This American Life's SERIAL Podcast

[bob]

To be fair, its seems like the story sorta dropped in their lap which is what is allowing them to work on season 2 and 3 at the same time. A few thoughts:

- I hope this doesn't largely turn into the longest trailer ever for the original interviewers movie.

- It will end up being weird if they can't ask Bergdahl questions about anything they turn up in their own investigation, which seems pretty likely.

- Just remember that Serial is storytelling first, journalism second. They left out plenty of facts in season 1 that would have looked bad for Adnan because it wouldn't fit the story they were telling.



Also, if Bergdahl's version of the story is true, he's 1) crazy, 2) a fucking idiot, or 3) both.

[bob]

Here's a theory that a friend sent me:

I think the first episode is a slight red herring and much of this season is going to be about mental illness in the military and the question of whether Bergdahl was fit for duty. Allowing him to look so bad, in violation of his duties and irrational is setting the stage for the mental illness discussion.

So the Bergdahl case is just framing for what they really want to talk about.

[APC]

Why would Bergdahl and his legal team be fine w/ Serial using the phone conversations, but not agree to do an interview?

I suppose the legal team has already reviewed the phone calls and determined there's nothing too incriminating in there. If he does a fresh interview, who knows what he might say.

Did I just answer my own question?

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by bob

- I hope this doesn't largely turn into the longest trailer ever for the original interviewers movie.

That's what I was thinking too, but there are plenty of interesting questions and aspects to this story to explore.

- Just remember that Serial is storytelling first, journalism second. They left out plenty of facts in season 1 that would have looked bad for Adnan because it wouldn't fit the story they were telling.

Uh... what? There were tons of incriminating stuff they put in against Adnan. To this day there are people who are convinced that based on what Serial presented that Adnan is guilty, as there are people who are convinced the other way.

The story that I thought they were telling is that a lot of convictions are based on contradictory information. The fact that the Innocence Project (and having working with the IP in the past, I know they don't take everything) thought it was worth taking up shows me that there was a lot of grey area.

[bob]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Uh... what? There were tons of incriminating stuff they put in against Adnan.

I never said that they didn't have any incriminating stuff against him. But they left plenty out that would have made opinion change dramatically. For example, she left out Hae's diary having entries about how possessive Adnan was before and after the breakup. And then explicitly stated that Hae said he wasn't possessive. Little stuff like that.

Plus the whole phone booth crap - there was never a question of whether or not that Best Buy had a pay phone or not at the time of the trail. It did. Done.

[ISiddiqui]

I seem to recall plenty of negative Adnan stuff from Hae's diary in the podcast.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by bob

Also, if Bergdahl's version of the story is true, he's 1) crazy, 2) a fucking idiot, or 3) both.

I'll second that.

[QuikSand]

Bergdahl faces court-martial for desertion | TheHill

[ISiddiqui]

The timing definitely seems a little weird on that one.

[Peregrine]

I actually just finished listening to the first season of Serial - very interesting stuff, though I still came off believing he probably did it.

[digamma]

I've struggled through the first two episodes. While I still like Koenig's style, I just don't find the Bergahl story all that compelling. Wondering if others are having similar thoughts.

[Logan]

Same. Frankly, I don't care whether he had the right intentions or the wrong intentions when he left. He was putting his fellow soldiers at risk knowing they'd be looking for him if he didn't resurface almost immediately (the 24 hour window he mentioned) and he had to know there was at least a decent likelihood of that happening.

I also struggled with how Koenig presented just how angry the other soldiers were that they had to do all these missions to try and find him. Throwing out that whole "you may be thinking 'they're soldiers, they know what they signed up for'" after detailing 19 days of constant missions and walking around in shit-stained pants seemed really out of place.

[APC]

I kept asking myself while listening to the first two episodes: What new info is going to come out of this series?

I suppose it's mildly interesting to hear from a few Taliban people and Bergdahl himself talking to that director, but that's not really new information, just some different perspectives on information we mostly already knew.

[QuikSand]

I still have faith that it will come together.

[QuikSand]

After ep 2.3, I'm sensing how this comes together. I didn't love 2.3, but I think it could set the hook for more intrigue. I care more now, I think.

Still curious how they steer clear of politics here. Even with something like the possibility that Bowe is/was gay (which I feel they telegraphed, and has been speculated elsewhere) - maybe that's central to his feeling of disapproval with the U.S. military or his own command. But how do you get into that without a heaping dose of NPR style political correctness here? And without it coloring a lot of the deep ambivalence (or worse) coming from his comrades?

Anyway, I remain in their hands. Wonder if the week off will prove unwise.

[Barkeep49]

BTW, I think most serial people will really enjoy "Making a Murder" which is a documentary on Netflix.

[Fidatelo]

I just got into Serial over the past 2-3 weeks, going through Season 1 and now one episode into Season 2.

Season 1 thoughts: I don't know how they convicted Adnan based on the facts presented in the podcast. It just seems like there are too many holes to not have reasonable doubt. That said, my gut says he was involved, and that he probably did it, probably also with a lot more involvement from Jay than Jay wants us to believe.

Season 2 thoughts: I just don't care. I'll give it a couple more episodes, but I really just don't care. I feel like there are a million smarter ways this guy could have tried to make his point than by doing what he claims he did. Ultimately it comes down to whether I believe he is truly a deserter, or just a fucking moron, and really I don't think it matters.

[QuikSand]

So ep 2.4 was more of 2.3...

I think the post above is telling...Serial fans are now buzzing about the Netflix show instead

[Barkeep49]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

So ep 2.4 was more of 2.3...

I think the post above is telling...Serial fans are now buzzing about the Netflix show instead

Indeed. I don't think they had any notion that S1 of Serial would explode the way it did and I don't think their intent was ever to get locked into murder mystery stories. I always thought it was more of a This American Life longform concept than anything else and so while this story hasn't rivted me the way S1 did I also haven't been disappointed in the way so many I know have been.

[Logan]

I saw they're shifting to every other week.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by Barkeep49

BTW, I think most serial people will really enjoy "Making a Murder" which is a documentary on Netflix.

I just finished watching this series and you're right, it was totally up my alley after listening to Serial. Went on slightly too long, but totally worth the watch.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I just finished watching this series and you're right, it was totally up my alley after listening to Serial. Went on slightly too long, but totally worth the watch.

I will echo, and perhaps amplify, the 'too long comment. It just absolutely drags at parts. Felt like 5 episodes too many honesty. It's an interesting story, but I don't think I would really recommend the series too strongly.

[QuikSand]

The main (only?) highlight of Ep 2.5 was the teaser for Ep 2.6 ... not the way to win long term.

[Logan]

Conviction vacated, new trial awarded.

Attorney: New trial granted for Adnan Syed of "Serial" - Baltimore Sun

http://www.baltimorecitycourt.org/wp...rder063016.pdf

[QuikSand]

SavedYouAClick version: New trial is all based on the cell phone stuff, not failing to call Asia McClain

[larrymcg421]

Assuming this is upheld on appeal, then I see no way the state could possibly win a retrial.

[digamma]

Appeal upheld. New trial for Adnan.