Tuesday 11 November 2014

Okay, so I'm the last person in the world to catch on - but Serial is completely addictive and far more compelling than anything currently on television.

I'm fascinated by this innovative style of campaigning investigative journalism ...  Apparently,  there are 850,000 podcast downloads of Serial each week which means it is doing better than most national newspapers with their plummeting circulations. (I have an old-fashioned fondness for print so this makes me sad - but I've stopped them buying them, too.)

Serial, in case you don't know, is a re-investigation of a real-life crime story from 1999. These are real people - real witnesses - real interviews. Someone is really in prison, rightly or wrongly.  There may or may not be a real killer still at large.

It is gripping. It is brilliantly well-crafted. And yet it makes me uncomfortable.

It's door-stepping by the mob. Re-trial by podcast.

I'm not sure about the ethics but I confess I'm hooked.

4 comments:

Lucille said...

I read about this in the Metro yesterday. They were talking about etiquette in listening parties. I felt very old and slightly uneasy too.

mary said...

I remember having Twin Peaks parties, Lucille - and according to today's paper, they're making a new series.

Nomey said...

Oh yes, I'm unashamedly hooked on Serial ... I see nothing wrong with looking closely at what might have been a dodgy conviction and think it's good that we can scrutinise the way the police and lawyers work. Do you know how long Serial is? I've just listened to episode 8 and may have re-arrange a few things if it goes on over Christmas and New Year.
Thank-you for a wonderful blog, you usually have me nodding my head in agreement as I read it, most recently over newspapers. Jane.

mary said...

I'm still catching up, Jane. I don't know how long it's going to run; they seem to be writing it as they go along. But I read somewhere that they're looking for a second case to make another series. Brilliant idea! Everybody I know seems to have got hooked over the last week or so (being middle aged ladies who catch on a bit late!)