Christmas came early for Serial fans Thursday, who woke up to discover that season two of the Peabody-winning podcast had been released at 6am.
As a rabid fan, I immediately hit play on episode one of season two, smiling at the familiar and infamous “Mail … kimp?” ad and studiously paying attention to details of the story.
You would’ve thought I was cramming for a final exam, not enjoying a podcast from the creators of This American Life. But I’m not alone.
The NPR pedigree – Serial’s first episode aired on top-of-the-charts This American Life – initially brought many listeners to the show, but it’s Sarah Koenig’s work that made them stay. I hit play on the premiere episode on a bus ride between New York City and Washington DC; Koenig’s captivating storytelling made the journey fly by.
Serial was the first podcast ever to reach 5m downloads; episodes were eventually downloaded more than 100m times. It brought the term “binge listening” to the mainstream and created a legion of devoted fans that took to the internet after every episode to dissect each minute detail of the case – a 1999 murder in Baltimore.
Season one told the tragic tale of Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old high school senior murdered in 1999. Her ex-boyfriend, 17-year-old Adnan Syed, was eventually convicted of the crime and is currently serving a life sentence plus 30 years; he maintains his innocence.
While internet sleuths dissected the case on Reddit’s Serial subreddit, the water cooler conversation at offices around America quickly became, “How reliable are cell tower records?”, “Why doesn’t anyone remember a pay phone outside Best Buy?” and “But what about Jay?”
We may not have “must-see TV” anymore, but for a few months in late 2014, Serial became a must-listen podcast. You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing about Adnan and Hae Min, “mail kimp” and the Crab Crib. Even Sesame Street wasn’t safe from the Serial effect.
Koenig and producer Julie Snyder eventually took Serial on the road; during a mini tour, the pair discussed the process of making the show and answered audience questions. (Yes, someone asked whether Koenig thinks Adnan is guilty or innocent. Yes, Koenig gave the same answer she did at the end of season one – no spoilers!).
Season two takes on another controversial story: Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, who was held by the Taliban for five years and later charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy; he faces the possibility of life in prison.
To tell the tale, host Koenig and her team have joined forces with screenwriter Mark Boal, who developed a relationship with Bergdahl and eventually captured 25 hours of recorded interviews, which he shared with the Serial team.
News that Serial season two would cover the Bergdahl case – a completely different direction from season one – was met with mixed reactions, but as Koenig wrote in a blog post Thursday morning, “Our first season was about a murder case few people had heard about. Season Two is a story a gazillion people have heard about: the story of Bowe Bergdahl … Unlike our story in Season One, this one extends far out into the world.”
It remains to be seen how this season will actually unfold. In the premiere episode, listeners heard Bergdahl in his own words describe his decision to walk away from base in Afghanistan and, eventually, wind up surrounded by Taliban motorcycles.
The episode ended in typical Serial fashion: with a cliffhanger that left you wanting more. Phone rings. “Hello?” [pause] “That’s me, calling the Taliban.”
Boom. Mic drop.
Shortly after season two premiered, a friend wrote on Facebook, “When I saw the topic I [wasn’t] so sure. But one episode down I’m hooked again.”
It remains to be seen whether America – and the rest of the world – gets re-hooked too ... but as of Thursday afternoon, Serial is again the No 1 podcast on iTunes.
.png?w=600)
