Serial

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Serial is a podcast from the creators of This American Life, hosted by Sarah Koenig. Serial unfolds one story - a true story - over the course of a whole season. The show follows the plot and characters wherever they lead, through many surprising twists and turns. Sarah won't know what happens at th…

This American Life


    • Jan 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 41m AVG DURATION
    • 107 EPISODES
    • 8 SEASONS

    4.5 from 72,615 ratings Listeners of Serial that love the show mention: nice white parents, sarah koenig, hae, adnan syed, sarah tells, lacan, 1 and 3, criminal justice system, love serial, new trial, invoking, sarah and team, adnon, listening to serial, like season, two and three, please make another season, sarah s voice, wait for season 4, judicial system.


    Ivy Insights

    The Serial podcast is a true crime podcast that captivates listeners with its in-depth investigative reporting and compelling storytelling. It gained immense popularity, particularly with its first season, which focused on the case of Adnan Syed, who was convicted of murdering his high school ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. This podcast has become a favorite among true crime enthusiasts and has sparked discussions and debates about the criminal justice system.

    One of the best aspects of The Serial podcast is its ability to immerse listeners in the story. The host, Sarah Koenig, does an excellent job of narrating and presenting the facts in a way that keeps you engaged and wanting to know more. The pacing is well done, and each episode leaves you craving for the next one. The attention to detail and thoroughness of the investigations are commendable, making this podcast stand out from others in the genre.

    Additionally, The Serial podcast excels at bringing lesser-known cases to light. It sheds light on stories that have not received much attention or have been overlooked by mainstream media. By delving deep into these cases, it offers listeners a unique perspective and challenges preconceived notions about guilt or innocence.

    However, one aspect that some listeners may find challenging is certain stylistic choices made by the host. Some have criticized Sarah Koenig's vocal cadence during narration for being drawn-out or triggering. Additionally, there have been comments about her style being inconsistent when interviewing people versus narrating. These criticisms can be subjective and may not affect everyone's listening experience, but they are worth noting for those who prioritize smooth narration.

    In conclusion, The Serial podcast has set itself apart as one of the best podcasts in the true crime genre. Its impeccable storytelling and dedication to investigative journalism make it a must-listen for anyone interested in these types of stories. Despite some minor flaws in vocal delivery for some listeners, it remains an engaging and thought-provoking podcast that continues to produce captivating series.



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    Latest episodes from Serial

    The Good Whale - Ep. 6

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2025 35:34


    After a month at sea, Keiko pops up near a Norwegian fishing village, causing a stir among the residents and his own team of caretakers. They figure that if they wait until spring, maybe Keiko will swim off again with a wild pod. If they can all just make it to spring. Our new podcast, “The Good Whale,” is out now. Follow it here, or search for it wherever you get your podcasts.To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    The Good Whale - Ep. 5

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2025 15:00


    Keiko disappears in Icelandic waters, swimming east for four weeks. Unobserved, with no human contact. Since nobody knows what happened to Keiko during that mysterious time, we decided to recreate it — as a musical. From Keiko's perspective, naturally. Watch the music video for "The Ballad of Keiko" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1k1TQ2Lh0o Our new podcast, “The Good Whale,” is out now. Follow it here, or search for it wherever you get your podcasts.To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    The Good Whale - Ep. 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2025 34:36


    A fresh training team takes a hard-line approach and doubles down on breaking Keiko's bond with humans. By summer it seems to be working, until one day Keiko swims away. This is the moment they've all been waiting for. Our new podcast, “The Good Whale,” is out now. Follow it here, or search for it wherever you get your podcasts.To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    The Good Whale - Ep. 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2025 41:33


    Keiko finally arrives in Iceland, where years of preparation will be put to the test when Keiko gets his first chance to interact with orcas in the wild — something he hasn't done since he was a calf. It does not go according to plan. Our new podcast, “The Good Whale,” is out now. Follow it here, or search for it wherever you get your podcasts.To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    The Good Whale - Ep. 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2025 35:19


    Keiko has a new tank in Oregon and a dream team of experts that gets him into shape. But soon they start fighting over what a realistic future looks like for this golden retriever of an orca. Our new podcast, “The Good Whale,” is out now. Follow it here, or search for it wherever you get your podcasts.To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    The Good Whale - Ep. 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2025 46:06


    When the movie “Free Willy” is released, word gets out that the star, a killer whale named Keiko, is sick and living in a tiny pool at a Mexican amusement park. An environmentalist sets out to give the fans what they want: their favorite celebrity orca back in the sea.   Our new podcast, “The Good Whale,” is out now. Follow it here, or search for it wherever you get your podcasts.To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    The Good Whale - Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2024 4:40


    After the movie “Free Willy” became a hit, word got out that the star of the film, a killer whale named Keiko, was sick and living in a tiny pool at a Mexican amusement park. Fans were outraged and pleaded for his release. “The Good Whale” tells the story of the wildly ambitious science experiment to return Keiko to the ocean — while the world watched. An epic tale that starts in Mexico and ends in Norway, the six-episode series follows Keiko as he's transported from country to country, each time landing in the hands of well-intentioned people who believe they know what's best for him – people who still disagree, decades later, about whether they did the right thing. To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts.To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter.Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at serialshows@nytimes.com

    S04 - Ep. 9: This Is the Weirdness

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2024 62:08


    The criminal case against the men accused of planning the Sept. 11 attacks is the one aspect of Guantánamo that would seem to make sense – until you start watching it.

    S04 - Ep. 8: Two Ledgers

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 60:37


    Majid Khan spent years locked away in CIA black sites. What would he tell the world when he finally got the chance to speak? 

    S04 - Ep. 7: The Forever Reporter

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2024 62:23


    One reporter has been covering Guantánamo since the day the prison opened. The military would like her to go home now.

    S04 - Ep. 6: Part 2, Asymmetry

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2024 56:31


    After the worst happens at Guantánamo, the warden tries to explain it to the outside world – and to himself.

    S04 - Ep. 5: The Big Chicken, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2024 54:44


    A new warden comes to Guantánamo and decides to make some changes. A prison's a prison, he thinks. How hard could this be?

    S04 - Ep. 4: The Honeymooners

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2024 50:50


    The case against a young airman gets even weirder when the government pulls in two fresh investigators. Part 2: A bride, an FBI agent, and a polygraph machine.

    S04 - Ep. 3: Ahmad the Iguana Feeder

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2024 60:45


    An Arabic-speaking airman is sent to Guantánamo to translate, and soon finds himself at the center of a major scandal. Part 1: Suspicion swallows evidence. 

    S04 - Ep. 2: The Special Project

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2024 47:09


    In 2002, an elite interrogation team secretly staged Guantánamo's most elaborate intel operation — to try to get a single detainee to talk.

    S04 - Ep. 1: Poor Baby Raul

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2024 41:11


    Maybe you have an idea in your head about what it was like to work at Guantánamo, one of the most notorious prisons in the world. Think again.

    S04 - Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2024 2:22


    From Serial Productions and The New York Times, Serial Season 4 is a history of Guantánamo told by people who lived through key moments in Guantánamo's evolution, who know things the rest of us don't about what it's like to be caught inside an improvised justice system. Episodes 1 and 2 arrive Thursday, March 28.

    new york times guant serial season from serial productions
    An Update From Sarah Koenig

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024 0:59


    News about an upcoming project.

    The Kids of Rutherford County - Ep. 4: Dedicated Public Servants

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2023 39:19


    The lawyers settle with the county, which agrees to pay the kids who were wrongfully arrested and illegally jailed; the hard part is actually getting the kids paid. From Serial Productions and The New York Times in partnership with ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio, “The Kids of Rutherford County” is reported and hosted by Meribah Knight, a Peabody-award winning reporter based in the South.

    The Kids of Rutherford County - Ep. 3: Would You Like to Sue the Government?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2023 47:54


    Wes Clark reads a telling line in a police report about how Rutherford County's juvenile justice system really works. He and his law partner Mark Downton realize they have a massive class action on their hands. From Serial Productions and The New York Times in partnership with ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio, “The Kids of Rutherford County” is reported and hosted by Meribah Knight, a Peabody-award winning reporter based in the South.

    The Kids of Rutherford County - Ep. 2: What the Hell Are You People Doing?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2023 32:50


    A young lawyer named Wes Clark can't get the Rutherford County juvenile court to let his clients out of detention — even when the law says they shouldn't have been held in the first place. He's frustrated and demoralized, until he makes a friend. From Serial Productions and The New York Times in partnership with ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio, “The Kids of Rutherford County” is reported and hosted by Meribah Knight, a Peabody-award winning reporter based in the South.

    The Kids of Rutherford County - Ep. 1: The Egregious Video

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2023 27:52


    A police officer in Rutherford County, Tenn., sees a video of little kids fighting, and decides to investigate. This leads to the arrest of 11 kids for watching the fight. The arrests do not go smoothly. From Serial Productions and The New York Times in partnership with ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio, “The Kids of Rutherford County” is reported and hosted by Meribah Knight, a Peabody-award winning reporter based in the South.

    The Kids of Rutherford County - Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2023 3:56


    For over a decade, one Tennessee county arrested and illegally jailed hundreds, maybe thousands, of children. A four-part narrative series reveals how this came to be, the adults responsible for it, and the two lawyers, former juvenile delinquents themselves, who try to do something about it. From Serial Productions and The New York Times, “The Kids of Rutherford County” is reported and hosted by Meribah Knight, a Peabody-award winning reporter based in the South. Get it everywhere you get your podcasts on Thursday, October 26th.

    The Retrievals - Ep. 5: The Outcomes

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 53:45


    In fertility treatment, a successful outcome is defined as a healthy baby. In this story, the outcomes are complicated for everyone involved. 

    The Retrievals - Ep. 4: The Clinic

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 38:00


    What we know about what happened at the clinic.

    The Retrievals - Ep. 3: The Sentence

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 46:38


    At the nurse's sentencing hearing, the patients learn a shocking detail that forces them to confront the limits of their compassion.

    The Retrievals - Ep. 2: The Nurse

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 33:05


    The patients know what happened to them. Now they learn who did it. The story of the nurse whose own pain was also unseen.

    The Retrievals - Ep. 1: The Patients

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 56:34


    Patients at a fertility clinic experience excruciating, unexpected pain. For months the reason for that pain remains hidden. Then they get a letter from the clinic.

    The Retrievals - Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2023 4:24


    The patients in this story came to the Yale Fertility Center to pursue pregnancy. They began their I.V.F. cycles full of expectation and hope. Then a surgical procedure called egg retrieval caused them excruciating pain.Some of the patients screamed out in the procedure room. Others called the clinic from home to report pain in the hours that followed. But most of the staff members who fielded the patients' reports did not know the real reason for the pain, which was that a nurse at the clinic was stealing fentanyl, and replacing it with saline.From Serial Productions and The New York Times, The Retrievals is a five-part narrative series reported by Susan Burton, a veteran staff member at “This American Life” and author of the memoir “Empty.”Susan details the events that unfolded at the clinic, and examines how the patients' distinct identities informed the way they made sense of what happened to them in the procedure room. The nurse, too, has her own story, about her own pain, that she tells to the court. And then there is the story of how this all could have happened at the Yale clinic in the first place.Throughout, Burton explores the stories we tell about women's pain. How do we tolerate, interpret and account for it? What happens when pain is minimized or dismissed?Episode 1 of The Retrievals arrives Thursday, June 29th.

    Episode 8

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2023 36:04


    Episode 7

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2023 34:34


    Episode 6

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2023 31:18


    Episode 5

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2023 32:57


    Episode 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2023 36:08


    Episode 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2023 28:10


    Episode 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2023 23:06


    Episode 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2023 23:46


    The Coldest Case In Laramie - Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2023 4:41


    Kim Barker, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times, revisits an unsolved murder that took place while she was in high school in Laramie, Wyoming, nearly 40 years ago. She confronts the conflicting stories people have told themselves about the crime because of an unexpected development: the arrest of a former Laramie police officer accused in the murder. All eight episodes of "The Coldest Case in Laramie," a new show from Serial Productions and The New York Times, are available on Thursday, February 23rd wherever you get your podcasts.

    We Were Three - Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2022 44:20


    Rachel goes back to California, to the place where she grew up and where her brother and father died, to find answers.  For more information on 'We Were Three': https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/podcasts/we-were-three.html

    We Were Three - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2022 49:24


    Rachel retraces how her family, over decades, fell apart and came back together.    For more information on 'We Were Three': https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/podcasts/we-were-three.html

    We Were Three - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2022 43:59


    Rachel goes back to California, to the place where she grew up and where her brother and father died, to find answers. For more information on 'We Were Three': https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/podcasts/we-were-three.html

    We Were Three - Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2022 3:02


    A three-part series from This American Life producer Nancy Updike. When Rachel McKibbens's father and brother died suddenly last fall, two weeks apart, from Covid, she'd had no idea her father was sick, and no idea her brother was dying. They were unvaccinated, but the story of what happened started long before that. All three episodes of "We Were Three," a new show from Serial Productions and The New York Times, are available now wherever you get your podcasts.

    S01 Episode 13: Adnan is Out

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2022 16:53


    It's Baltimore, 2022. Adnan Syed has spent the last 23 years incarcerated, serving a life sentence for the murder of Hae Min Lee, a crime he says he didn't commit. He has exhausted every legal avenue for relief, including a petition to the United States Supreme Court. But then, a prosecutor in the Baltimore State's Attorney's office stumbled upon two handwritten notes in Adnan's case file, and that changed everything. 

    The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 8

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 47:31


    A man banned from working in education in the aftermath of the Trojan Horse letter inspires Brian and Hamza to track down one last witness with him – in Australia. And all three travelers find their faith tested.

    The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 7

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 50:26


    Birmingham authorities struggle to explain why they disavowed their own findings about the Trojan Horse plot. But when Brian and Hamza make a discovery deep inside some court documents, everything suddenly makes sense.

    The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 6

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 64:56


    Hamza takes a long, hard look at what the government found when it investigated more than 20 majority-Muslim schools in Birmingham. And our two reporters have a confrontation – with each other.

    The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 5

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 60:08


    Hamza and Brian learn that the Trojan Horse letter wasn't the only unsigned letter alleging an extremist operation was afoot in Birmingham. An interview with a couple who lodged complaints against their school starts out cordially, but six hours later, the atmosphere is so tense that not even an offer of tea can smooth things over. And Hamza stops pretending he's not angry about what he's hearing.

    The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 45:25


    A series of frustrating interviews with Birmingham politicians leaves Brian and Hamza wondering if crucial information about the Trojan Horse letter was kept from officials in London. Then one rainy Friday afternoon, Brian hears back from a government source who wants to meet right away.

    The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 38:07


    In a state of surprise, Hamza and Brian leave a meeting with the man the Trojan Horse letter was first sent to. And they learn about an internal investigation report that local officials have kept hidden, but which they think could contain a bombshell.

    The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 53:20


    Hamza and Brian think the source of the Trojan Horse letter might be hiding in plain sight. After learning about the petty personnel dispute that probably gave rise to the letter, they're even more bewildered about how it ever could have been taken seriously.

    The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 59:03


    A strange letter appears outlining a plot by Islamic extremists to infiltrate Birmingham schools. Hamza and Brian visit the supposed mastermind of the plot, and he tells them he did take over a bunch of schools – just not for the reasons in the letter.

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