True crime, amazing interviews, revisiting history and never-before heard pop-culture gossip. Here are some of the latest hot pods that I think you’ll love as much as I do.
Suspect, Season 3: Five Shots In The Dark
Part true crime, partly an attempt to overturn a wrongful conviction, Suspect takes us through the 1998 murder of Kasey Schoen. The titular suspect, Leon Benson, claims he’s innocent of committing murder. The testimony of two eyewitnesses saw it differently. He’s been incarcerated for 24 years. As the series progresses, new details are revealed on the botched case. You’ll be on the edge of your seat waiting to hear how it gets resolved.
This delicious new series is Jewish matchmaking meets true crime. It starts in Las Vegas where Dr. Bob Bierenbaum seems like a fabulous eligible bachelor. Turns out he’s creepy and controlling with a dubious past. His ex-girlfriends and their families set out to discover the truth. Host Carole Fisher (who is also one of the girlfriends) takes us through this wild, haunting and addicting tale. Bonus points for the original music and sound design. I can’t wait for the next episode.
Rachel Maddow Presents: Deja News
Rachel Maddow and co-host Isaac-Davy Aronson revisit vintage news headlines that mirror today’s times. Everything from book bans, abortion and the uprising on January 6th—history really does repeat itself. Going back provides a new perspective as to why these things are happening today.
In 1984, four black teenagers were shot on an NYC subway. The shooter, Bernhard Goetz, was known as the “Subway Vigilante”. This was one of the most talked-about events of the decade. While Goetz claims it was self defense, the facts tell another story. This saga is eerily similar to current news regarding media hype about crime, racism, guns and people who are perceived as heroes.
This is the addiction crisis meets #MeToo. Journalist Lauren Chooljian got a tip that Eric Spofford, the founder of New Hampshire’s largest addiction recovery center, was harassing and assaulting women. So she investigated and reported on it. Her piece on New Hampshire Public Radio got a lot of traction but Spofford denied the numerous on-the-record accusations. Retaliation against Chooljian becomes an unexpected part of her own reporting.
At the Yale University Fertility clinic, women complain they are in excruciating pain while getting egg-removal treatments. It’s revealed that the nurse at the clinic is taking fentanyl for herself while patients get saline. From Serial, this incredibly reported and produced series leaves you with questions about addiction and the lengths people will go to feed it—and how women’s pain complaints repeatedly go unaddressed.
Choice Words With Samantha Bee
The former Full Frontal host interviews famous women about their pivotal life choices such as “What was the career move that changed your trajectory?” And “what were the ripple effects of those choices?” Everything is on the table with guests like Rosie O’Donnell, Uzo Aduba, Judy Blume and more. Bee is such a natural conversationalist and is, of course, hilarious.
Infamous: Inside America’s Biggest Scandals
Go behind the scenes with journalists to learn what it was like covering some of the biggest current events of all time. Spearheaded by Vanessa Grigoriadas, Infamous plays back raw, never-heard-before audio from Keith Ranierie and NXIVM sex cult, the Kardashians and Girls Gone Wild’s Joe Francis. The three-episode arc on Dubai’s missing princesses is a stand out as it presents new shocking details on this still unsolved mystery.
No one knows small town crime better than Texas Monthly, and they’re back with a new series. When Susan Woods is found dead in this sleepy town, everyone assumes it was her abusive boyfriend. With some poking and prodding by journalist Bryan Burrough, it appears that the biggest suspect was in front of them the whole time, evidence and all. Why did this case go cold for so long?