable industry practices are pervasive. But just as they gain ground, an unexpected disappearance threatens their investigation. |
August 20, 2023 |
| 3 |
Part 3 Years later, the former coworkers reunite to continue their investigation – only to learn that even more brazen telemarketing schemes have emerged with the advent of robocalling, political action committees, and AI. After traveling the country to gather evidence, Sam and Pat bring their findings to Capitol Hill. |
August 27, 2023 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | HBO |
|---|---|
| First aired | August 13, 2023 |
| Last aired | August 27, 2023 |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Sunday at 22:00:00 |