Serial

dog_pig · 12-09-2018 3:24pm

steve_r wrote: »

It's subjective but in essence I thought it was one-sided, that it presented a narrative of "Adnan is innocent-Jay is dodgy". I think Sarah Koenig tried to row back from that in the end but I definitely feel the early episodes are too biased. (I've no problem with bias once its open and declared and people know what they are getting into).

I felt it teased a big announcement/reveal at the end and then it never delivered.

It really ignored the victim of the crime and her family and the impact it had on them.

By contrast, I felt something like "West Cork" was much more impartial and removed - I think they handled Ian Bailey far better than SK handled Adan. They challenged and checked what he was saying on a fair basis and it just seemed far more objective to me.

West Cork was respectful and thoughtful towards Sophie's family which I felt was the right way to go.

Serial is a very well made podcast with a story told very well - just one I think has some flaws.

I don't necessarily think that Serial doesn't deserve any criticism whatsoever, but I wouldn't consider these huge issues. Especially given how influential Serial has been in the podcasts series genre. I think maybe the divergent natures of the respective cases has a bigger part to play than you're giving credit to.

Outside of West Cork, can you recommend other similar series that deal better with the types of issues you've outlined?

Mr E · 19-09-2018 7:20am

Serial season 3 drops this week. It’s poised to be even better than season 1.

https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/9/17/17869050/serial-season-3-preview-premiere-date

Starts with 2 episodes tomorrow.

Mr E · 20-09-2018 11:24am

The first 2 episodes just dropped.

JaMarcus · 20-09-2018 11:30am

Mr E wrote: »

The first 2 episodes just dropped.

Was just debating with myself whether I should go for a long walk or not. There's that decision made. Nice one!

NinetyForNone · 21-09-2018 11:02am

Seems to be gone episodic, the first two could have been just an episodes of This American life

steve_r · 24-09-2018 8:28am

Enjoyed the first two episodes, the concept is very well executed, showing in a practical way how these cases pan out, and what "regular" cases say about how the system does and doesn't function.

Cienciano · 24-09-2018 9:06am

I thought episode 1 was very good.

dastardly00 · 24-09-2018 1:51pm

I found the first two episodes interesting... but this season is not drawing me in. I'll give the third episode a listen when it comes out. If it's much the same as the first two, I won't continue with anymore. I have many other podcasts that I will enjoy more.

retro:electro · 24-09-2018 2:18pm

It’s such a marked departure from the first two series that it’s taking some getting used to. I’m not as gripped as I’d like to be, so it’ll probably be one of those series I listen to when there’s no updates on other ones I’m enjoying. Although I could listen to Sarah cite the phone book, I don’t really think the content of this one was what viewers were hoping for in a third season.

Kingp35 · 24-09-2018 2:27pm

Well so far it is multiple orders of magnitude better than Season 2 which was very poor in my opinion. I enjoyed the first two episodes and I am sure there will be stories that will feature in more than one episode.

bren2001 · 24-09-2018 3:29pm

I didn't particular like listening to Emmanuel but I'm a fan of the first 2 episodes. Its an interesting departure from the one case week by week formula but I've found both very interesting.

The CCTV from the bar scene in episode 1 can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=FtWnC9Dxnek

JaMarcus · 28-09-2018 12:51pm

Anyone listened to episode 3 yet? I've listened to 1 and 2 but my fiance hasn't. Doing a road trip later and wondering if I can stick on 3 and if she'll need to have heard the first 2.

NinetyForNone · 28-09-2018 1:05pm

JaMarcus wrote: »

Anyone listened to episode 3 yet? I've listened to 1 and 2 but my fiance hasn't. Doing a road trip later and wondering if I can stick on 3 and if she'll need to have heard the first 2.

I listened to first half and it's about Police brutality, so I'd say you can stick it on.

degsie · 28-09-2018 3:57pm

bren2001 wrote: »

I didn't particular like listening to Emmanuel but I'm a fan of the first 2 episodes. Its an interesting departure from the one case week by week formula but I've found both very interesting.

The CCTV from the bar scene in episode 1 can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=FtWnC9Dxnek

Was that video from the 1980's?

8-10 · 28-09-2018 5:00pm

JaMarcus wrote: »

Anyone listened to episode 3 yet? I've listened to 1 and 2 but my fiance hasn't. Doing a road trip later and wondering if I can stick on 3 and if she'll need to have heard the first 2.

NinetyForNone wrote: »

I listened to first half and it's about Police brutality, so I'd say you can stick it on.

I haven't listened to ep 3 yet but that was the case with ep 2 also, you could have listened without missing much by not hearing ep 1

....isn't this against the whole point of Serial being serialised?

What's the point of standalone episodes? That's just like anything else then. Disappointing

Mr E · 28-09-2018 5:29pm

Season 2 was terrible because it was serialised. They dragged the arse out of it. I much prefer these standalone stories (with Cleveland as the thread that binds them). Sarah said that some of these cases will overlap, so stick with it.

8-10 · 28-09-2018 6:03pm

Mr E wrote: »

Season 2 was terrible because it was serialised. They dragged the arse out of it. I much prefer these standalone stories (with Cleveland as the thread that binds them). Sarah said that some of these cases will overlap, so stick with it.

I disagree, season 2 had promise but wasn’t an interesting enough story to engage over multiple episodes, the problem wasn’t the serialisation it was the shoehorning of a story into that format that didn’t suit it.

It’s good she’s back in the legal system but the first season worked because it was obscure enough with just enough information to work as a serial story.

I’m all for standalones stories in other podcasts and This American Life already does that well...but the whole point of Serial is what she used to say in the intro - “One story told week-by-week”

That doesn’t sound like this season

PropJoe10 · 01-10-2018 1:24pm

8-10 wrote: »

I disagree, season 2 had promise but wasn’t an interesting enough story to engage over multiple episodes, the problem wasn’t the serialisation it was the shoehorning of a story into that format that didn’t suit it.

It’s good she’s back in the legal system but the first season worked because it was obscure enough with just enough information to work as a serial story.

I’m all for standalones stories in other podcasts and This American Life already does that well...but the whole point of Serial is what she used to say in the intro - “One story told week-by-week”

That doesn’t sound like this season

It's "one courthouse told week-by-week" this season. Something different anyway sure.

Cartman78 · 09-10-2018 1:48pm

Catching up on this now.

Perfectly well produced, researched and presented etc. but nothing out of the ordinary....basically a drawn out version of "This American Life" imho

Arghus · 09-10-2018 4:23pm

I've listened to the first three episodes of Season Three. Finding it excellent so far. The knotted logic of the courts and justice system would leave you scratching your head.

PropJoe10 · 09-10-2018 7:02pm

Its an interesting season so far, I think, and good to hear about the real workings of the court system in the States. Nice change from the first two seasons.

Larsso30 · 10-10-2018 2:50pm

really enjoying the new season, first 4 have been excellent. the last one was brilliant listening, heartbreaking but brilliant

The Black Oil · 08-02-2019 11:31pm

HBO doing a thing about Adnan Syed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA1qzo2WEew

sillysmiles · 15-02-2019 1:26pm

I've just finished all of Season 3 and I definitely think it is worth listening to. I think Sarah is good at getting these guys to talk, without necessarily believing everything they say.
I found at the end of the season though that I thought the whole justice system is entirely and mindblowingly unfair.
The concept of the snowball effect and the effect that misdemeanors have in the persons future life can be huge.

nc6000 · 09-03-2019 1:01pm

No new trial for Adnan Syed.

PropJoe10 · 09-03-2019 2:58pm

nc6000 wrote: »

No new trial for Adnan Syed.

Saw that today. I'm in no way convinced that Syed is innocent, but the amount of reasonable doubt involved in that case is absolutely crazy, especially when you add the new evidence to what they originally had. The US justice system is mental.

degsie · 12-03-2019 10:35pm

PropJoe10 wrote: »

The US justice system is mental.

It's nothing to do with justice really, just revenue generation.

awec · 15-09-2022 11:53am

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62909702

Baltimore prosecutor Marilyn Mosby said an investigation now points to two other possible suspects.

On Wednesday, Mrs Mosby asked the courts to throw out Syed's February 2000 conviction and put him on trial again.

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, head of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said there is "almost no chance" Syed will face another trial considering how long he has been in prison, and the growing possibility he is innocent.

Mad!

nc6000 · 15-09-2022 12:11pm

Very interesting, especially the link to where the car was found.

nc6000 · 20-09-2022 12:13am

Even more interesting......

https://twitter.com/AineKerr/status/1571975784537161728?t=LByW4upflKUIq8Xc210CHQ&s=19

Serial

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