True Crime Podcasts

Recently started listening to one called Murder Mile. Surprised no one has mentioned it up to this point.

It's UK True Crime and the guys style is a bit eccentric. I think the narrator himself is a bit "off". But I kind of like his blackly comic style.

I don't really know why in this case it works for me, I usually hate comedic true crime, there's something so wrong usually for me when I get the sense that cruelty and murder is being played for a laugh.

But the guy knows how to tell a good story and the scripting is very witty and the wordplay is tight. And he's a talented enough voice artist too. I think I find it easier to stomach his comedy, because I think he uses it more in the service of portraying the narcissistic and selfish side of the murders. He doesn't really mock the victims.

The most bizarre aspect of the pod is the feature at the end of most episodes of a segment called the "mini-mile". It's got nothing to do with the true crime, just the host going on about his daily life. And this guy is a bit odd. He'll fill you in on his living situation - he lives on some houseboat - his battle with his weight - a never ending battle, he loves cake, and all sorts of other stuff.

It feels unusual to hear this fella going on about all this minuatae and typically he's verbally ticking and bleeping away the whole time. It can feel like you are listening to a man have a low key nervous breakdown.

But, it is at the end and you don't have to listen to it and at the end of a multipart series he'll release an omnibus edition of the series with all the episodes compiled together but with all his audio diary and tourettes stuff cut out.

It's strange, the whole show is strange. I'm surprised that it isn't a bit more of a cult thing. It's definitely one of the more idiosyncratic true crime pods out there.