You have to give credit where credit is due, and that’s why you have to thank Sarah Koenig for podcasts. If it weren’t for the popularity of “Serial,” no one would really be drawn to this form of storytelling. Even though one of the podcasts on my list has poked so many holes in the first season of “Serial” that it’s barely a relevant telling of the story of the arrest and conviction of Adnan Syed, it still stands near the top in terms of what it takes to tell a great audio story.
As a (former) journalist, it’s heartening to see that people are willing to take the time to invest in investigative work. Some of those works are featured in my list. I’m a real criminal justice nerd these days, so that’s going to be the majority of what’s featured on this list. I’ve never listened to “2 Dope Queens” and I hear it’s great. Maybe next year. Seriously. ‘Cuz I’m looking at this list and it’s pretty serious. I think I need more fun in my podcasting life. Until I find it, here’s the Top 5 in podcasts this year:
- “Undisclosed”
Like almost everyone who listens to “Undisclosed,” I listened to “Serial” first. (I’m not sure if everyone had the next reaction, which was, “Really, Sarah? You’re not gonna take a powder? Because that sounds like you’re taking a powder”) Wanting to learn more about the story of the murder of Hae Min Lee and Syed’s conviction, I hit up Google, hard, and came up with this gem. The podcast, hosted by Rabia Chaudry, Colin Miller and Susan Simpson, basically did more in just the first three episodes to shed a harsher light on the case against Syed and the murder investigation. But that was last year.
(OK, I have to say this. This year, Syed had another post-conviction hearing, and the judge determined that he should have a second trial. Much of the evidence presented was uncovered by the “Undisclosed” crew. And Koenig is proving to be an utterly classless act by refusing to acknowledge the UD crew, and their contribution to the case. That’s not cool, Sarah.)
This year, listening to the podcast has been a lot like watching a child develop from an infant to a toddler to an independent human. This year, the podcast has developed in quality and has an executive producer, Dennis Robinson — and also added a weekly addendum hosted by Jon Cryer. The actor. Yes. I thought that was odd, too, but basically it works … really well. Beyond that, “Undisclosed” this year, focused on another conviction that is probably not legit — Joey Watkins’. As with last season, they break down each questionable piece of the prosecution’s case. They’re still digging, and it sounds like they’re really getting under the skin of Floyd County officials, who “built” the case against Joey. Like the first season, there’s cell-phone evidence and it’s mind-blowing and go listen and learn more about the law and the specter of bad convictions.
2. “In the Dark”
http://www.apmreports.org/story/2016/09/07/in-the-dark-1
This is a very close No. 2. Because what Madeleine Baran was able to do in nine episodes with a 20-year-old cold case that was solved just before the first episode of “In the Dark” aired was inspiring, and an encouraging reminder that good journalism still has a place, even as news outlets continue to peddle bite-sized content with social media in mind.
What did she do? She offered a closer look at the investigation into the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling, a 12-year-old boy who was snatched off a Minnesota street one night at gunpoint. Knowing from the beginning that the Jacob’s murderer was finally captured actually serves as a way to clear the air and get to the finer points of the investigation, the far-reaching consequences of the Wetterling case and the responsibilities of law-enforcement officials. What they owe us. Honestly, the line “Did you guys find my Batmobile?” is just the most mind-blowing one to me this season. I won’t tell you what it means. Go listen to “In the Dark.” Like, now.
3. “Breakdown”
This is the sophomore season for this podcast as well, and in following along with the “Serial” template, host Bill Rankin, he ran into an unexpected hurdle. This season covered the case of Justin Ross Harris, who was facing murder charges and accused of intentionally leaving his toddler son, Cooper, in his car on a hot Cobb County, Georgia day. Rankin analyzed the arrest of Harris, and how he came to face criminal charges in the matter. And just as the jury selection stage had been completed, the judge agreed to a change of venue because she felt the jury pool had been tainted by publicity. So “Breakdown,” well, took a break. When it returned, Rankin walked listeners through the events of each week. Of course, Rankin’s challenge was that Harris’ case was nationally known, due in part to what Ross had been doing the day his son died — sexting. But Rankin brought in experts and also details about what he witnessed at trial — what Ross was doing when the verdict came in, etc. Being the old-school journalist that he is, he never really tells you what to think about this trial and verdict, but he gives you the information you need to form an opinion. (News flash: Actually, all news used to be like this, but now it is journalism to tell, or yell, to people how to think. OK. I’m getting off my soapbox.) I came away from the podcast, once again, a bit skeptical about whether Harris was convicted because there was compelling evidence that he did this horrible thing on purpose or because he was a bad husband and had a nasty sex addiction problem. Also, this podcast wins for the most haunting theme music. *shivers*
4. “Accused”
http://www.cincinnati.com/series/accused/
This was a different take on your average true-crime podcast. In it, host Amber Hunt takes a deep dive into the murder of Elizabeth Andes, who was found dead in her apartment in 1978. Hunt, a reporter for the Cincinnati Examiner, reveals that police arrested a suspect — Andes’ boyfriend, Bob Young, but the lack of evidence led to a not-guilty verdict. Young was also sued in civil court by Andes’ family, which was also unsuccessful. Here’s what really should bother people about this case. After Young’s non-conviction, the police dug in their heels and refused to reopen the investigation because they felt they got it right. This is, in a word, ridiculous and outrageous and horrible for Elizabeth’s family and friends. That was more than one word. So Hunt is trying to do now what the police have refused to do — try to uncover new evidence that would lead to the real killer. One of the highlights was Hunt’s conversation with “Buzz” Caul, who worked with Andes at a restaurant. It is just creepy and might be the most chilling moment in podcasting this year. I don’t want to blow it for you, but the other highlight involves a tribute to the music montages of the 1980s.
5. “Truth and Justice”
The best thing about “Truth and Justice” is host Bob Ruff’s unadulterated disgust at the injustice he encounters, no matter what the case is, and his determination to do everything he can to make it right. The worst thing about “Truth and Justice” is that disgust in unedited form.
This was another “Serial” follow-up for me. Ruff took on the Adnan Syed case from an investigative standpoint (he’s a former fire chief) and this year he’s taken on the cases of Kenny Snow and (more predominately) Edward Ates. Ates has been in prison for the 1993 murder of Elnora Griffin, but it appears that there is precious little evidence of his involvement. In the process, he’s uncovered a lot of new evidence and pissed off many officials in Texas. He’s doing a lot of great work and might be the driving force behind the reversal of Ates’ conviction, if that is what happens.
Here’s the problem, though. Ruff’s unscripted approach is hard to handle. He repeats things a lot. Like, a lot. Like, ‘you could shave 10 minutes off each episode’ a lot. The production quality is also lacking. Ruff appears to be following the “Undisclosed” model closely, recently adding a follow-up episode that addresses questions from previous episodes and has hired an executive producer. But when the EP spaces out while the host is answering a listener question, well, that’s not good.
Still, we need more podcasts that force us to take a closer look at the criminal justice system. Complaining about polish is nothing compared to Ruff’s bell-ringing. At the same time, the lack of quality and attention to editing can be distracting.
Honorable mention: “Historically Black”
This probably would have leapfrogged “Truth and Justice” if I had listened to more of it. I got a little sidetracked by the presidential election. But so far, I’m getting goose bumps listening to the Million Man March entry — that was my freshman year in college. I’m looking forward to seeing the great stories unearthed by this podcast.