"Serial" the Podcast

"Serial"—Teenage Murder Mystery

Sarah Koenig investigates and narrates a compelling murder mystery after speculation of a botched trial. Her spoken-word journal will take you back to 1999, when it happened.

By: Nicco Fox

Mugshot of Adnan Syed

Dive deep into the 1999 murder of Baltimore teen Hae Min Lee with Sarah Koenig's "Serial". The podcast blends elements of journalism and entertainment that piqued my curiosity and enthralled me the entire time. The premier episode looks into the background of convicted suspect Adnan Syed. With no concrete evidence and a less-than-perfect trial, Syed's innocence is up for debate.

Sarah's narration of her investigation is unlike anything I have heard before. Her in-depth analysis and scrutiny of every minute detail encouraged me to analyze the story with consideration. Hopefully presenting the case in such a captivating way gives it the attention it deserves. I think journalistic media presented in this format could be the future of news consumption.

The popularity of "Serial" sheds new light provided by multiple perspectives a quarter of a century later. Adnan Syed's trial led to a conviction based on uncertain and debatable factors. If Adnan Syed is innocent the case is long overdue for reanalysis. Reinvestigating this heart-wrenching murder could potentially allow Adnan to be the free man he deserves to be and could provide Hae Min Lee's family with closure. If Adnan is not damned for good, then maybe another look will bring the true culprit out in public. Either way, the family of the victim certainly wants to know the slayer gets what they deserve.

Listening to the story injects life and emotion into the account in a way written content could never fathom. I enjoyed the use of music and recorded media. Being able to hear the tone and emotion from the testimonies allows consumers to assess the authenticity of each source. While being able to illustrate the situation in a way paper can't, it does make it more challenging to recall and consider all facts at once.

Koenig opens the podcast by discussing the challenges of memory. How well do you think you could remember the events of a given day? What issues or concerns does this raise for you about the rest of the podcast?

Having the story come back to light a lifetime later, how credible can sources be? Recalling what I wore two days ago can sometimes be hard to remember. If I were asked to recall events from a quarter century ago, I imagine the facts would be hazy and diluted. Although engaging, I worry that facts could potentially be manipulated in the time since the murder. What is stopping characters from providing false testimonies? What if Adnan has convinced himself that he is innocent Nixon-style? The truth is up for debate and ultimately for you to decide.

Overall, "Serial" is a must-listen for any true crime lovers. Sarah Koenig's unorthodox delivery is more than effective and will keep you hanging on every word. Listen to the podcast at serialpodcast.org.