Serial Podcast • Page 2

I've kept up with this season so I guess I'll listen to the final episode, but I've been pretty underwhelmed.

I'll pretty much echo what most everyone is saying that season 1 was great, but season 2 hasn't really brought much to the table. I think having a season based around something relatively unknown is key.

I certainly wasn't familiar with all the details surrounding Bowe Bergdahl, but I knew way more about him going into this season than I did about the topic from last season (which was zero).

There were a couple episodes this season that I struggled to make it through or that I zoned out and had to go back a few minutes to re-listen.

Still, the season 1 updates were nice, although I wish they would have kept them coming! It was a bit of a bummer that those updates ended because Sarah had to leave town. Too bad they couldn't have had someone else there reporting. All in all, I can't complain too much about a free podcast. I just hope that season 3 can be more in the vein of season 1!

 

I feel like he season 1 updates came at a time when everyone had jumped off the Serial bandwagon and they were trying to draw listeners in again.

 

Serial season 2 finale finally has an airdate

From the end of the article "The follow-up has, however, been a resounding success; with season 2 surpassing the 50M download mark"

50 million downloads is pretty impressive. From what I can tell, season 1 had roughly 40 million downloads by the end of that season (The 'Serial' podcast: By the numbers - CNN.com).

I just thought that was interesting.

 

I don't know how you judge it but how many actually played it. I can tell you for a fact my wife just stopped listening to it but they are accumulating on her iPhone.

 

Yeah, that's a good point. I'm pretty sure that the number only refers to downloads, not listens. I'm sure a lot of people fit that description.

 

So S2 finally ended? That's nice...

 

Basically how I felt when I found out it was the last episode.

 

I loved season 1 and was hooked instantly. I listened to maybe 3 episodes of season 2 and have no desire to finish...

 

i was absolutely hooked on season 1. i almost feel like season 2 was a victim of season 1's success and the boom in investigative journalism (how to make a murderer, the people vs. OJ Simpson, endless copycat-casts, etc).

attempting to listen through sarah koenig's superfluous babble as she's peeling back the layers, the bergdahl case has made me question how i feel about "deserters" and the armed forces in general. could be just me, though.

 

I just finished season two, agreed it wasn't as engaging as the first season but I still was engaged enough to want to keep listening.

There was an interview with the producers of Serial on Entertainment Weekly where they broke down a lot of the choices of why they picked Bergdahl as the subject this season. One being they didn't want to repeat themselves with a murder mystery

 

Interesting take on the finale and the season that I disagree with in a lot of ways but is fascinating to read: http://www.vulture.com/2016/03/serial-season-two-episode-11-recap.html

 

Even the season 1 updates weren't very good though. Undisclosed did a way way better, way more organized job of displaying what happened at the hearing, what it means for the future of the case, and how it relates the the information we already knew. If you haven't heard those yet, I recommend you listen.

 

I don't think the story was as compelling, but it was still interesting. I think it highlighted some major issues in the US armed forces and the mental health of its inductees.

Bowe's is a unique story. It's not one of murder like Adnan's, but it's still interesting to follow. I was happy listening to Season 2, it just wasn't the first podcast I played on the mornings it was released.

 

I will definitely give Undisclosed a listen. I agree-the season 1 updates weren't great by any means. I just meant that it was nice that they at least tried to provide some updates to the case. Or as previous people have said, maybe they just had the season 1 update episodes to try to get a few more downloads. Who knows?

 

QFT

 

Can anyone recommend some other good podcasts to listen to? I drive around one hour to get to work every day so am always looking for new things to listen to. Just subscribed to This American Life a month ago and have really enjoyed that one

 

What kind of stuff are you in to? I listen to a couple dozen of varying topics.

 

Favorite Podcasts • forum.chorus.fm

 

i listened to season one in a single sitting, while i've been doing season two as it's come out (and even a little more slowly than that, because i've been dragging my girlfriend along for the ride). i definitely preferred the former method, and i think i might go back and listen to season two again in one shot. i think it was fairly interesting, but definitely not as meaty as the first.

 

Hi Testa!

 

hey! i feel like this is the first time in recent memory that someone's recognized me from my username. probably means i need to stop lurking so much and post more haha.

 

Well, this is HUGE

Conviction vacated, new trial granted for Adnan Syed of "Serial"

 

Great news. Looking forward to following along with the trial now that he clearly has a much more competent lawyer.

 

Awesome!

 

Woah, that's great! I wonder if the State will even retry it, I'd bet they won't.