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Can’t Stop / Serial

9 years ago by

Can’t Stop / Serial

Okay, so I’m a little late to the party here. You know something has hit critical mass when your grandmother (albeit my grandmother is super #trendy) tells you about a podcast you should really listen to, called Serial.

I downloaded and binge-listened to Serial (brought to you by This American Life) while on vacation. It’s the story of a pretty fishy murder that actually happened, told week by week from reporter Sarah Koenig. I was hooked instantly. The 12 episode series reexamines and hopes to shed new light on a crime that was committed over 15 years ago and has a whole cast of characters that you come to love and hate. Maybe it’s my journalism degree or my love for SVU kicking in here but I couldn’t get enough of it.

So now that I’ve listened to the first season (please, God, let there be a season 2 with a whole new story), I’m wondering — what did you think? If you’ve listened to Serial I’m curious to get your opinion! And if not, are there any podcasts that you love? I need something new to listen to!

28 comments

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  • I literally JUST finished listening to the first episode…I was hooked after about 15 minutes! What in intriguing story, can’t wait to see how it plays out.

  • I listened to all of them and love visiting the Reddit Serial forum. At first I thought there was no way he did it, but I just get a vibe from ALL of them that people are lying and I do not know why. Poor Hae.

  • I was addicted to it! So interesting and well produced that I am recommending it to everyone I know :). I also hope they carry on with another story ( fingers crossed) x

  • I felt desperate too after finishing Serial! I can recomment StartUp, it’s a good one and there is still Radio Lab – a classic but you always learn crazy things!

  • Thanks Alexia! I’ll be sure to give these a listen.

  • I didn’t start yet, I’ll sure do. I began by reading these 3 articles from Natasha Vargas-Coopers about Jay. https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/12/29/exclusive-interview-jay-wilds-star-witness-adnan-syed-serial-case-pt-1/
    Your diploma in journalism should have taught you to check all sides of the story… I’m not saying that these written interviews are better but just that sensationalism never goes hand in hand with credibility.
    For what I read about Sarah Koenig in these articles, it’s not pretty. I mean, yes she’s a journalist, but she’s not a laywer. It’s kind of horrible to go dig the mud like that just for money (money for her, of course).

    Je n’ai pas encore écouté, mais je vais le faire. J’ai commencé par lire les articles (en anglais) de Natasha Vargas-Coopers à propos de Jay.
    Avec un diplôme de journalisme en poche, vous devriez savoir qu’il faut toujours analyser plusieurs faces d’une histoire. Je ne dis pas que l’interview de Vargas-Coopers est meilleure, mais que sensasionalisme et crédibilité ne riment certainement pas ensemble.
    Pour ce qui est dit à propos de Sarah Koening dans ces article, c’est pas joli joli. OK elle est journaliste, mais elle n’est en aucun cas juriste. Je trouve ça assez malsain d’aller remuer la boue là-bas, juste par appât du gain (non je n’arrive pas à voir ça comme la gentille journaliste qui va défendre l’opprimé).

  • You’rer so scathing Ziloa and you haven’t even listened to the series yet! Like you said you need to listen to both sides of the story so why not actually listen to Serial before you form an opinion based on the opinions of others!

  • Well now I did listen to it and I still have the same opinion. Happy?

  • I loved it! And I’m also in love with death sex and money http://www.wnyc.org/shows/deathsexmoney/

  • Thanks for the recommendation Lais! I’ll be sure to download. x

  • Nicholas January, 6 2015, 12:28 / Reply

    If you’re a fan of the podcast, Jay finally broke his silence for The Intercept. He gave a 3 part interview, that is rather interesting. Once again his story changes and he offers more details to this case.

    https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/12/29/exclusive-interview-jay-wilds-star-witness-adnan-syed-serial-case-pt-1/

  • I’m so excited!! I hope they do it sooner rather than later :)

  • that sounds so cool — like what they used to do back in the days when tv wasn’t around and everyone would gather around the radio and listen to the radio show!

    Giveaway on my blog!

    http://hashtagliz.com

  • I listened through three or four episodes and gave up. So slow. The same stuff over and over. He said. She said. He said. She said. He said. She said …

  • Virginie January, 6 2015, 3:29 / Reply

    I listen the “Sounds in my Head” from this guy called Daniel, who help me discover new music than nobody else’s know about!

  • Hi Emily,

    Yes, my son told us about it and it was the topic of email and in-person discussions over the holidays. If you are interested in more information about the case — and you think that our justice system only works for some of us (mostly white middle-class people like myself) then you might also want to take a look at Rabia’s blog: http://www.splitthemoon.com/ She is the relative who first got in touch with Sarah Koenig.

    Like you, I have a writing, journalism background so beyond the story, I found the choices Sarah made in how she presented the information quite fascinating. A good listen all the way around! #freeadnan

  • Delphine January, 6 2015, 5:24 / Reply

    LOVED Serial….
    and I listen to
    The Moth
    Radio Lab
    This American Life
    Here is the thing
    The Bret Easton Ellis podcast
    The Dinner Party download
    Fresh Air
    The Monocle: The Stack

    Thanks for asking recommendations! I am always looking for new ones!
    HAPPY NEW YEAR!
    DDV

  • Marguerite January, 6 2015, 5:33 / Reply

    Before you go to ANY other podcast, you need to listen to Slate’s Serial Spoilers and Serially Obsessed (this one is done by three women). Both additional analysis of Serial from producers, journalists, and lawyers/prosecutors, both well done, and both posting new eps after Serial ended (Slate just did an analysis of the Jay Wilds interviews on Firstlook). Have fun down the rabbit hole (I didn’t even mention the Reddits…ooops).

  • Thanks Emily for the idea, check these 20 not to miss podcasts:
    http://popwatch.ew.com/2015/01/05/best-podcasts-2015

    I’m going to catch up on Serial and try Call Your Girlfriend

    http://www.pinterest.com/GeraldineTrip

  • Favorite podcasts: 99% Invisible, Strangers, Love and Radio, New Yorker Fiction podcast, Criminal, Slate’s “Working” podcast AND SO MANY MORE. I just love podcasts…

  • Caroline January, 7 2015, 10:53 / Reply

    Loved it, recommended it to most people I know and even heard a great theory about what really happened… Not sure I can say more about it here without spoiling it for the readers who haven’t listened to it yet…

  • I tried listening to SERIAL – but I really don’t like listening about murder…but it did get me into exploring the podcast world! I have waaay too many subscriptions but so far…

    For cooking – I like: Radio Cherry Bombe / America’s Test Kitchen / The Splendid Table
    For productivity – I like: Beyond the To Do List. I’ve also listened to one episode of Tranquility Du Jour and thought it was good.
    For art – I’ve listened to a couple of episodes from Studio Break – about artists (not “celebrities”) and their process/growth. I always need to be inspired by the persistence and patience and perseverance of normal artists.
    For literature/writing – I listened to the last 2014 episode of A Tiny Sense of Accomplishment. Two compelling short stories were read. Fun.

    I’m thinking Garance needs to do a podcast!

  • Hi Emily! I just finished binge-listening to Serial, too. It made me feel nostalgic for a time I never lived in – listening to a radio program by my imaginary fireplace. Really great storytelling and I still don’t know if he did it. I theorized for a while about Jay and Jen doing it, but seems farfetched.

    I just started listening to a podcast series named Criminal, which seems pretty interesting so far!

  • Hi Beth!
    Brie and I were discussing the Jay & Jen theory yesterday as well–there might be something to it, but who knows!
    Thanks for recommending Criminal–I’m going podcast crazy now!
    xx

  • Tiens nous au courant si c’est le cas please!

  • Dear Emily,

    I was so surprised to read this post earlier today. A friend recommended Serial to me just little over a week ago and I am hooked on crime podcasts ever since. After binge listening to Serial (I am still not over having finished all twelve episodes), I changed to Criminal (not bad) and am now listening to Sword and Scale (okay, but a little too gruesome at times). However, my favorite find is nothing like Serial (not in any way related to crime), but definitely deserves mention. It’s The Moth! Basically, it is’s just real people telling real stories. Like life, sometimes it’s hilarious, sometimes it makes you chuckle and there are moments when you just don’t know what to make of it. I am sure The Moth is going to get me through waiting for Serial Season 2. Happy Listening! Bisou, Hope

  • A friend recommended me this podcast, I haven’t listened to pod casts in ages but I know they are beginning to trend again! I am going to download this series to listen to on my next long haul flight …… hope your holiday was good with love from sojustnice.com

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