If you’ve ever had a conversation with me of any length, you will learn that I am that person who will happily open-mouth breathe and geek out when I talk about my favorite podcasts.  #noshame

It all started with Serial.  I had no idea what a podcast was or how to access a podcast, but I saw a SNL sketch with Cecily Strong (mocking Serial in the best way possible) and that’s when I was like, “OK – I need to get on the bandwagon!”  It still took me about six months, but I finally figured out podcasts (I know, I know — it’s the easiest thing ever and I actually hate typing out that I was kind of totally stupid about figuring out my library and automatic downloads,  etc.) and naturally, I wanted to check out Serial.

It was good fortune (at that time) that I had a 50 minute commute to work because I dove into Serial’s first season and became so incredibly engaged in the story of Adnan Syed.  I loved the theories and rigorous research that Sarah Koenig poured into the story and I found myself getting annoyed and angry at the justice system, Adnan, and everything in between.  When I finished that first season, I noticed that I was impatient listening to music in my car. I realized that I was jonesing for some more.

It’s no secret that this whole phenomenon of true crime stories has totally blown up in pop culture.  I mean, there are a plethora of hilarious (and accurate) memes about true crime fandom, such as this jewel:

But, I wasn’t just into true crime.  After completing season 1 of Serial, I was craving great story-telling.  I googled other great podcasts and landed on NPR’s “This American Life” hosted by Ira Glass.  If you are not hip to “This American Life” — it’s truly wonderful.  There’s usually 3 stories all with a similar theme, but the journalism/story-telling is surprising and heart-felt and just so great.  It’s still one of my favorite podcasts to listen to as I’m walking in the neighborhood or cleaning around the house.  However, as absolutely magnificent as TAL is, it’s episodic and not serial.  I was craving a good, serial series to get back into after, well, Serial. Enter: Up and Vanished.

Season 1 of Up and Vanished is up for some debate.  I was listening to it as events were happening in real time, so I was super interested and basically shook every Monday when new episodes, case files, and Q&As were dropped.  I went back and re-listened to the entire season and can see how some are put off by the rabbit holes that Payne Lindsay and Maurice Godwin chased in the early episodes. Regardless, I was hooked to that podcast and was so intrigued with the GBI and the Duke/Dukes accusations, as well as finding justice for Tara.

Season 2 of Up and Vanished just didn’t do it for me.  It was super hard to connect and relate to the entire story.  If you have NO idea what it’s about, here’s a general synopsis: Kristal Reisinger was a young, single mother whom some would call “lost.”  She seemed to be into mysticism and was seeking something great “out in the great wide wonder” of Colorado.  She had a premonition that something bad would happen to her and, lo and behold, she up and vanished.

It’s incredibly sad, make no mistake of that.  However, she was a hard person to relate to.  She seemed very flakey and while she did not deserve any foul play, the average listener probably couldn’t feel as empathetic as they would have liked.  Regardless, Payne Lindsay deserves some credit for the immense research and passion he puts into his projects.  I highly recommend Atlanta Monster, as well.

However, if you want to know my personal opinion on the GREATEST TRUE CRIME PODCAST IN THE GAME? That would be none other than Crime Junkie hosted by Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat.  This is an episodic podcast that highlights old and current cases, solved and unsolved, and they provide intelligent dialogue and discussion without going down rabbit holes.  They ALWAYS highlight the victim and advocate for victim’s rights and their families.  They’ve raised crazy money for Crime Stoppers and I am incredibly jazzed to see them in Dallas later this year.  #goals

If you are not a true crime, serial loving person, another EXCELLENT podcast that I love is the delightful Dax Shepard and Monica Padman in Armchair Expert Podcast. Warning: the theme song will stay with you for days, weeks, months, and potentially YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.  It’s so dang catchy.  Dax Shepard has surprised me in each episode with his own vulnerability and exquisite way of getting a deeper, better, more personal and human look at some of our favorite actors, experts, and everything in between. Seriously, you should be listening to this podcast even if you don’t like podcasts.

However, I do feel I need to warn you about a significant side effect of excessive podcast listening.  You will be finding yourself in a normal social situation and something will be mentioned that reminds you of a very unique little fact you gained from listening to a podcast and you’ll drop that little knowledge bomb and you’ll CREDIT that you LEARNED it from a PODCAST and inevitably someone will call you a dork and you’ll feel that hurt deep down in your bones because you know it’s true.  But — and this is important — you won’t care because you’ll have an odd feeling of superiority when it’s all said and done because you’re so cool and hip and intellectual for feeding your brain with cool, hip, intellectual words from the wonderful recesses of the internet.  And then you will realize these feelings of superiority will wane and you’ll be right back where you started: an open-mouth breathing geek jonesing for the latest episode of Crime Junkie because you are NEEDING to hear Brit Prawat say “full. body. chills.” Welcome to the madhouse, friends. The water is warm!